The following is a detailed outline of important NARA materials regarding Puerto Rican historical/genealogical research. To the best of my knowledge, it is complete. Please send additions or corrections to MRosado007@aol.com.

Last updated: 12 June 1996

[General Information] [U.S. Federal Census of Puerto Rico, 1899-1900] [U.S. Federal Census of Puerto Rico, 1910] [Naturalization Records] [1872 Slave Census] [Records Group 186]

[Puerto Rico page] [Hispanic Genealogy Crossroads] [Hispanic Genealogy Address Book]

1. General information
   1. NARA is the branch of the U.S. Federal government that is responsible for storing and preserving the federal records of the United States and its holdings. NARA has regional archives in AK, CA, CO, GA, IL, MA, MO, NY, PA, TX and WA. The main branch is in Washington, D.C. A complete list of mailing addresses is available in the AOL Genealogy Forum's (keyword: roots) NARA files library.
      1. NARA sells numerous booklets on conducting genealogy research. The complete catalog of NARA holdings can be purchased at the following address. Prices are subject to change without notice.

         Publications & Distribution (NECD)
         National Archives, Room G9
         Seventh & Pennsylvania Ave., NW
         Washington, D.C. 20808
         (800) 234-8861
         (202) 501-7190

      2. NARA also sells microfilm rolls of U.S./Puerto Rico census data from 1900 to the present. Consult the catalog mentioned above for specific roll numbers. Positive copies cost $23 for domestic orders or $30 for foreign orders (shipping costs already included). Checks and money orders should be made payable to the National Archives Trust Fund and mailed with your order to the following address. Prices are subject to change without notice.

         National Archives Trust Fund
         P.O. Box 100793
         Atlanta, GA 30384

2. NARA's Puerto Rican resources
   1. U.S. Federal Census of Puerto Rico, 1899-1900
   2. U.S. Federal Census of Puerto Rico, 1910
   3. In addition to federal census records, NARA has numerous Puerto Rican documents that date from well before the turn of the century. Among these are the following.
      1. Extranjeros (foreigners in Puerto Rico)
         1. A collection of 19 microfilm rolls (see section III.B.9.b below) dealing with naturalization of foreigners from 1815-1845. These may include lists of foreigners residing in various towns and copies of final naturalization papers. Immigrants were usually given free land and allowed not to pay taxes for five years, after which time they could either become Spanish citizens or return to their homeland. Upon naturalization, these records typically contained the applicant's name, country and town of origin, family members' names, proof of Catholicism and moral character, amount of capital, town of planned residence and profession.
            1. Roll 1: Royal decree on 8/10/1815 authorizing immigration, Juan Jose ABADIE - Antonio AYRES
            2. Roll 2: Amos BABCOCK - Luis BEY
            3. Roll 3: Geronimo BIBOLIN - Roberto BUTLER
            4. Roll 4: Antonio CABAZA - Maria Juana CIPRIANY
            5. Roll 5: Honoreto CLAIRET - Juan CUTRO
            6. Roll 6: Luis DABOS - Guillermo DIXON
            7. Roll 7: Andres DODERO - Eugenio C. M. EUSTAQUIO
            8. Roll 8: Luis FABEIRA - Daniel FUTON
            9. Roll 9: Domingo GAGGINO - Mateo GIVORICH
            10. Roll 10: Juan GOBER - Juan B. GUZMAN
            11. Roll 11: Juan HADDAN - Pedro Alberto KROOG
            12. Roll 12: Juan LABADY - Christian H. LUYDEN
            13. Roll 13: Bernardo MAGENDIE - Jose Maria MATTEY
            14. Roll 14: Juan MAUMAME - Luis MUTRELLE
            15. Roll 15: Victorio NADEAU - Luis OYOLI
            16. Roll 16: Juan PADOVANI - Alejandro QUIVIRON
            17. Roll 17: Luisa RABANIER - Santiago RYAN
            18. Roll 18: Andres SABALIET - Samuel SYEBERGEN
            19. Roll 19: Juan TAURAN - Valerio ZARAGOSA
      2. Registro Central de Esclavos (Central Slave Registrar) and the 1872 Slave Census
         1. Slavery was a fact of life in Puerto Rico until the passing of Moret Law in 1870. This edict granted freedom to slaves over 60, those belonging to the state, and children born to slaves after 9/17/1868. Most importantly for genealogy purposes, the Moret Law established the Central Slave Registrar which in 1872 began gathering the following data on the island's slave population: name, country of origin, present residence, names of parents, sex, marital status, trade, age, physical description, and master's name. There are eight microfilm rolls available, organized by the geographical districts, then by city. There is no information for District 3.
            1. District 1 - Dorado, Naranjito, Trujillo Alto, Trujillo Bajo, San Juan
            2. District 2 - Arecibo, Camuy, Ciales, Hatillo, Manati, Morovis, Quebradillas, Utuado
            3. District 4 - Anasco, Cabo Rojo, Mayaguez
            4. District 4 - Mayaguez (cont.), Sabana Grande, San German
            5. District 5 - Adjuntas, Barros, Coamo, Guayanilla, Penuelas, Yauco, Juana Diaz
            6. District 5 - Barranquitas, Ponce
            7. District 6 - Arroyo, Guayama, Cidra
            8. District 6 - Cidra (cont.), Aguas Buenas, Caguas, Cayey, Gurabo, Hato Grande (San Lorenzo), Salinas, Sabana del Palmar (Comerio)
      3. Records of the Spanish governors of Puerto Rico (Records Group 186)
         1. A fragmentary collection of executive records about the Puerto Rican government's political affairs from 1754-1899. Many of these records were lost in 1926 when a fire likewise destroyed much of the holdings of the Historical Archive in San Juan, PR. The surviving records are still retained therein. For more information on Records Group 186, write to this address.

            Textual Reference Branch, Archives II
            8601 Adelphi Rd.
            College Park, MD 20740-6001
            (301) 713-7250

            1. Records relating to political and civil affairs
               1. A collection of royal orders, much-abbreviated census records, elections, consular correspondence, documents on the Rebellion of Lares, and a list of 2246 bundles of related materials compiled by Cayetano Coll y Toste, a Puerto Rican scholar who helped transfer these materials to the Library of Congress in 1899.
            2. Records relating to fiscal affairs
               1. Mostly financial reports including budgets, fines, contraband, public expenditures, etc., from 1782-1896. Also correspondence signed by Alejandro Ramirez, Puerto Rico's government financial planner, 1813-1816.
            3. Records relating to military affairs
               1. Documentation from 1761-1890 concerning artillery, cavalry, local and national defense, deserters, fortifications, military conduct and decorations, and La Puntilla Prison.
            4. Records relating to naval affairs
               1. Similar to the military documents described above, including appointments, shipwrecks and lighthouses from 1782-1891. Also includes documentation on Commodore David Porter, USN, whose campaign in 1823-1825 helped suppress piracy in the Caribbean.
            5. Records relating to ecclesiastical affairs
               1. Priest appointments, tithes, misc. church statistics, visitations from 1782-1897 and documentation on the Convent on San Francisco.
            6. Records from government agencies
               1. Correspondence from 1796-1897 received from the Departments of Public Health, Public Works and the Postal Service.
            7. Records from municipalities
               1. A collection of the mayoral documents of over 75 towns from 1765-1898, accompanied by town council resolutions, tax lists, proposed budgets, lists of inhabitants, vaccinations, etc.