Luquillo, Puerto Rico Online Church Records

Early History of Luquillo

The first settlement in Luquillo dates to the early 16th century. A group of Spanish settlers, led by Cristóbal Guzmán from the Caparra Ranch (1509), created a hamlet in a valley near the Mameyes River. There stands the chapel devoted to San José Obrero. However, between 1511 and 1514, this area, as well as the adjacent regions of Humacao, Fajardo, and Loiza, among others, suffered multiple attacks. The indigenous people against the Spanish settlements established to exploit deposits of gold.

There is more than one version of the origin of the municipality’s name. Some historians say that the name Luquillo comes from the Taino word Lucuo or Loukuo, a Taino god. According to another version, Luquillo originated from an alteration of Yukiyú or Yocahú. This is the benevolent god that dwelled in the Luquillo Mountains. Also, during the early years of the 16th century, an indigenous chief named Loquillo lived in the region, where he led guerrillas against the Spanish. Therefore, some argue that his name sounded more like Spanish.

18th Century History

It was not until 1775 that efforts began to establish a town. In 1776 Fray Iñigo Abbad wrote about this region as”covered with eminent cedar, mahogany, coral tree, dragon tree, palms, ceiba, and other trees with excellent wood.” He also said that you would find livestock and mules, and there were plantations of coffee, cotton, plantains, sugar cane, beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and other vegetables and fruits. Luquillo was founded in 1797 when it attained the requirements for establishing a town. The population was sectioned into the sectors of Pitahaya, Juan Martín, Sabana, and Mata de Plátano. In addition, it was part of the district of Humacao.

19th Century

By 1847, Luquillo had one street and 41 residences. During the second half of the 19th century, sugar cane production existed. Among the cane plantations of the era were La Margarita, La Unión, San Miguel, La Monserrate, La Fortuna, and La Carmelita, some of which later became central sugar mills. In 1878, three new sectors were created: Mameyes I, Mameyes II, and Hato Viejo. Mameyes II was annexed to Río Grande in 1897.

The municipality of Luquillo was annexed to other municipalities with the change of sovereignty in 1898, and its territory was divided. Juan Martín, Pitahaya, and Sabana sectors were annexed to Fajardo, and Hato Viejo, Mameyes I, and Mata de Plátano were annexed to Río Grande.

In 1914, the Puerto Rico Legislature approved a law restoring Luquillo with the same sectors it had in 1897, except for Hato Viejo, which disappeared in 1910, and Mameyes II, which remained part of Rio Grande.

Luquillo Church Records

• Baptisms

Book	Year	Race	Image	Index	Notes
	1829-1837	Unknown	1946		This book is illegible.
4	1836-1842	Pardos	547
7A	1842-1871		6	6	Contains 41 folios. Copy of the original book.
7	1865-1872		30
8	1873-1878		336	304
9	1878-1880		661
10	1882-1885		890
11	1885-1889		32	8
12	1889-1893		293
13	1893-1896		630
14	1896-1900		1003	985
15	1900-1902		377
16	1902-1904		493	451
17	1904-1907		569
18	1907-1910		740
19	1910-1915		946	925
19-B	1915-1919		20	9
20	1919		235

Confirmations

Book	Year
1	1829-1942	1

Marriages

Book	Year	Race	Image	Index	Notes
	1797-1848		931
2	1809-1817	Whites	1131, 1179
	1816-1842		1
3	1842-1881	Whites	354
	1882-1895		1
	1895-1940		1	1

Burials

Book	Year	Race	Image	Index	Notes
5	June 1, 1871 – 1879		1721	NA	The film was miscategorized.
18	1879-1881		1610	1717
22	1896-1900		2537	2850

2 Transcriptions Available For Luquillo Marriages

• Marriages: 1797-1848

• Marriages: 1809-1842

Sources

• Nuestro Puerto Rico
• FamilySearch

Civil Registration Records

In addition to the online Church records, there are the Civil Registration Records that began in 1885 and went through 1951. Click here.