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How to Trace Your Puerto Rican Family Tree

You do not need a complete archive to begin. Start with one person, one document, and one question. This guide shows how to organize what you know, find new clues, and build a family tree supported by evidence.


First Steps

Start With Yourself and Work Backward

Record your full name, birth date and place, and your parents’ names. Continue with grandparents, using both surnames where possible. Mark uncertain details as estimates instead of treating them as facts.


Family Voices

Interview Relatives Before Searching Online

Ask open-ended questions: Where did your parents grow up? Which church did the family attend? Did anyone move between Puerto Rico and the mainland? Who kept the family photographs?

With permission, record interviews and label each audio file with the speaker and date. Respect relatives who do not wish to share sensitive details.


A Clear System

Organize Your Research

Create a simple tree and a research log. For each search, note the name searched, location, date range, collection, and result—even if you found nothing. This prevents repeating work and helps you identify gaps.

Use consistent filenames such as Rivera_Maria_birth_1924_Ponce.jpg. Keep the original image and a transcription separately.


Documents as Evidence

Find One Record, Then Follow Its Clues

Start with the most recent known event. A marriage record may name parents; a birth record may identify grandparents; a census may reveal household members and migration patterns. Compare multiple sources before connecting two people with similar names.

When searching Puerto Rican records, try both surnames, one surname at a time, accents and unaccented spellings, nicknames, and approximate years.


Avoid Common Mistakes

Verify Before Adding Another Generation


Your First Weekend

A Simple Three-Session Research Plan

  1. Session 1: List three generations and gather family documents.
  2. Session 2: Interview a relative and identify one hometown.
  3. Session 3: Search one civil or church collection, save a source, and write down your next question.

Research Toolkit

Useful Starting Resources


Helpful Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Where should I start if I know only one grandparent’s name?
Write down that name, possible surnames, approximate age, spouse, and town. Ask relatives for a document that confirms at least one detail.

Should I use both Puerto Rican surnames when searching?
Yes. Try both together and separately, since databases may index them inconsistently.

Can I trust family trees I find online?
Use them as leads. Confirm relationships with original records whenever possible.

How should I organize scanned records?
Save a copy of the image, its source URL or citation, and a brief note explaining what it proves.




Did You Know?

Dr. Dolores Piñero, born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the first Puerto Rican woman doctor to serve in the Army under contract.