Historical Overview

Founded on January 29, 1736, Guayama was carved from the territory of Coamo after settlers petitioned for a local parish to avoid the dangerous journey north for religious services. Known as the Ciudad de los Brujos (City of the Witches), it became a vital hub for southeastern Puerto Rican genealogy, with its economy rooted in the coastal sugar industry and the mountainous tobacco and coffee regions. As a pueblo matriz, Guayama's expansive jurisdiction later gave rise to Patillas (1811) and Arroyo (1855). The main parish, San Antonio de Padua, holds systematic records from 1813 with some earlier fragments from the mid-1700s; researchers tracing ancestors before 1750 should consult the records of San Blas de Illescas in Coamo.

Coat of Arms

Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

The shield features blue and silver checks representing the orderly street layout of the urban zone, two mill towers symbolizing the historical dominance of the sugar industry, and laurel trees representing the famous laurel trees of the central Plaza de Recreo Cristóbal Colón. A five-towered mural crown atop the shield signifies Guayama's official status as a city.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Guayama has 10 barrios:

Algarrobo
Caimital
Carite
Carmen
Guamaní
Guayama barrio-pueblo
Jobos
Machete
Palmas
Pozo Hondo

Daughter Municipalities

The following municipalities separated from Guayama. Residents recorded events before their founding year in Guayama's parish:

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

Historical Maps

Historical maps help identify barrios, boundaries, and communities as they existed in the past. Maps from the 18th and 19th centuries are preferred.

Guayama (2026)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, TIGER/Line Shapefiles

Genealogy Toolkit

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Civil Records

Began in 1885

Covers births, marriages, and deaths.

⬇ Search Civil Records

Parish Records

Parish: San Antonio de Padua

Records from 1813

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Diocesan Archive

Diocese: Diocese of Ponce

For sacramental records not available digitally, contact the diocesan archive directly.

Diocese Website

Digital Archives

FamilySearch: Guayama Civil and parish records
Cementerio Municipal de Guayama — Find A Grave Cemetery Index Index for the primary municipal cemetery of Guayama. Useful for verifying death dates and burial information that may be absent from civil or church records.
Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645–1969 Digitized Records Islandwide Catholic church-record collection including baptisms, marriages, burials, and confirmations. Includes Guayama parish records.
Puerto Rico Civil Registration, 1885–2001 Digitized Records Civil registration births, marriages, and deaths for all Puerto Rico municipalities including Guayama, beginning 1885.
FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide

Padrones and Municipal Censuses

The following image groups were created by the Gobierno de Puerto Rico and digitized by FamilySearch. They are not name-indexed, so you browse them like a book. A free FamilySearch account is required. To learn how to read and work through them, see Padrones and the Image Search, or scan the island-wide set in the Padrones Browser.

Padrón de Almas (soul census) (1)

A household-by-household count of every soul in the parish or municipality, listing residents by name, age, and relationship to the head of household.

Censo Poblacional 1846 Caja 188 · 53 images

Padrón de Jornaleros (day-laborer register) (2)

Registers of landless day laborers compelled to carry a libreta under the Régimen de la Libreta, 1849 to 1873. They name the worker, his age, his barrio, and often the hacienda that employed him.

Padrón de Jornaleros 1858 Caja 102 · 21 images
Padrón de Jornaleros 1903–1904 Caja 108 · 60 images

Padrón de Habitantes (inhabitant register) (1)

Municipal registers of inhabitants, including cédulas de empadronamiento. These list residents by household and are the most common surviving padrón type.

Censo Poblacional 1869 Caja 168 · 149 images

Municipal Population Census (1)

Population counts compiled by the municipal government, separate from the island-wide enumerations. Detail varies widely by municipality and year.

Censo Poblacional 1871 Caja · 337 images

Enslavement Records (6)

Municipal records documenting enslaved people, including registers, manumissions, and the 1873 abolition indemnification paperwork.

Expedientes de Esclavos 1846–1854 Caja 65 · 5 images
Padrón de Esclavos 1868 Caja 164 · 50 images
Padrón de Esclavos 1868 Caja 165 · 29 images
Padrón de Esclavos 1868 Caja 167 · 30 images
Padrón de Esclavos 1868 Caja 170 · 25 images
Padrón de Esclavos 1870–1872 Caja 155 · 15 images

Municipal Records (1)

Other administrative records created by the municipal government, including tax rolls, residency papers, and council books.

Expediente de Extranjeros 1868–1869 Caja 191 · 13 images