Aboutpuerto Rican Genealogy
| This page will consist of three parts: |
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Last updated: March 11, 2000 |
| INFORMATION: |
| If you want to research your family you have to begin with interviews of your parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. Write down or, better yet, tape whatever they tell you. Some of these data may not be correct, but they will give you anyway worthwhile hints about where to start. |
| After you have collected the first information, you can write to the Registro Demográfico (Addresses) of the town where your family lived in order to get whatever documents you don't have yet. If you go there personally, bring for each document a $5 stamp from the 'Colecturía'. Don't forget at least one picture ID because information is given only to direct descendents. If you write from outside Puerto Rico, send a money order for $5 and you have to send a photocopy of an picture ID which also has your signature. If someone else does the job for you, you have to write a letter of authorization for that person and give him/her a copy of your ID as well. |
| Many records are nowadays at a central location in San Juan with the following address: Departamento de Salud; Registro Demográfico; PO Box 11854; San Juan PR 00910. Obviously, you must know the approximate date when the document was issued in order to be successful when you ask for documents in writing. However, I only realized recently that the Mormon church has been filming the public registers of about 45 towns in Puerto Rico and is continuing to do so. As the records begin about the turn of the century and I personally had all the data from this century for our own genealogy, I never realized that so many of these records had been filmed. |
| For further research you have the parishes with their registers, but to look up records there personally, you need a permit from the bishop's office AND the permission of the parish priest. You can also go to the Family History Centers of the Mormon (Latter Day Saints) churches. For a small fee, they can order for you from their large genealogical library in Salt Lake City microfilms for some of the parish registers of Puerto Rico. They also have copies on film of many of the books published on genealogy in Puerto Rico. Besides, you have access through these centers to the US Census records up to 1920. These original records can give you very valuable information about your family, but you have to understand some Spanish as the census takers in Puerto Rico wrote the information in Spanish. The following abbreviations should be known: v = varón; h = hembra; cs = legal marriage and cc = common-law marriage. Lately I heard that there is a website for the sale of CDs for the 1910 and 1920 US Censuses. These CDs include the towns of Puerto Rico. |
| Finally, if you have a chance to go to San Juan, you can visit the General Archives in San Juan as well as the History Center of the University of Puerto Rico in Río Piedras. |
| There are, of course, many other places where you can look for information, but this is not the place to go into too many details. It is also very worthwhile to take up contact with other researchers, new and old ones. I have given you a link on the first page of this homepage to the Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía, a very helpful organization for the genealogical researcher. Another very good organization for research on Puerto Rican family history is the Hispanic Puerto Rican Genealogical Society in New York (e-mail latinoblue@aol.com). There is also some genealogical information on the homepage of Dr. Luis López Nieves, one of the members of the Sociedad, and also the homepage of Walter Cardona Bonet. Lately our friend and fellow member of the Sociedad, José Rivera Nieves has put up a good genealogical site about Puerto Rican genealogy and families. A lot of Puerto Rican history is available at another marvelous site, the homepage of Luis Negrón Hernández. I have had problems accessing this site from here despite a correct URL, but you can do so through the homepage of Luis López Nieves (go to the homepage from here, click on Genealogía and you will find it). Another worthwhile site, most of you probably know is the Family Treemaker. There are some other sites which you might want to visit: The homepage of the AOL Hispanic Genealogy Group and Hispanic America USA. A new genealogical group was formed in New York with the name Hispanic Genealogical Society of NY. |
| When I took off the 1827 taxlist, some persons felt I took it off too early. OK, as I still have space on my homepage, I will put up Oldies here: Cabo Rojo Property Taxes 1827 ; Pirates of the Caribbean, Humacao Taxlist, A Problem in Cabo Rojo, Cabo Rojo Landowners, 'Insurgentes', Fajardo death records,Errors in Documents, Immigration, the Zapatas, Mayagüez Records, some gossip from Cabo Rojo, Defunciones de Mayagüez, Deputados de Mayagüez and an article about the rules of Consanguinity. |
| THE SCHMIDTS |
| Although my legal name is Acosta, I am really a Schmidt, and as this is my homepage, I will begin with the Schmidts. Well, I doubt that you are interested in my German ancestry, but many people like to look at old family pictures. That's why I am making this second part a picture gallery. By the way, my legal name is Acosta because the judge misunderstood me when I became a naturalized citizen and changed my name legally from Ursula Hildegard Irma Schmidt to Ursula Acosta. Nowadays I would probably object, but in those days - 1958 - I didn't mind. Meanwhile, I have become so used to Acosta that I vociferously object when people insist on calling me Schmidt. |
| The picture at the beginning of this page is a family group which was made at the confirmation of one of my father's cousins with two of my paternal great grandparents in the center. Greatgrandfather Schmidt is a rather striking figure although at the time the picture was taken, he was almost totally blind. The tall lanky guy half-left in the back is my Dad; next to him is his mother, the only grandparent I ever knew and loved very much. |
| * * * This picture of my parents, Hans Schmidt (1897-1972) and his wife Irma Ulrich Schmidt (1904-1991), was taken before I was born on one of their vacations when they had just been married. * * * * * * * * * * * * |
| * * My paternal grandparents Carl Schmidt (1868-1901) and Caroline Erlenbruch Schmidt (1871-1958). Grandfather was a physician. During a visit to a patient in very bad weather he caught pneumonia and died at the age of 33. * * * * * * |
| * * *My maternal grandparents Hermann Ulrich (1869-1931) and Caroline Liepe Ulrich (1878-1922). * * * * * * * * |
| * * My great grandparents Carl Schmidt (1837-1909) and Hulda Hufschmidt Schmidt (1845-1915). * * * * * * * * |
| * * My other paternal great grandparents Johann Erlenbruch (1818-1895) and Caroline Julie Pandel Erlenbruch (1837-1898). * * * * * * * * |
In the center of this picture is one of my maternal great grandmothers, Auguste Breuert Liepe (1855-after 1922). She is surrounded by her sons and some of her grandchildren whom I cannot identify, but they were cousins of my mother. |
| ANCESTOR TABLES |
DESCENDENTS OF MIGUEL ACOSTA |
| 1. Miguel Acosta ....+Paula de la Rosa Monteros ....2. Luis Acosta Monteros, - 1811 ........+Anna Vázquez ........3. José Acosta Vázquez, about 1773 - 1814 ............+Gertrudis Matos Martín, - 1841 ............4. Andrés Acosta Matos, 1798 - after 1865 ................+Ana Montalvo Vélez, 1798 - 1859 ................5. Don Juan Antonio Acosta Montalvo, about 1820 - 1874 ....................+Doña María Candelaria Ortiz de Peña y Zapata, - 1877 ....................6. Manuel del Carmen Acosta y Ortiz de Peña, 1855 - 1935 ........................+María de Jesús Pabón Dávila y Ramírez de Arellano, 1853 - 1942 ........................7. Juan Sebastián Acosta Pabón Dávila, 1895 - 1966 ............................+Emilia Ronda Ramírez de Arellano, 1908 - ............................8. Sebastián Acosta Ronda, 1929 - ................................+Ursula (Schmidt) Acosta, 1933 - ................................9. Johann Sebastian (Hans) Acosta, 1955 - ....................................+Lois Pastrana, 1955 - ....................................10. Michelle Marie Acosta, 1983 - ..........................................Jonelle Denise Acosta, 1986 - ................................9. Dennis Gerhard Acosta, 1957 - ....................................+Angela Deadina Vázquez, 1959 - ....................................10. Dennis Javier Acosta, 1981 - ..........................................Angela Cristina Acosta, 1984 - ..........................................Nicole Marie Acosta, 1987 - ................................9. Peter Acosta, 1960 - ....................................(div.) Hilda Zapata, 1960 - ....................................Karen Spies, 1958- ....................................10. Christopher Acosta, 1983 - ..........................................Monika Marie Acosta, 1988 - ..........................................Courtney Ana Acosta, 2000- |
DESCENDENTS OF JUAN ANTONIO RONDA |
| 1. Juan Antonio Ronda, born in Callosa, near Valencia in Spain, - 1825 ....+Teresa Larrimbe, born in Cadiz(?) or in the Biscay, Spain, - 1862 ....2. José Miguel Ronda ........+María del Rosario Vilanova ........3. Demetrio Ronda, - 1904 ............+Francisca López Rodríguez, - before 1904 ............4. Manuel Ronda, about 1886 - 1925 ................+Romana Ramírez de Arellano Arroyo, 1867 - 1952 ................5. Emilia Ronda Ramírez de Arellano, 1908 - ....................(see above, the Acostas, #7 - 10) |
DESCENDENTS OF JOSEPH PABON DAVILA |
| 1. Joseph Pabón Dávila ....+Baltazara Cintron ....2. Don José Eugenio Pabón Dávila Cintrón ........+Doña María del Carmen Ramírez de Arellano y Rivera ........3. Don Cristóbal Pabón Dávila Ramírez de Arellano, 1766 - 1837 ............+Doña María de los Angeles (Angela) Quiñones Irizarry, about 1775 - 1826 ............4. Don Felipe Pabón Dávila y Quiñones, 1820 - before 1883, probably in the Mona ..................Channel ................+Doña Juana María Ramírez de Arellano y del Toro, about 1816 - 1900 ................5. María de Jesús Pabón Dávila Ramírez de Arellano, 1853 - 1942 ....................(see above, the Acostas, #6 - 10) |
DESCENDENTS OF GERONIMO RAMIREZ DE ARELLANO |
| 1. Gerónimo Ramírez de Arellano; he lived in Santo Domingo, about 1600 ....+María Benavides ....2. Lázaro Ramírez de Arellano; he immigrated to San Germán from Santo Domingo ........+Clara de Figueroa ........3. Antonio Ramírez de Arellano, 1654 - ............+Ana de Lugo y Sotomayor ............4. Remigio Ramírez de Arellano, - 1766 ................+María de la Cruz Martínez de Matos ................5. Alférez Manuel Ramírez de Arellano, - before 1791 ....................+Valentina Rivera y Vélez Borrero ....................6. Marcos Ramírez de Arellano, about 1752 - 1828 ........................+Ana Ramírez de Arellano y Ramírez de Arellano, - 1830 ........................7. Nicolás Ramírez de Arellano, about 1785 - 1835 ............................+María San Diego del Toro Cancel ............................8. Juana María Ramírez de Arellano del Toro, about 1816 - 1900 ................................+Felipe Pabón Dávila Quiñones, 1820 - before 1883 ................................(see above, the Acostas, #6 - 10, and the Pabón Dávilas, #5) |
DESCENDENTS OF FELIX ORTIZ DE PENA |
| 1. Félix Ortiz de Peña, - 1765 ....+Rosa del Toro ....2. Tomás Ortiz de Peña y del Toro, - 1800 ........+María de la Cruz Rodríguez de Berrios ........3. Eugenio Ortiz de Peña y Rodríguez de Berrios ............+Juana María Zapata Feliciano, 1798 - 1869 ............4. Doña María de la Candelaria Ortiz de Peña y Zapata, - 1877 ................(See above, the Acostas, #5- 10) |
DESCENDENTS OF CRISTOBAL ZAPATA |
| 1. Cristóbal Zapata, about 1600 in Mexico City ....+María de Cobarrubias, in Mexico City ....2. Sergeant Marcos Zapata Cobarrubias, born in Mexico City, died after 1700 ........+Ana (Pabón) Dávila, born in San Juan ........3. Marcos Zapata Pabón Dávila ............+María Flora Bello, from Tenerife ............4. Juan Martín Zapata Bello, 1714 - 1797 ................+Baltazara López de Victoria y Ramírez de Arellano, from San Germán ................5. Pablo Zapata y López de Victoria, about 1760 - about 1848 ....................+María Monserrate Feliciano Rodríguez;, - 1830 ....................6. Juana María Zapata Feliciano, 1798 - 1869 ........................+Eugenio Ortiz de Peña ........................7. María de la Candelaria Ortiz de Peña y Zapata, - 1877 ............................(See the Acostas, #6 - 10) |
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I hope I haven’t bored you with so many details about Biology and Genealogy . Now, let’s start discussing the one thing that got me passionate about Genetic-Genealogy in the first place: my own DNA results.
I remember the day when I saw my DNA results for the first time. I received an e-mail from AncestryDNA notifying that my results were ready. I wanted my husband to be with me because it was a very exciting moment for me.
Your Puerto Rican Heritage December 25, 2020 - by Amie Tennant Puerto Rico is a beautiful Caribbean island off the coast of the Dominican Republic. Surrounded by blue seas and with a landscape of mountains, waterfalls, and even a tropical rain forest, it is home to over 3 million people. And for a time, I was only able to trace my genealogy back to 1910 because that was the first U.S. Census that was taken in Puerto Rico. Now with the newest release of Puerto Rico’s birth, death and marriage records dating back to 1885 I have been able to track my genealogy as far back as approximately the 1790s! Over the years, Puerto Rico has produced five Miss Universe winners. Facts about Puerto Rican food, people, flag, economy, trade, beaches etc. Food is inexpensive in Puerto Rico. So if you are looking for a place where you can eat well within your budget and enjoy your time, Puerto Rico is a good choice.
I remember anticipating those results for weeks and would go on youtube to see random people showing their DNA results to the world and seeing their shocked first reactions.
But why I was so excited and anxious to know? I am a Puerto Rican woman born and raised on the island of Puerto Rico. I have been educated about Puerto Rican history and culture since I was a child. I was told that I came from Taino (Native American), Spaniards and African ancestors and to be proud of
I was confident that it was going to be pretty obvious that these three ethnicities were going to show up in my results but I was still curious and wanted to know if this test had the potential of challenging everything I already knew.
I remember opening the AncestryDNA page and seeing a preview that revealed the first top-two ethnicities: 30% Portuguese? 24% of France? WHAT?! That was basically my first reaction. Even my North American husband though I was being fooled and that it couldn’t be possible.
I clicked the “Discover your DNA story” button to reveal the full report and I kept getting more results that made my jaw drop. Only 9% Spain?? Are you kidding me? Then I see a long list of ethnicities that never in my life crossed my mind: European Jewish, Italy, England, Basque. What is Basque?
Even though this DNA test is based on estimates it still opened a lot of questions. What am I then? Was information kept from me? Did I fell into eternal sleep in my history class? These DNA tests are backed up by years of scientific research. This can’t be lying.
I was pleased to discover Italian in my list as I love Italian food. I am pretty sure this is the initial reaction of millions of people who get the test and get unexpected results….surprise, confusion, and amusement.
I later learned that those ethnicities go deeper than that. Anybody can enjoy Italian food even if they don’t have a single drop of Italian blood.
This big curiosity led me to find more information about my heritage and dig deeper on Puerto Rican history and my ancient roots. I am still making lots of discoveries as I learn more about
About Puerto Rican Genealogy Information
Why does it even matter you may think? Why is this important??? Well, if you think about it, your past matters, your ancestor’s matters, your history matters. Thanks to all those ancestors you are living and breathing today! They were responsible for your creation, your genes, your traits and possibly your talents.
Your results tell a story and link you to important events that shaped history. These DNA results are going to be a great resource to your genealogical research.
About Puerto Rican Genealogy Ancestry
This has been an exciting adventure for me and I hope it is for you. I invite you to follow me into my journey of exploring my roots and I hope you find some amazing discoveries too.