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Yauco, Puerto Rico

Yauco Early History

The Yauco area was once considered the capital of Boriken by the Taino natives. It was ruled by Agüeybana, the most powerful Taíno cacique on the island was its ruler. The other caciques had to obey him. After Agüeybaná’s death, his nephew Güeybaná (also known as Agüeybaná II) became the most potent cacique on the island. Agüeybaná II wasn’t convinced that the Spaniards had godly status, so he devised a plan to test this. He and Urayoán, the cacique of Añasco, sent some tribe members to drown a Spaniard named Diego Salcedo in a river. They watched over Salcedo’s body to ensure that he did not revive. This event convinced Agüeybaná II and the rest of the Taíno that the Spaniards were not gods. They rebelled against the Spanish in 1511 but were defeated.

18th Century History

  • In 1755, the Spanish settlers of the region built a small chapel named Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario (Our Lady of the Holy Rosary). The settlers sent Fernando Pacheco as their representative to the Spanish Government to request the establishment of a municipality since they had satisfied one of the requirements for a city, namely, to establish a place of worship.
  • On February 29, 1756, the King of Spain granted its settlers their request and agreed to establish Yauco, naming Fernando Pacheco as the new city’s First Lieutenant of War.
  • From the mid-19th to the early 20th century, hundreds of Corsican, Italian, French, Portuguese, Irish, Scots, and German immigrants arrived in Puerto Rico, attracted by the Spanish Crown’s offer of free land. They settled mainly in the south-central region.

Observations of Church Books for Yauco

Here is the complete outline of the film’s breakdown. Unfortunately, you will not find many indexes in the books. Also, the condition of the books varies. Some are better than others. Hopefully, you will know the years you must research since you must go through them page by page.

Baptisms for Yauco, 1759 to 1897

Book #YearRace/NotesImage Index
11751-1769Whites, Enslaved4
21769-1777Whites, Pardos, Enslaved (see notes from the Priest)240
Film-31777-1789452
Film-41789-1796957
1796-1804A continuation of Film #44
51804-1808883
5b1809-1813641
61813-1821293
Film-61814-1837Whites1175
81821-1824Pardos, Freed Blacks, Enslaved629
91824-1827Pardos, Freed Blacks, Enslaved 1776
101827-18311067
111831-1835Pardas961
121835-18411926
51837-1845Whites1519
1840-1860Misclassified, this is for marriages, not Baptisms.
131841-1849Pardos, Free Blacks, Enslaved210
151845-1856Whites1619
Film-11849-1852Whites, Pardos6
1850-1881Pardos, Enslaved, Naturales502614
161857-1859The book is in poor condition1304
171860-18621900
181862-1863Continuation of book 17, labeled as book 18. 4
191863-1864Whites, Pardos223196
Film-31864-1865Possibly book 20529
211865-1866833
221866-18691138
231869-18701441
241870-18711746
251871-18732055
261873-18754
271875-1876315
281876-1878621
291878-1880931
301880-18821241
311882-18831547
321883-18841754
331884-18851962
341885-18872168
34b1887-1887Continuation of book 344
351887-1889106
361889-1890410
371890-1892720
381892-18941029
391894-18961225*
401896-18971484
Not all volumes have a Book number assigned. I am using the film number as a reference. In addition, there is a marriage book miscategorized in the Baptism books. FamilySearch has also indexed it as a baptism. (1840-1860) I broke down the books, which are now in the marriage section.

Baptisms for Yauco, 1897 to 1932

Book #YearRace/NotesImage Index
411897-19011972
421901-19024
431902-1903164
441903-1904322
451905-1906480
461906-1908639
1907-1908942
1908-19091058
1910-19111241
1911-19121380
501912-19141507
511914-19161871
521916-19172237
531917-19184
531918-1920272
541920-1922642
551922-19241011
561924-19251400
571925-19271663
581927-1928154
1928-1930628
601930-19321123
60b1930-1932Duplicate Book, this one is clearer.1607
Not all volumes have a Book number assigned. I am using the film number as a reference. In addition, there is a marriage book miscategorized in the Baptism books. FamilySearch has also indexed it as a baptism. (1840-1860) I broke down the books, which are now in the marriage section.

Marriages

Marriage Index by Surname for 1926 to 1940

AGNT
BHOV
CIPW
DJQY
EL-LLRZ
FMS
Covers Books; 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22
Book #YearRace/NotesImage Index
11751 to 17701931
21769 to 17942042
31794 to 18052220
3b1805 to 1810A continuation of the previous film (#3.) 7
1810 to 181492
41814 to 1854Whites, Pardos, Freed, Enslaved 328
1825 to 1840Pardos, Blacks584
1840 to 1850Whites, Pardos, Blacks (Film #007975698)1595
1854 to 1860Whites, Pardos (Film #007975698)1693
81865 to 187310661059
1871 to 1875750728
91875 to 18821373
101882 to 18861676
111886 to 18971806
121897 to 19052117
121905 to 1905A continuation of book 125
131906 to 1908177
141908 to 1912408
151913 to 19201168
161920 to 1923653103
161921 to 1923159103
171923 to 1926912103
171923 to 1926406
181926 to 19331528128
181926 to 1933673
Index1926 to 1940Covers Books; 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 (see table above)(128)

Burials

Book #YearRace/NotesImage Index Image
1751 to 17701853
1770 to 17851678
1786 to18021116
1802 to 18082247
1808 to 18181552
1808 to 18182014
1818 to 18263
1826 to 1833243
1833 to 1838429
1833 to 18381788
1838 to 1844630
101844 to 1848820
1848 to 1853970
111848 to 18531357
1853 to 1864821
1863 to 18671162
1864 to 1867Note: First 11 pages are part of the previous book.10021315
1867 to 18701469
1867 to 1870700976
151870 to 187318091769
1870 to 1873394354
161873 to 187521462119
161873 to 1875Notes: Duplicate492466
171875 to 187814321734
1878 to 18811107
19/221881 to 1889800
231889 to 1892467
231889 to 18926309
241892 to 1896Film #0081356354413
241896 to 1896Film # 007231495 (duplicate book)4412
251896 to 18991798
261899 to 19001764
271900 to 19042072
271900 to 1904Duplicate book1349
281921 to 19221604

Confirmations

Book NumberYearRace/NotesImage
Not Indicated1936 to 19544
Not Indicated1909 to 19322047
Not Indicated1920 to 19325
Not Indicated1954 to 19621916

Sources

2 thoughts on “Yauco, Puerto Rico, Church Index 1751 to 1962

  1. Pablo Iván Reyes Marrero

    Hello!

    I find your site invaluable in my genealogy research. I recommend your site to anyone seriously doing genealogy, it will save many hours of time searching for records.

    Two items:
    1- I have discovered a link directing to an incorrect film:
    Yauco Burials 1818-1826
    The link directs to Film # 007231494, when it should be directing to Film 007231496 (image 3 or 4).

    https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G94C-Q8Z?i=3&cat=277991

    The incorrect last digit for the film was inadvertently used. 🙂

    2- I also noticed on your About page that you have done extensive research on the Reyes surname. I am a Reyes from Utuado, and have hit a “Brick Wall” at Martín Reyes (married to Rufina Soto Valentín) in attempting to recreate a direct line of Reyes ancestors from me. He is my paternal 2GG, and was wondering if your research has included that line of Reyes ancestors that ended up in Utuado.

    Would appreciate any feedback.

    Keep up the great work!
    Pablo Iván

    • Thank you Pablo for letting me know about the misdirect link. I appreciate it. I rely on many of you to let me know of these errors, so I appreciate it very much. As for your Reyes line, what time period are we talking about for Martín Reyes and Rufina Soto Valentín? You may email me directly if you like, hijosdecoamopr@gmail.com

Tell me what you think, leave a comment please.