Explore the history of your roots!
On the Road to Genealogy!
Learn some tips and tricks about Puerto Rican genealogy to help you get started!
Puerto Rican Church Records
Learn more about what is available online via FamilySearch and access links to specific books!
Exploring my roots
Taíno – African – Spanish
These are three main roots of the Puerto Rican culture – my ancestors, my people, my family. Learning and exploring my ancestry has allowed me to learn more about myself and my family’s journey to and around the island the last 300 years. Learn more about how I got started and my family’s origins on the island of Puerto Rico.
19 years of research
I have been fortunate to research my ancestors since the age of 14. What started off as simple conversations with family members grew to traveling to Puerto Rico and Spain various times to conduct research in different archives in order to learn more about my family. It has lead me to take genetic tests for myself and my family members, creating possibilities previously unheard before the advent of DNA testing. My goal is to learn about the lives of my ancestors and ultimately blog to re-tell their stories to other descendants and to the world.
Luis Rivera
Professional Genealogist/
genealogical blogger
I have been researching my Puerto Rican roots since 2004, using DNA for genetic genealogy since 2010, and blogging since 2011. My research mainly revolves around various towns in Puerto Rico, the French territorial islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, and various regions of Spain (including La Comunidad de Madrid, Andalucía, and Mallorca). Currently, I am a member of the SPG (Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía), the NGS (National Genealogical Society), CM98 (Comité March du 23 Mai 1998), and the APG (Association of Professional Genealogists). I have completed Boston University’s 15-week Genealogical Research Certificate Program (Dec. 2020). ProGen’s 14 month study group program (May 2022), and recently, I completed GenProof’s 8 week study group program (Dec. 2022).