Historical Overview

San Sebastián was originally established in 1752 as Las Vegas del Pepino, named after the distinctive mogote hills in the area whose silhouettes resembled cucumbers (pepinos). The formal settlement was spearheaded by Don Cristóbal González de la Cruz, who donated the lands for the first church and plaza. In 1869, the town was officially renamed San Sebastián in honor of its patron saint, San Sebastián Mártir, partly to distinguish it from the more informal Pepino nickname that some residents felt did not reflect its growing stature. San Sebastián played a significant role in the Grito de Lares (1868): many of the revolutionary leaders and insurgent groups organized within its borders before the uprising, earning the municipality a lasting reputation for its fierce independence and patriotic spirit. Economically, the town became a powerhouse for coffee and sugarcane cultivation. The Central Plata sugar mill was a dominant economic engine for the region throughout the early twentieth century. Today San Sebastián is celebrated for its popular festivals and for its deep roots in the agricultural and revolutionary history of western Puerto Rico.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms reflects the religious and geographical identity of the town. The silver field represents the purity of the waters from the Culebrinas River. The red border symbolizes the blood of the martyrs and the revolutionary spirit of the Grito de Lares. Five black arrows represent the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, the patron saint. A central green mountain symbolizes the Pepino hill that gave the town its original name. A three-towered gold mural crown denotes its status as an autonomous municipality.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. San Sebastián has 22 barrios:

Alto Sano
Bahomamey
Calabazas
Cibao
Culebrinas
Eneas
Guacio
Guajataca
Guatemala
Hato Arriba
Hoyamala
Magos
Mirabales
Perchas 1
Perchas 2
Piedras Blancas
Pozas
Robles
Saltos
San Sebastián Pueblo
Sonador
Vicentes

Daughter Municipalities

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

Lares (founded 1827) — San José

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

Isabela — San Antonio de Padua
Quebradillas — San Rafael Arcángel
Camuy — San José
Las Marías — Inmaculada Concepción
Lares — San José
Moca — Nuestra Señora de la Monserrate
Añasco — San Antonio Abad

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.

🗺

Historical map coming soon

Genealogy Toolkit

Civil Records

Began in 1885

Covers births, marriages, and deaths.

⬇ Search Civil Records

Parish Records

Parish: San Sebastián Mártir

Records from 1752

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Digital Archives

FamilySearch: San Sebastián Civil and parish records
Civil Registry: San Sebastián Records (1885–1996) Civil Records Digitized birth, marriage, and death records for San Sebastián on FamilySearch.
Parish Records — San Sebastián Mártir Church Records Catholic parish registers including some of the oldest baptismal records in the western interior of Puerto Rico.
ADNPR — San Sebastián Collections Digital Archive High-quality maps and colonial documents related to the Las Vegas del Pepino era.
Notas para su Historia: San Sebastián (OECH) Government History (PDF) Detailed PDF summary of San Sebastián's foundation and geography, part of the official OECH historical series.
FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide