Have Filipino ancestry but don’t know where to start? This session covers the challenges of Filipino genealogy, key resources, and the best strategies for tracing your Filipino roots. This presentation is also for anyone wanting to branch out with their research skills and knowledge in other geographical areas.
In a captivating Legacy Family Tree Webinar, professional genealogist Diane Henriks introduces researchers to the fascinating world of Filipino genealogy. Though not of Filipino descent herself, Henriks shares personal connections through her children and in-laws, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to the topic. Her presentation, “Filipino Genealogy: Tracing Your Filipino Roots,” offers essential strategies for navigating the challenges of Filipino research, where fragmented records, naming traditions, and cultural nuances make discovery both complex and rewarding. By combining history, geography, and cultural context with practical guidance, Henriks provides a roadmap for genealogists eager to explore this vibrant and often underrepresented heritage.
Understanding history and culture is key to research. Filipino genealogy requires familiarity with colonial influences, religious traditions, and naming practices such as the 1849 Claveria Decree, which assigned surnames across the islands. Recognizing these factors helps genealogists avoid false assumptions about ancestry while guiding them to the right record sets.
Locality determines success. Because records are organized at the town, parish, and provincial levels, identifying an ancestor’s exact place of origin is essential. Without this, researchers risk endless dead ends. Church records—especially baptisms, marriages, and burials—remain the most reliable resources, often containing rich details about family connections and community.
Modern tools complement traditional research. While the Philippines lacks centralized, digitized record collections, resources such as FamilySearch, the National Archives of the Philippines, social media platforms like Facebook, and the Filipino Genealogy Project provide valuable entry points. Collaboration with relatives, community groups, and local FamilySearch centers can bridge gaps left by privacy laws and limited online access.
This webinar is more than a technical guide—it highlights the importance of relationships, culture, and persistence in genealogical discovery. For anyone tracing Filipino ancestry, Henriks emphasizes patience and creativity, reminding researchers that building a family tree is both a historical investigation and a personal journey.
To gain deeper insights, view the full webinar and explore the accompanying syllabus. The handout contains an extensive list of repositories, websites, books, and blogs that extend far beyond what could be covered in a single session. Genealogists are encouraged to explore these resources to strengthen their research and uncover the rich stories of Filipino heritage waiting to be told.
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Syllabus
Excellent presentation! Learned a lot even though I have done some Filipino genealogy before. My family is from Mindanao and I have had many challenges with that research for sure!
For tips researching beyond the Claveria decree, refer to the Rootstech video below.
https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/session/breaking-the-1849-barrier-searching-for-filipino-ancestors-beyond-the-claveria-decree?cid=rt_copy
My father-in-law came from the Phillipines when he was 18. He married in the States. They had 6 kids but he literally told them next to nothing about his family. I have made friends on facebook with some of their relatives but I knew nothing about the info I heard tonight. Thank you, Jane Jimeno
WOW! I have a similar situation, as described by Diane, except I am the 90 year old widow of the aunt of the divorced niece with the 3 children of the US born father. I love puzzles and have been doing genealogy for over 20 years and they (the kids) don’t even know the question to ask yet. Thank you so much for providing a path to research in finding the way to answers I have yet to ask. Wish me success (luck has little to do with it).
My first webinar. My partner is from the Philippines. He joined the US Navy and became a citizen that way. Luckily before the privacy act I found his family records back to the late 1800s. Then a few years later I tried finding records back to the Spanish era. Surprised that they were all gone from Family Search. Now I learned about that privacy law. Makes it all clear! Thank you for your presentation.
I appreciated the links to sites to start research. Resources are limited and it seems like only a visit to the Philippines will get the job done.
Diane’s presentation is very knowledgeable. Thank you.
Very informative. I knew many of the things she talked about, but there were many, many other things that I learned today.