Argentina, Chaco, Catholic Church Records, 1882-1955

What is in This Collection?

This collection of church records includes baptisms, marriages, and confirmations for the parishes of Santa Margarita and San Fernando Rey in the cities of Las Palmas and Resistencia in the Chaco Province of Argentina from 1882 to 1955. Earlier registers are handwritten in narrative style, and later records were handwritten on printed forms. Records from some of these parishes have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection.

General Information About Church Records - Church records are the most important records for genealogical research in Argentina. The vast majority of Argentines were Catholic and were registered in the records of the local parish or diocese which are called registros parroquiales (parish registers). These records include entries for baptisms, marriage information, marriages, deaths, and burials. They can help you trace and link families. Often two and sometimes three generations are indicated in the records. In addition, church records may include church censuses, account books, confirmations, and other church-related records. In 1886 the civil government began keeping vital records (civil registration). If you are looking for ancestors who came before this time, then the Catholic Church parish registers are the best records available to identify these individuals, since church records were around for hundreds of years prior to civil registration. For civil vital records of births, deaths, and marriages after 1886, see Argentina Civil Registration (Registro Civil).

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Reading These Records

These records are written in Spanish. For help reading them see:

• Spanish Genealogical Word List
• BYU Spanish Script Tutorial

FamilySearch Learning Center videos:

• Reading Spanish Handwriting

If you speak Spanish, the following free online lesson may be helpful to learn how to use the information in these records:

• Registros Civiles y Parroquiales – Spanish

To Browse This Collection

What Can These Records Tell Me?

Collection Content

For additional details about these records and help using them see Argentina Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

Sample Images

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  1882 Baptism Record

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  1906 Confirmation Record

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  1917 Marriage Record