Historical Overview

Juana Díaz was founded on February 25, 1798, when settlers petitioned to separate from Coamo, naming the new municipality in honor of Doña Juana Díaz de la Cruz. Located on the southern coastal plain between Ponce and Santa Isabel, the town became an important sugar-producing center in the 19th century, with large haciendas that relied on enslaved and later free labor. Parish records for the Church of San Ramón Nonato survive from 1798, and civil registration began in 1885, making Juana Díaz a well-documented municipality for genealogical research. In 1917, seven northern barrios were separated to form the new municipality of Villalba, so researchers tracing families before that date should search Juana Díaz records for ancestors from that area.

Coat of Arms

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Juana Díaz has 14 barrios:

• Amuelas
• Callabo
• Capitanejo
• Cintrona
• Collores
• Emajagual
• Guayabal
• Jacaguas
• Juana Díaz Pueblo
• Lomas
• Río Cañas Abajo
• Río Cañas Arriba
• Sabana Llana
• Tijeras

Daughter Municipalities

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

• Villalba (founded 1917) — Nuestra Señora del Carmen

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

• Coamo — Parroquia San Blas de Illescas
• Ponce — Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Guadalupe
• Santa Isabel — Santiago Apóstol
• Villalba — Nuestra Señora del Carmen

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.

Juana Díaz (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 Ramón Nonato

Records from 1798

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Digital Archives

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

Further Reading

• U.S. Census Bureau: Juana Díaz Municipio Profile — U.S. Census Bureau Census Data Authoritative 2020 Census profile for Juana Díaz, including official barrio list, population data, and geographic boundary information.
• FamilySearch Wiki — Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico Genealogy Web Resource Comprehensive guide to genealogical resources for Juana Díaz, including civil registration, Catholic church records (San Ramón Nonato), and links to digitized collections on FamilySearch.
• Juana Díaz Church Records 1787–1922 — Hijos de Coamo — Hijos de Coamo Transcription Index Volunteer-transcribed and indexed Catholic church records for Juana Díaz covering 1787–1922, including baptisms, marriages, and burials from San Ramón Nonato parish.
• Genealogia Nuestra: Juana Díaz — Genealogía Nuestra Web Resource Official municipal history of Juana Díaz published by the Puerto Rico Office of Historic Preservation. Covers the town's founding by Doña Juana Díaz de la Cruz, its development as a sugar-producing center, and local heritage.
• FamilySearch Catalog: Puerto Rico, Juana Díaz, Church Records Archive Catalog FamilySearch catalog entry for digitized parish records from Juana Díaz, covering baptisms, marriages, and burials from San Ramón Nonato parish.
• EnciclopediaPR — Municipio de Juana Díaz Encyclopedia Encyclopedic entry on Juana Díaz covering its history, geography, culture, and notable figures. Useful for placing ancestors in historical context.