UTRGV Special Collections & University Archives is happy to assist you with genealogy research, including searching public, church, and archival records. Please note that this research is largely based on secondary source materials that have been compiled by regional genealogical researchers.
In order to expedite your inquiry, please be sure to gather personal information on the individuals or family you are researching, including:
Submit an Online Research Request to initiate your inquiry
Provide as many details as possible for each individual based on the information requested above.
Write down everything you learn. You may use forms available in libraries, genealogical societies, and the internet to record the information. Be sure to always include:
Begin with getting as much information as you can from your family members. Ask your parents, aunts and uncles, and grandparents about family members: when and where they were born, were married, etc.
Look for family papers, birth and marriage certificates, personal letters, diaries and journals, photographs, and other sources around the home which may help in constructing a preliminary family history.
Photographs: Write as much information as you can with a soft (#2) pencil on the back of the photograph, including names, date, location, and event.
Review the information you have, and look for gaps, or where information is uncertain or inexact
Census records are an excellent place to begin expanding information on your family. There you will find members of households, ages, and occupations, as well as countries or states of origin. Begin with the latest census records released, and work backward to 1790 (the State of Texas was founded in 1848). Note: the 1890 census was destroyed by fire. Census records are widely available online via genealogy databases. UTRGV faculty, staff, and students can use HeritageQuest Online.
After a person's death, their Social Security Number and information are made available as public information. The Social Security Death Index is a database of deaths reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962 that have been purchased and made available by various organizations. For more information about the SSDI, and links to search pages, go to The Social Security Death Index: A Genealogy Records Guide, or use a genealogy database like HeritageQuest.
Specific records vary by county, they generally contain information such as court documents, marriage records, deed records, and probate minutes. Search the library's online catalog to see what is available on microfilm:
We strongly recommend beginning your county records search online:
Searching for indigenous heritage in Texas requires special consideration for colonial Spanish and Mexican records, including municipal and parish records. We recommend the research compiled by John Schmal for Indigenous Mexico to get started.
A few archival resources have been digitized, and the images are available through the Library's Institutional Repository. Popular items include:
The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy by
Describes methods for conducting genealogical research and explains how to trace the history of a family through the use of living sources and public records.
Genealogy Online by
Find your roots This effective hands-on resource explores the vast world of ancestry-related networks, Web sites, and online services, explaining which ones best suit your purposes. Learn to organize your search, where to begin, where to go on the Web, and how to use chat rooms, mailing lists, and Usenet effectively.
Finding Your Hispanic Roots by
Starting with an examination of basic research principles and techniques, illustrated with examples from actual Hispanic research experience, it goes on to discuss such important subjects as language and handwriting, Hispanic surnames, methods of tracing Hispanic immigrants in U.S. records, and, most importantly, how to conduct Hispanic genealogical research in LDS Family History Centers, where the researcher has access to the largest body of Hispanic records in the United States. With this foundation in place, the work proceeds with an examination of the types of records found in all Hispanic countries, using examples from many of them and indicating where particular record types are found. Covered here are such indispensable records as civil registers of births, marriages, and deaths; church records of baptisms, marriages, and burials; census records; military records; and the often under-utilized notarial records.
Finding Your Mexican Ancestors by
Finding Your Mexican Ancestors is essential to any researcher looking to trace their heritage across the Rio Grande. In it, authors George and Peggy Ryskamp show how easy Mexican American research can be providing detailed descriptions of parish records, civil records, and other types of records common in Mexico.
Hispanic American Genealogical Sourcebook by
This text provides historical genealogical information on Hispanic Americans. The book looks specifically at their emigration history and genealogical records, and features a directory of genealogical information.
Explore the links below:
Maximize your time and effort. Let our staff assist you with finding and accessing resources online.
We also invite you to schedule an appointment to meet one-on-one with a member of our Special Collections & Archives staff. Schedule an on-campus research visit or choose to meet online (video chat).