Historical Overview

Founded in 1801 along the Río Grande de Loíza in northeastern Puerto Rico, Trujillo Alto was established from the jurisdiction of San Juan along the old Paso de las Palmas route. As a pueblo matriz, Trujillo Alto ceded territory in 1817 when San Miguel de Trujillo was founded, an area that eventually became Carolina. The primary parish, Santa Cruz de Trujillo Alto, holds digitized Catholic registers beginning in 1840 (FamilySearch catalog 1149478), with some volumes also held at the Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano in Old San Juan; researchers should consult San Juan records for ancestors predating the 1801 municipal founding.

Coat of Arms

The shield is topped by a five-towered golden mural crown signifying city status. The coat of arms features religious and local symbols tied to the patron saint, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (La Exaltación de la Santa Cruz), whose feast is commemorated on September 14.

Barrios

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

• Carraízo
• Cuevas
• Dos Bocas
• Quebrada Negrito
• Saint Just
• Trujillo Alto barrio-pueblo

Daughter Municipalities

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

• Carolina (founded 1816) — San Fernando

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

• Caguas — Catedral Dulce Nombre de Jesús
• Canóvanas — Nuestra Señora del Pilar
• Carolina — San Fernando
• Gurabo — San José
• San Juan — Catedral de San Juan Bautista

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.

Trujillo Alto (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: Santa Cruz de Trujillo Alto

Records from 1840

⬇ Search Catholic Records

Digital Archives

• FamilySearch: Trujillo Alto Civil and parish records
• FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide

Further Reading

• U.S. Census Bureau: Trujillo Alto Municipio Profile — U.S. Census Bureau Census Data Authoritative 2020 Census profile for Trujillo Alto, including official barrio list, population data, and geographic boundary information.
• FamilySearch Wiki: Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico Genealogy Web Resource Comprehensive guide to genealogical resources for Trujillo Alto, including civil registration, Catholic church records, and links to digitized collections on FamilySearch.
• FamilySearch Catalog: Registros parroquiales, Trujillo Alto, 1840–1932 Archive Catalog FamilySearch catalog entry for digitized Catholic Church parish registers from Trujillo Alto, covering baptisms and marriages from 1840 to 1932. Some books are also held at the Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano in Old San Juan.
• Trujillo Alto Church Records and Other Resources — Genealogía Nuestra Web Resource Practical guide to Trujillo Alto church books on FamilySearch and notes on the Archdiocesan Historical Archive in Old San Juan for incomplete or missing volumes.
• Cementerio Municipal de Trujillo Alto — Find A Grave Cemetery Index Index for the primary municipal cemetery of Trujillo Alto. Useful for verifying burial dates that may be absent from civil or church records.
• Cementerio Municipal Trujillo Bajo — Find A Grave Cemetery Index Index for the Trujillo Bajo municipal cemetery, useful for families buried in this related local cemetery area.