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

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

Civil Records

Began in 1885

Covers births, marriages, and deaths.

⬇ Search Civil Records

Parish Records

Parish: San José

Records from 1822

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Digital Archives

• FamilySearch: Gurabo Civil and parish records
• 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.
• Registros parroquiales de Gurabo, 1822-1945 — FamilySearch Parish Records The primary FamilySearch catalog entry for Gurabo parish records, covering baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and deaths from 1822 through 1945. Available online.
• 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.
• Cementerio Municipal #1 Del Pilar — Find a Grave contributors Cemetery Records Find a Grave memorial page for Gurabo's primary municipal cemetery, Cementerio Municipal #1 Del Pilar.