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Places and Ethnicities Mexico

Using Marriage Dispensations to Find Ancestors in Mexico

Nefi Arenas Salazar, AG®
Jan 16, 2026
169 views
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Syllabus
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Content

Play. Playing.
Welcome
1m 46s
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Speaker's Introduction
1m 18s
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Introduction
1m 35s
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Where to Find
16m 33s
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Types of Dispensas
20m 55s
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My Ancestors Didn't Marry Their Cousins
8m 05s
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Social & Historical Context
3m 30s
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Endogamy
3m 07s
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Announcements / prizes
3m 06s
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Questions / answers
4m 37s

About this webinar

Marriage dispensations provide a privileged window into social and family life in viceroyal Mexico. Dispensations, or special permissions to marry granted by Catholic bishops, reveal the obstacles that had to be resolved before ecclesiastical authorities in order to contract marriage. This webinar examines dispensations for consanguinity and for ultramarinos (foreign-born individuals). In areas with high levels of endogamy, marriage dispensations become essential resources to reconstruct family relationships, even extending beyond other church records.

Discount code: marriage26 (valid at Familytreewebinars.com)

Valid through: January 21, 2026

About the speaker

About the speaker

Nefi Arenas Salazar, AG®
Nefi Arenas graduated from Brigham Young University – Idaho where he studied business management and also took many genealogy classes. He inherited a passion for genealogy from his grandmother, who for many years served as volunteer in a Fam
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  1. LH
    Liz Hunt
    2 days ago

    I always enjoy webinars by Nefi. This one did not disappoint. I loved the story he shared about the couple that ran away together. I’m feeling inspired to look closer at my own family tree for marriage dispensations to see what clues I can glean from it. Thank you for a wonderful presentation.

    Reply
  2. WY
    Wanda Yanez
    2 days ago

    It is informative and interesting to learn that marriage dispensation records contain a great deal of gossip, as well as valuable family medical history.

    Reply
  3. DC
    Donna Chavarro
    2 days ago

    I do not have any family in Mexico that I know of…but I hope to use this info to help find ancestors in other countries in South America.

    Reply
  4. GH
    Gloria Hughes
    2 days ago

    Very interesting webinar, I will be checking out others

    Reply
  5. MK
    Mary Kelly
    2 days ago

    I had no idea there were so many records or how to find them!

    Reply
  6. VG
    Virgilio Garza Zambrano
    2 days ago

    Great Presentation, Nefi is always a guarantee

    Reply
  7. CG
    Colleen Greene
    2 days ago

    Excellent information, examples, and explanations.

    Reply
  8. RA
    RUBY ALEJANDRA GONZALEZ ROMERO
    2 days ago

    Everything worked perfectly

    Reply
Show all comments

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