Historical Overview

Yabucoa was established on October 3, 1793, when territory was separated from neighboring Humacao, and is located in the fertile southeastern coastal valley of Puerto Rico. Known as La Ciudad del Nuevo Amanecer (The City of the New Dawn), the municipality built its colonial economy on cattle ranching and sugar production, later becoming the mother town of Maunabo in 1799. The main parish, Parroquia Santos Ángeles Custodios, holds baptismal records dating to 1813, marriage records from 1829, and burial records from 1837, with civil registration beginning in 1885. Researchers tracing Afro-Puerto Rican ancestry should note that Yabucoa's 1872 slave registers survive and are especially valuable for this historically sugar-producing region.

Coat of Arms

The coat of arms features a green field representing the fertile valley. Two silver angels represent the Holy Guardian Angels (Santos Ángeles Custodios), the patron saints of the municipality. Two gold sugarcane stalks represent the agricultural industry that sustained the local economy for centuries. The three-towered mural crown identifies the settlement as a municipality.

Barrios

Genealogical records often identify individuals by barrio. Yabucoa has 10 barrios:

Aguayo
Calabazas
Camino Nuevo
Guayabota
Jácanas
Juan Martín
Limones
Playa
Tejas
Yabucoa Pueblo

Daughter Municipalities

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

Maunabo (founded 1799) — San Isidro Labrador

Neighboring Municipalities

Also check records in neighboring municipalities:

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.

Yabucoa (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: Santos Ángeles Custodios

Records from 1813

⬇ Search Catholic Records

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Digital Archives

FamilySearch: Yabucoa Civil and parish records
Find a Grave: Yabucoa Cemeteries Cemetery Records Registry of burial locations and memorial pages for Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, useful for cross-referencing burial records and grave markers.
Puerto Rico, Catholic Church Records, 1645–1969 Digitized Records Islandwide Catholic church-record collection including baptisms, marriages, burials, and confirmations. Includes Yabucoa parish records.
Puerto Rico Civil Registration, 1885–2001 Digitized Records Civil registration births, marriages, and deaths for all Puerto Rico municipalities including Yabucoa, beginning 1885.
FamilySearch: Puerto Rico Genealogy Complete records guide