Explore the hidden stories of Mexico’s colonial past and uncover the legacy of Sephardic Jews in New Spain. In this webinar, we’ll examine the types of documents—such as Inquisition records, church registries, and others —that reveal traces of Jewish ancestry. Learn the strategies used to build genealogical cases and prove ancestral connections to unlikely ancestors.

Testaments, dowry letters, land sales, cattle leasing, power of attorney letters, and many other types of documents were created by public and royal scribes all over Mexico in the last five centuries. Notarial archives are rich in detail and history. Whenever they are available, they become an essential tool for genealogical research, adding depth to the lives of ancestors, or bridging gaps when church records have been lost. This conference is a basic outline of these records and where to find them both offline and online.

Learn about key records and repositories to support your research of eighteenth and nineteenth century ancestors from present-day California and nearby regions. We will also cover important historical events and context to help identify additional resources for your research.

From town planning to native relations, “Las Leyes de Las Indias” (Laws of the Indies) governed Spanish colonies of North America and beyond, and created unique records for research for anyone with ancestral ties to Spanish America.

With a rich history and extensive archives, Jalisco is an excellent place for Mexican research. Learn how to prepare and make the most of researching at repositories in Guadalajara, including important tips for travel, collections, available findings aid, catalogs, and more.

Familiarity with church and civil jurisdictions helps us make better sense of records we find for our Mexican ancestors, helps us know where to look for records that pertain to a particular place and time, and helps us trace evolving jurisdictional borders through time. Knowing where and how to find historical and background information about different Mexican localities helps you dig deeper into the lives of your ancestors. Learn about essential reference tools and strategies that will help you identify and learn more about the localities in which your ancestors lived and worked.

Housed in an old prison, the Archivo General de la Nación (or AGN, General Archive of the Nation), is home for the historical memory of Mexico. Its origins date back to the late eighteenth century when a royal decree ordered the creation of an archive to preserve documentation from the Viceroyalty. Today, the documents at AGN are a genealogical treasure waiting to be discovered by a wider audience of researchers. In this presentation you will learn about how to navigate the archive, and some of the information you could find there.

Are you looking for new repositories to advance your research in México? In this presentation, we will explore the top 10 websites for researching your Mexican ancestors, including where to find digitized original records, catalogs, regional histories, and much more from national and regional repositories.

Mutualistas, or mutual aid societies, sprang up in Mexican American communities in the early 20th century to protect and assist members facing economic hardships or discrimination. Health insurance, burial assistance, legal advocacy, cultural activities, and member participation are detailed in an extraordinary array of records.