Historical Overview

Maricao is a mountain municipality in western Puerto Rico, located in the Cordillera Central. Residents petitioned for Maricao and its barrios to separate from San Germán in the early 1870s, and the town was founded and made official in 1874. For genealogical research, families before the 1860s–1870s should be traced through San Germán parish and municipal records, as the Parroquia San Juan Bautista emerged from San Germán de Auxerre around 1864. Maricao lies in Puerto Rico's historic coffee-growing zone, and civil registration begins in 1885.

Coat of Arms

The Maricao coat of arms is divided into three sections: white upper and lower sections with flowering branches of the maricao tree, referring to the town name; a green central chevron with five bohíos symbolizing the Taíno population of the region; coffee branches around the shield representing the municipality's place in Puerto Rico's coffee-growing zone; and a mural crown marking municipal status.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Maricao has 7 barrios:

• Bucarabones
• Indiera Alta
• Indiera Baja
• Indiera Fría
• Maricao barrio-pueblo
• Maricao Afuera
• Montoso

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

• Las Marías — Inmaculada Concepción
• Lares — San José
• Adjuntas — San Joaquín y Santa Ana
• Yauco — Nuestra Señora del Rosario
• Sabana Grande — San Isidro Labrador y Santa María de la Cabeza
• San Germán — San Germán de Auxerre
• Mayagüez — Catedral Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria

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.

Maricao (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 Juan Bautista

Records from 1864

⬇ Search Catholic Records

FamilySearch account required. The record links below open digitized images on FamilySearch. You must be logged in to a free FamilySearch account to view the records. Create a free account or sign in before clicking any link.

Digital Archives

• FamilySearch: Maricao Civil and parish records
• Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645–1969 Digitized Records Islandwide Catholic church-record collection including baptisms, marriages, burials, and confirmations. Includes Maricao parish records.
• Puerto Rico Civil Registration, 1885–2001 Digitized Records Civil registration births, marriages, and deaths for all Puerto Rico municipalities including Maricao, beginning 1885.
• FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide

Further Reading

• Registros civiles, 1885–1983, Maricao — FamilySearch Digital Collection FamilySearch catalog record for Maricao civil registration, including births, marriages, and deaths from 1885.
• Puerto Rico Civil Registration, 1805–2002 — FamilySearch Digital Collection Searchable collection of Puerto Rico civil records including Maricao.
• Puerto Rico Catholic Church Records, 1645–2021 — FamilySearch Digital Collection General Puerto Rico Catholic collection including baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths, and parish censuses.
• Notas para su Historia — Maricao — Oficina Estatal de Conservación Histórica Local History Local history of Maricao in the Notas para su Historia series.
• EnciclopediaPR — Municipio de Maricao — EnciclopediaPR Reference Overview of Maricao history, geography, coat of arms, and municipal context.