For many years, I have met Puerto Rican descendants, those living outside the island of Puerto Rico, who want to learn about their ancestors but simply do not know where to begin.
Some do not speak or read Spanish fluently. Some have never searched a record before. Some feel disconnected from Puerto Rico but deeply curious.
So I decided to do something practical.
I created a free, self-paced Beginner Genealogy Course, available in both English and Spanish:
- English Version: puertoricangenealogy.org/research-guides/
- Spanish Version: puertoricangenealogy.org/es/guias-investigacion/
This is a practical resource for the Puerto Rican diaspora—and anyone who wants a structured, thoughtful way to begin researching their family history.
Why I Created This Course
I began researching my own family in 1991 while living in Seattle, Washington, far from my relatives in New York and even farther from Puerto Rico.
Back then, I spent hours at the National Archives in Seattle scrolling through microfilm. I made phone calls to my mother and extended family. I traveled whenever I could. I kept handwritten notes. I made mistakes.
Over the decades, I witnessed genealogy evolve:
- From paper files to software like Family Tree Maker
- From informal searching to the Genealogical Proof Standard
- From isolated research to digital archives
- And now, to AI-assisted workflows
I also completed genealogy coursework at the University of Washington in the 1990s and more recently returned to formal study through Salt Lake Community College’s genealogy certificate program.
What I learned through all of this is simple: beginners don’t fail because records don’t exist. They fail because they don’t have structure.
And for Puerto Rican families in particular, the lack of accessible bilingual beginner material creates an unnecessary barrier. This course is my attempt to bridge that gap.
Who This Course Is For
This course is for:
- Puerto Ricans living on the island
- Members of the Puerto Rican diaspora
- English-dominant second and third generations
- Spanish speakers who want structured guidance
- Total beginners
- Anyone who wants a methodical starting point
While it centers Puerto Rican research, the structure works for anyone starting their genealogy journey.
What’s Inside the Free Course
The course includes four core modules and companion materials:
- Course Overview
- Module 1—Start With Yourself
- Module 2—Talk to Living Relatives
- Module 3—Collect Basic Documents
- Module 4—Keep a Research Log
The course is self-paced, online, and text-based. Each module can be downloaded as a PDF for local use.
What You’ll Walk Away With
By the end of the course, you will have:
- A written record of what you already know
- A list of meaningful questions to ask your relatives
- Knowledge of where to find Puerto Rican records online—for FREE
- A simple research log to track your work
This is not about building a giant online tree overnight. It is about building a solid foundation.
Companion Materials Included
You will also receive:
- Quick Reference Card (PDF)—a printable one-page summary of all four modules and five beginner research questions
- Google Sheets Templates (and PDF specifications), including:
- Family Information Tracker
- Research Log
- Document Checklist
Key Free Resources Covered
The course introduces beginners to essential, free research resources, including:
- FamilySearch—Puerto Rico Civil Registration (1885–2001)—over 4.5 million birth, marriage, and death record images
- FamilySearch—Puerto Rico Catholic Church Records (1645–2021)—baptisms, marriages, and burials
- Find A Grave—cemetery and burial records
- National Archives (NARA)—military, immigration, and census records
While websites like Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía and Facebook groups like Genealogía De Puerto Rico are rich and valuable, they often assume prior experience or familiarity within the community.
My goal was to create a clear entry point before researchers move into more complex environments.
Why Bilingual Access Matters
Many Puerto Rican descendants living in the mainland United States do not read Spanish comfortably. Others on the island prefer to learn in Spanish.
Genealogy should not be limited by language.
By offering both English and Spanish versions, I hope to reduce that barrier and create a bridge between generations.
What This Is—and What It Is Not
This is not:
- A shortcut to instant answers
- A substitute for serious documentation
- A commercial funnel
This is:
- A structured beginning
- A practical toolkit
- A starting point grounded in decades of lived research experience
I have been doing this work for over 30 years. If I could sit down with every beginner personally, this is exactly how I would guide them.
If You’re Ready to Begin
You can access the course here:
- English: puertoricangenealogy.org/research-guides/
- Spanish: puertoricangenealogy.org/es/guias-investigacion/
It is completely free.
If you find it helpful:
- Leave a comment on this post
- Share it with family members
- Send it to a cousin who has been “meaning to start.”
Structure creates confidence. Confidence creates momentum.
Genealogy is not just about names and dates. It is about dignity, memory, and connection.
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