Historical Overview

Guaynabo is one of Puerto Rico's most historically significant municipalities, encompassing the site of Caparra, the island's first European settlement established in 1508. Founded as an independent municipality on April 9, 1769, from the territory of Bayamón, it was suppressed in 1875 and its barrios absorbed by Bayamón and Río Piedras before being restored in 1912. Researchers tracing Guaynabo ancestors during the suppression period (1875–1912) should consult records from Bayamón and Río Piedras (now part of San Juan). The parish of San Pedro Mártir de Verona holds sacramental records dating to 1765, making Guaynabo's ecclesiastical archive among the oldest on the island.

Coat of Arms

The Guaynabo coat of arms, adopted in 1972, features a flory cross representing the Dominican Order and patron saint Peter Martyr of Verona; a red masonry fortress symbolizing Caparra, the first capital of Puerto Rico; a purple rampant lion representing the Ponce de León family; and green and silver as the oldest heraldic colors of the town, representing fertility and purity.

Barrios

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

• Camarones
• Frailes
• Guaraguao
• Guaynabo barrio-pueblo
• Hato Nuevo
• Mamey
• Pueblo Viejo
• Río
• Santa Rosa
• Sonadora

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

• Aguas Buenas — Los Santos Reyes
• Bayamón — Invención de la Santa Cruz
• Cataño — Nuestra Señora del Carmen
• San Juan — San Juan Bautista (Catedral)

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.

Guaynabo (2026)

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

Genealogy Toolkit

Civil Records

Began in 1886

Covers births, marriages, and deaths.

⬇ Search Civil Records

Parish Records

Parish: San Pedro Mártir de Verona

Records from 1765

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Digital Archives

• FamilySearch: Guaynabo Civil and parish records
• FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide

Further Reading

• FamilySearch Catalog: San Pedro Mártir Parish — FamilySearch International Parish Records Primary ecclesiastical archive for Guaynabo. Baptisms start 1765; Marriages and Burials start 1771.
• Guaynabo Parish Record Indexes — Hijos de Coamo Index Detailed breakdown of baptismal books and image locations for San Pedro Mártir (1765–1943).
• Guaynabo: Notas para su Historia — Puerto Rico State Office of Historic Preservation (OECH) Book Official municipal history PDF providing demographic history from 1780 to 1860.