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Cuban genealogy research tips

A while back, a good friend asked how to start researching family history in Cuba—what records are available, either online or in-country, that document a family's life in Cuba during the late 19th and early 20th centuries? The information below serves only as a starting point and is by no means complete or comprehensive. More records and resources may become available as Cuba becomes more accessible to visitors researching family histories.


Challenges?

  • Political separation has complicated access to records

  • Some records were destroyed during wars or revolutions

  • Hurricane damage has affected archive preservation

  • Many records remain undigitized or unindexed


Where to start?

  • Understand the history of this location. Start with a basic timeline of key events, locations and people. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba

  • Start with family interviews: Document everything known relatives can recall, including approximate dates, locations, and family stories.

  • Focus on location: Identify specific towns or municipalities where your ancestors lived. How long did the family reside in Cuba? What was their country of origin before their time in Cuba? Consider researching the family unit in other country’s records (e.g. Spain).

  • Contact the Cuban Heritage Collection: The University of Miami's library has extensive Cuban genealogical resources. https://www.library.miami.edu/chc/index.html

  • Utilize FamilySearch: They have microfilmed many Cuban records and have a growing digital collection. https://www.familysearch.org

    • Church Records (1679-1994): This is one of the most comprehensive collections, containing Catholic parish registers with baptisms, marriages, and burials from many parishes across Cuba.

    • Civil Registration (1860-2000): Includes birth, marriage, and death records from various municipalities. Coverage varies by location, with some areas having more complete collections than others.

    • Census Records: Limited census materials, including portions of the 1907 and 1943 censuses for certain provinces.

    • Immigration Records: Passenger lists showing migration to and from Cuba, especially connections to Florida, New Orleans, and Spain.

  • Join specialized groups: Facebook and other platforms have Cuban genealogy research communities.

  • Consider DNA testing: This can connect you with relatives and confirm documentary research.

  • Explore Cuban community newspapers published in exile communities (Miami, Tampa, Union City, etc.).


Family histories

  • The Enrique Hurtado de Mendoza Collections is a unique research collection at the Green Library at Florida International University Special Collections and University Archives. The collection includes thousands of books, handwritten and typed letters, photos and other primary documents relating to Cuba and Cuban genealogy, collected over four decades by Felix Enrique Hurtado de Mendoza. Search by family name, and browse by subject. Part of FIU’s Digital Library of the Caribbean. http://dloc.com/iFiuHurtado

  • "HISTORIA DE FAMILIAS CUBANAS" by Francisco Xavier de Santa Cruz y Mallen Conde de San Juan de Jaruco y de Santa Cruz de Mopox. ISBN: 0-89729-379-70. 9-volume work, 850 surnames. Searchable index: www.cubagenweb.org/jaruco.htm


Understand locations and terminology

  • There were six original provinces in Cuba until 1978. Currently, there are 15 provinces. Find a good map of the area you are researching, with the current province and the province in the period you are researching. Cuban provinces over time: www.cubagenweb.org/prov.htm

  • Pay attention to location-related terminology "ciudad" (city), "municipio" (municipality), "provincia" (province.) Sometimes the capital city of a province and the province carry the same name. For example: the city of Pinar del Rio versus the province of Pinar del Rio.

  • University of Texas Library, Historic Maps of Cuba collection: www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/cuba.html


Church records

  • Cuban church records follow the Spanish model, typically providing detailed information about individuals and their families. These records usually mention not only the parents but also the grandparents, making them valuable for genealogy research. They often include details such as the birthplace of each ancestor, their residential location at the time of the event, and occasionally their occupations. This level of detail can significantly aid in constructing a family tree and understanding ancestral backgrounds.

  • You can acquire records from Cuba, especially church records, by writing directly to the ancestral parish. Records have been centralized in the corresponding province Archdioceses.

    1. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Cuba maintains a map of and links to modern-day dioceses: www.iglesiacubana.net/index.php/diocesis

    2. The Catholic Hierarchy Organization lists the Dioceses and Bishops of the Catholic Church in Cuba, both current and historical: www.catholic-hierarchy.org/country/dcu.html


Travel and ship records

Did your ancestors travel between Cuba and the United States? Check US immigration and border crossing records, and ship manifests. On occasion, travellers will list the name/address of the person they are visiting in a foreign country.


Military records (1868-1898)

Did your ancestors serve in the military? In the struggle for independence from Spain, Cubans fought three revolutionary conflicts:

  • La Guerra de Los Diez Años - The Ten-Years War (1868-1878)

  • La Guerra Chiquita - The Small War (1879-1880)

  • La Guerra de Independencia - The War of Independence (1895-1898): A list of all the soldiers and officers who participated in this conflict was prepared for veteran's pensions. If they survived, the original records are most likely in the National Archive of Cuba and also compiled and published in the following book: Yndice Alfabético y Defunciones del Ejército Libertador de Cuba - Guerra de Independencia, iniciada el 24 de Febrero de 1895 y terminada oficialmente El 24 de Agosto de 1898. (Trans: Alphabetic Index and Deaths of the Cuban Liberation Army - Cuban War of Independence, started 24 February 1895 and officially ended 24 Aug 1898), by Carlos Roloff. Habana, Impr. de Rambla y Bouza, 1901. [LOC Call number F1786.C95, LDS microfilm number 1844674].


Additional Resources


Tobias History Research is a premier provider of history research and archives management services. With 20+ years of professional experience, founder Vicki Tobias helps clients expertly discover their history and enthusiastically share their stories. Learn more about her services.



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