Historical Overview

Gurabo was established as an independent municipality in 1815, having separated from Caguas, and grew around the parish of San José in the eastern interior of Puerto Rico. The municipality's river valleys and fertile terrain supported an agricultural economy through the 19th century. Parish records survive from 1822, and researchers tracing Gurabo families before that year will find relevant baptismal, marriage, and burial entries in the Caguas parish registers.

Coat of Arms

Image: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

On a green field (sinople), a broadened patriarchal cross in gold, its vertical arm flanked at the base by two silver escutcheons: the one on the dexter charged with a fleur-de-lis in azure, and the one on the sinister charged with an azure vase from which emerge three lilies on their natural stalks. For the crest, a mural crown in gold with three towers, masoned in sable and rejointed in sinople. The cross reflects the town's Catholic heritage; the fleur-de-lis and lily vase honor Marian devotion; and the mural crown denotes municipal status. Blazon published in El Reportero on November 20, 1982, and filed with the Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Gurabo has 6 barrios:

• Gurabo Pueblo
• Jagual
• Mamey
• Navarro
• Rincón
• Rinconada

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

• Caguas — Catedral Dulce Nombre de Jesús
• Trujillo Alto — Santa Cruz de Trujillo Alto
• Carolina — San Fernando
• Juncos — Inmaculada Concepción
• San Lorenzo — Nuestra Señora de las Mercedes

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.

Gurabo (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 José

Records from 1822

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Diocesan Archive

Diocese: Diocese of Caguas

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

Diocese Website

Digital Archives

• FamilySearch: Gurabo Civil and parish records
• Registros parroquiales de Gurabo, 1822-1945 Parish Records The primary FamilySearch catalog entry for Gurabo parish records, covering baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and deaths from 1822 through 1945. Available online.
• Cementerio Municipal #1 Del Pilar Cemetery Records Find a Grave memorial page for Gurabo's primary municipal cemetery, Cementerio Municipal #1 Del Pilar.
• Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645–1969 Digitized Records Islandwide Catholic church-record collection including baptisms, marriages, burials, and confirmations. Includes Gurabo parish records.
• Puerto Rico Civil Registration, 1885–2001 Digitized Records Civil registration births, marriages, and deaths for all Puerto Rico municipalities including Gurabo, beginning 1885.
• FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide

Further Reading

• U.S. Census Bureau: Gurabo Municipio Profile — U.S. Census Bureau Census Data Authoritative 2020 Census profile for Gurabo, including official barrio list, population data, and geographic boundary information.
• Gurabo, Puerto Rico Genealogy — FamilySearch Wiki contributors Research Guide FamilySearch Wiki research guide for Gurabo, covering available record types, repositories, and historical background.
• Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645-2021 — FamilySearch Collection The broader Puerto Rico Catholic Church Records collection that includes Gurabo parish material, useful when searching across jurisdictions.
• Gurabo Church Records Guide — Hijos de Coamo PR / Genealogía Nuestra Research Guide Secondary guide confirming Gurabo church records are digitized online, with historical context on Gurabo's separation from Caguas in 1815.

GenealogíaPR.com Transcriptions

The following links connect to free church record transcription resources available through GenealogíaPR.com, the website of the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía. These valuable resources were created and shared through the dedicated work of Sociedad members.

• Gurabo: Church Record Transcriptions Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía

If these transcriptions help advance your Puerto Rican genealogy research, please consider supporting this important work by becoming a member of the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía: Join here.