Latino Genealogy and the Impact of Military Records

For many families, creating family trees, pedigree charts and even researching genealogy has become a great activity to do together as a group. For most families, the research into the family history can often become quite complex, especially when passing into the generations which migrated into the United States.

For those individuals with Hispanic origins, conducting genealogy research can be quite tricky and complex. If you are lucky enough to follow your heritage to a family member who may have been in the Spanish military, there are some measure you should consider when conducting research into Spanish military records.

First, remember that the majority of Spaniards, at some point in their lives, most likely served in their country's military, even when the country was not at war. As you conduct the research into your family's origins, be mindful of the rich history found in Spanish military records as this may offer further information into your heritage. In fact, many Hispanic individuals will find, when beginning their research into the family tree in the United States, the most likely transition into international records will lie in the location of a family member that came to the Americas under the vise of military service.

As you span your genealogy research into international terrain, it is important to remember there are a variety of records that should be considered. Because the process for securing documentation can be quite tedious, understanding the value of each document is important to your search. When searching, begin at the most prominent Spanish archive, the Archive General de las Indias de Seville.

When contacting the archives, you will want to request documentation in any format possible including, but not limited to, enlistment records, conscription lists for the new recruits, military parish records, personnel files and even service sheets. Knowing what branch of service, and an approximate year or timeline, is crucial to assisting the archives in locating the documents you require.