Mexico: secondary sources for genealogical research

Last verified: November 4, 2026. Access details change; confirm with the archive before you travel. What each access mode means · Español

On this page: Context · National archives · Collections by type · Verified · Contradictions · Notes · Bibliography

Context and geography

Viceroyalty of New Spain (created in 1535 (approximate date; confirm with the archive)). It was governed by the Real Audiencia de México (1527 (approximate date; confirm with the archive)) and the Audiencia de Guadalajara (Nueva Galicia, 1548 (approximate date; confirm with the archive)). Chiapas and Soconusco answered to the Audiencia de Guatemala, not to the one in Mexico (to be confirmed with the archive). This is key for a Guatemalan genealogist: colonial files for Chiapas are in the AGCA (Guatemala) and in the Guatemala section of the AGI, not in Mexico’s AGN.
In the AGI (Seville), government records are in the "México" and "Guadalajara" sections. Verified example: call number MEXICO,1088,L.2 (PARES).
Real Ordenanza de Intendentes of 1786: it created 12 intendancies (México, Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Mérida, Valladolid, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, Zacatecas, Durango, and Arizpe) (to be confirmed with the archive). The Provincias Internas in the north had their own system.
Archive: the Archivo General de Nueva España was formed in the late 18th century, and the Archivo General y Público de la Nación was created on that basis on August 23, 1823. It has been called "Archivo General de la Nación" since 1917 and moved to the former Lecumberri Palace between 1977 and 1982 (AGN / Google Arts & Culture). The AGN inherited the fonds of the viceroyalty’s Secretaría de Cámara, the Real Audiencia, the Inquisition, the Real Hacienda, and others. Its 115 colonial fonds total more than 41,000 volumes (Early American Sources).
Independence (1821): Treaties of Córdoba (August 24, 1821) and the entry of the Army of the Three Guarantees (September 27, 1821) (approximate date; confirm with the archive). Central America was part of the Mexican Empire from 1822 to 1823 (approximate date; confirm with the archive).
Federal republic (Constitution of 1824): states and territories. Chiapas joined Mexico in 1824 (September 14, (approximate date; confirm with the archive)) and Soconusco in 1842 (approximate date; confirm with the archive). From 1835-1836 to 1846, a centralist system with "departments" was in force (approximate date; confirm with the archive), which changes the jurisdiction of padrones and courts.
Territorial losses: Texas (1836), the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (February 2, 1848: Alta California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, etc.), and the Gadsden Purchase (Venta de La Mesilla, 1853) (approximate date; confirm with the archive). Colonial and 1821-1848 records for those territories are in the AGN and in U.S. archives. One example is the AGN collection at the University of New Mexico (UNM).
Reform Laws (Veracruz, 1859): Nationalization of Church Property (July 12, 1859), Civil Marriage Law (July 23, 1859), Organic Law of the Civil Registry (July 28, 1859), and Cemeteries Law (July 31, 1859) (Leyes de Reforma, UNAM). Effect on the sources: civil registration began in 1859-1861, unevenly from state to state. The nationalization of property produced the "Bienes Nacionales" and disentailment (desamortización) files.
Notarial offices: the Archivo General de Notarías was created by the Notarial Law of 1901 and brought together protocols from 1525 onward (Consejería Jurídica CDMX).
20th century: the Migration Law of 1926 created the Registro Nacional de Extranjeros [National Registry of Foreigners]. Its cards are now in the AGN, in the Gobernación fonds (Dialnet). The 1930 census is the only national name-by-name census open for research (FamilySearch; BYU).
Regional archives: regional and local archives exist (state, municipal, diocesan). Researchers should find out what exists in the locality.
New or corrected lines only, each with its source.
Viceroyalty (1535): "In 1535 Antonio de Mendoza, appointed First Viceroy of New Spain by Charles I," arrived in Mexico City to establish the viceroyalty. Source: teaching material from the INAP master’s program, Cámara de Diputados, "Organización territorial y política antecedente y vigente de México".: the author signs only "DR. JGL" and there is no year. It should be replaced with Gerhard or O'Gorman once the book is at hand.
Real Audiencia de México (1527): (approximate date; confirm with the archive). No academic citation was found.
Audiencia de la Nueva Galicia (1548): "The royal provision for the creation of the Audiencia de la Nueva Galicia reached the region in January 1548". The audiencia took possession of its jurisdiction at the end of that year or early in 1549 (Enciso Contreras, Revista Mexicana de Historia del Derecho XXXII, 2016, p. 6).
Intendancies (1786): the 1786 ordinance divided New Spain into 12 intendancies: México, Puebla, Veracruz, Mérida de Yucatán, Antequera de Oaxaca, Valladolid de Michoacán, Santa Fe de Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, Zacatecas, Durango, and Arispe. A second ordinance followed in 1803 (UNAM-IIH and Instituto de Geografía, Las intendencias de la Nueva España, 1993, Espacio y Tiempo 4). The exact day (4 December 1786) still has no citation.
Chiapas: in the colonial period it "was subject to Guatemalan jurisdiction" (Audiencia and Captaincy General of Guatemala). The vote-count record is dated 12 September 1824 (96,829 "souls" for Mexico against 60,400 for Guatemala). The act of federation is dated 14 September 1824: the province "solemnly proclaimed and swore its federation to Mexico" (T. L. Ibáñez Cruz, Ni de aquí, ni de allá, INEHRM, pp. 1–5).
Soconusco: it "decided to remain neutral and took no side for 18 years" and "was definitively incorporated into Chiapas as a department in 1842". In 1882 Mexico and Guatemala signed the boundary treaty that "ended the dispute" (M. E. Tovar González, in Chiapas en el Congreso Constituyente, INEHRM, 2018, pp. 25–27). The exact day has no citation.
Centralism (correction): Congress declared itself a constituent body by the law of 9 September 1835 and suspended the Constitution of 1824 on 22 September 1835. The Siete Leyes took effect in January 1837. The centralist republic was divided into departments, these into districts, and the districts into partidos (C. Mora-Donatto, Constitucionalismo mexicano. El origen, BJV-IIJ UNAM, 2020, chap. V). Instead of "1835-1836", write "1835–1846 (Siete Leyes in force from 1837; Bases Orgánicas of 1843)". The federal restoration of 1846 (approximate date; confirm with the archive).
Guadalupe Hidalgo and La Mesilla: the treaty was signed on 2 February 1848 in Guadalupe Hidalgo, and the U.S. Senate ratified it on 10 March 1848 without Article X on Mexican land grants. Mexico ceded about 55% of its territory: present-day California, Nevada, and Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming. The Gadsden Purchase (La Mesilla) dates from 30 December 1853 (National Archives, "Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo"). Texas (1836) (approximate date; confirm with the archive).
Expulsion of Spaniards: "the first expulsion law of December 20, 1827," followed by "the federal expulsion law of 1829" (R. Sordo Cedeño, review of H. Sims, The Expulsion of Mexico's Spaniards, 1821-1836, Historia Mexicana, pp. 361–364). This dates the AGN ramo Expulsión de Españoles (MX-COL-0010). The day of the 1829 law still has no citation.
Naturalization (new): the SRE issued naturalization letters from 1828. The lists for 1828–1917 are in the Archivo Histórico Genaro Estrada and total about 3,800 naturalizations in the 19th century (21 of them women). The 1886 law on foreigners and naturalization (Ignacio L. Vallarta) made the process depend on a judge. Article 30 of the Constitution of 1917 set nationality by place of birth (V. A. Villavicencio Navarro, review of E. Pani, Para pertenecer a la gran familia mexicana, Secuencia, 2017). For the 20th century: P. Yankelevich, "Mexicanos por naturalización en la primera mitad del siglo XX", Historia Mexicana (2015).
1921 census (new): it was the 4th Population Census, taken on November 30, 1921, by the Dirección General de Estadística (Secretaría de Agricultura y Fomento). The schedule asked for name, age, "race," birthplace, nationality (including nationality acquired by naturalization), language, marital status, children born alive, occupation, literacy, and religion (INEGI, 1921 schedule, PDF). No evidence was found that the name-by-name schedules for 1895–1921 survive. Only publications with aggregate results exist (UTSA Libraries). This reinforces that the 1930 census is the only name-by-name census open for research.
INM (new): in 2020 the INM was digitizing about 3,051,000 files on foreigners, in 63,000 boxes, and expected about 4.6 million more. The plan was to "classify them and hand them over to the Archivo General de la Nación" (Excélsior, August 14, 2020). The transfer has not been confirmed.

National archives and institutions

Only national archives and institutions and key foreign repositories are included. There are also regional, municipal, diocesan, and religious-order archives: find out what exists in your ancestor’s locality.

Archivo General de la Nación (AGN)¹

Type: National archive
City: Mexico City
Address: Eduardo Molina 113, col. Penitenciaría, alc. Venustiano Carranza, C.P. 15280 (AGN 2023). The building is known as the Palacio de Lecumberri. Metrobús Line 4, "Archivo General de la Nación" station; Metro San Lázaro is about a 10-minute walk. See C2
Hours: Reading room: Monday to Friday, 9:00–15:45 (the room closes at 16:00). Deadline for requesting documents: 14:00 or 14:30 (see C13). Third-party data (2023–2024); official confirmation pending
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact cited by third parties for requesting documents in advance: eruiz@agn.gob.mx (a staff member in the reference area; confirm it is still current)
Website: https://www.gob.mx/agn (blocked)
Access conditions: The first visit goes through the Centro de Referencia. Requirements: a letter of introduction from your institution or advisor; three photo IDs (one showing your address, your passport, and another that stays in the locker); the AGN form with your research topic. Maximum 10 units per day and 3 at a time. Photography is free, except for documents under conservation or already digitized (these are consulted in digital form; seeing the original requires a request that takes about a week). Digitization: $100 MXN per folio (300 dpi) or $180 (600 dpi). Printing of already digitized material: $10 per page. Inquisición vols. 1–1500 on microfilm only (since 2016). Tripods are not allowed. Archidoc only in the reading room. Partial digital repository
Access mode: Free online, In person, with authorization, Fee-based

Archivo General de Notarías de la Ciudad de México. Acervo Histórico²

Type: Notarial archive
City: Mexico City
Address: Ex Templo de Corpus Christi, Av. Juárez 44, col. Centro, alc. Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06050
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00–14:30
Phone: 5518 2926
Email: Not published
Website: https://data.consejeria.cdmx.gob.mx/index.php/dgjel/corpus-christi
Access conditions: Accredited researchers. Annual accreditation costs $99.00. Consulting the digitized 16th-century holdings is free for accredited researchers. The modern holdings are at Candelaria de los Patos s/n, col. Diez de Mayo
Access mode: In person, with authorization, Fee-based

Biblioteca Nacional de México (Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliográficas, UNAM)³

Type: National library
City: Mexico City
Address: Centro Cultural Universitario, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacán, C.P. 04510 (Insurgentes Sur 3000)
Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00–20:00. Saturday 9:00–17:00. Sundays, holidays, and vacation periods 9:00–15:00. Closed December 25 and January 1 (2023 Regulations; see C14)
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Form (centenarios.iib.unam.mx)
Website: https://bnm.iib.unam.mx
Access conditions: A personal, non-transferable user card, obtained in person with a request form, photo ID, and a photo taken on site. The Fondo Reservado [rare books and special collections] requires proof of research purposes. Non-professional photography is allowed free of charge; professional equipment requires permission and payment. Equipment and materials are registered at the entrance. Nautilo catalog online
Access mode: In person, free

Hemeroteca Nacional de México (IIB-UNAM) and Hemeroteca Nacional Digital de México (HNDM)⁴

Type: National newspaper library
City: Mexico City
Address: Same as 0003
Hours: Same as 0003 (the 2023 Regulations apply to both the BNM and the HNM)
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: http://www.hndm.unam.mx (see C9)
Access conditions: User card, as for 0003. HNDM: "open padlock" titles are free online; "closed padlock" titles are available only in the reading room because of copyright. Reproduction is subject to the Ley Federal del Derecho de Autor
Access mode: Free online, In person, free

Archivo Histórico del Arzobispado de México (Arquidiócesis Primada de México)⁵

Type: Church archive (archdiocese of the capital)
City: Mexico City
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Access conditions: In-person access is not published in available sources. The digital copy for 1532–1860 (199,667 images; Fondos Episcopal, Cabildo, and Juzgado Eclesiástico de Toluca) is restricted to Emory students, faculty, and staff
Access mode: Restricted online, On request

Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, Dirección General de Archivo e Historia (Archivo Histórico de la SEDENA)⁶

Type: Military archive
City: Mexico City
Address: Campo Militar No. 1-J, Av. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra s/n, col. Irrigación, alc. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 11500; entrance from Periférico and Av. Ejército Nacional (see C3)
Hours: Monday to Friday, by appointment. There are two official versions: 15:00–19:00 (requirements sheet) or 9:00–14:00 (Archivo Histórico control form). See C12
Phone: 55 2629 8370, ext. 3479
Email: shist.dn18@sedena.gob.mx
Website: https://www.gob.mx/sedena
Access conditions: A letter or official memo to the head of the DGAH stating the reason for the visit, plus official ID; authorization is valid for 3 months. Before receiving material you sign the "Carta Compromiso de ingreso al Archivo Histórico". Maximum 10 files per visit, requested by fonds, section, and series. Gloves and face mask; pencil only; photos without flash. Certified copies cost $22.00 MXN per folio (paid through e5cinco)
Access mode: In person, with authorization, Fee-based

Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores. Dirección General del Acervo Histórico Diplomático. Archivo Histórico "Genaro Estrada"⁷

Type: Foreign ministry archive
City: Mexico City
Address: Av. Ricardo Flores Magón 2, Edificio Triangular, level 2, col. Guerrero, alc. Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06300 (at this location since 2006; previously in the former Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco, 1975–2006)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00
Phone: Switchboard 55 3686 5100 (SRE directory). Outreach: ext. 4768 and 4756. Director General: direct line 3686 5026. See C11
Email: Director General: ggil@sre.gob.mx (head Gerardo Gil Valdivia, per the directory; may change)
Website: https://portales.sre.gob.mx/acervo/servicios
Access conditions: Official ID, registration at the front desk, gloves and face mask, and a printed and signed Cédula de Registro de Investigadores. Digital cameras are allowed. Holds the lists of naturalization letters, 1828–1917 (see MX-COL-0033)
Access mode: In person, free, Free online

Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación. Archivo Central (Archivo Judicial)⁸

Type: National judicial archive
City: Mexico City
Address: Edificio Sede, Pino Suárez 2, door 1011, col. Centro, alc. Cuauhtémoc
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00–17:00
Phone: 55 4113 1000, ext. 2262 and 2763
Email: Contact email published on the page (person in charge)
Website: https://www.sitios.scjn.gob.mx/centrodedocumentacion/
Access conditions: Requirements not published (Manual de Procedimientos del Archivo Central). Some 19th-century rulings are available as PDFs
Access mode: In person, free, On request, Free online

Archivo Histórico de la UNAM (AHUNAM), IISUE⁹

Type: National university archive
City: Mexico City
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: https://www.iisue.unam.mx
Access conditions: Governed by the Reglamento del AHUNAM (approved by the IISUE Consejo Interno on June 22, 2022, and by the Consejo Técnico de Humanidades on September 1, 2022). Only the reading room is open to the public (art. 32). Consultation rules are in a "Reglamento de Servicio al Público del AHUNAM" that could not be located. Thematic digital portals (Movimiento del 68, 90 años de autonomía)
Access mode: In person, free

Biblioteca Nacional de Antropología e Historia "Eusebio Dávalos Hurtado" (INAH)¹⁰

Type: Specialized national library
City: Mexico City
Address: Av. Paseo de la Reforma y Calz. Gandhi s/n, col. Polanco, alc. Miguel Hidalgo, C.P. 11560 (Museo Nacional de Antropología)
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: +52 55 5553 6865
Email: contacto.bnah@inah.gob.mx
Website: http://www.bnah.inah.gob.mx
Access conditions: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Access mode: In person, free

Diario Oficial de la Federación (Secretaría de Gobernación)¹¹

Type: Official gazette
City: Mexico City
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: (55) 5093 3200
Email: Contact form
Website: https://dof.gob.mx
Access conditions: Online and free. Digitized issues from 1921 and indexes from 1917. Some older formats require a username
Access mode: Free online, Online with free account

Instituto Nacional de Migración. Archivo Histórico¹²

Type: National migration institute
City: Mexico City
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Access conditions: There were legal and administrative obstacles to academic research (Yankelevich and Chenillo, Desacatos 26, 2008). In 2020 the INM was digitizing about 3 million files on foreigners (63,000 boxes) to classify them and hand them over to the AGN; the transfer has not been confirmed
Access mode: Legally restricted, On request

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI)¹³

Type: Statistics institute
City: Aguascalientes / CDMX
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: https://www.inegi.org.mx
Access conditions: Publications of the historical censuses (1895 onward) and statistical yearbooks (1893 onward) in open access, with aggregate data: "Does not list individuals" (UTSA). The blank 1921 schedule is online. No evidence was found that INEGI holds name-by-name schedules from before 1930; the 1930 schedules are in the AGN
Access mode: Free online

Sociedad Genealógica y de Historia Familiar de México¹⁴

Type: Private national association
City: Monterrey (based on area code 81; to be confirmed)
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: +52 1 81 1191 6334
Email: informacion@genealogia.org.mx
Website: https://genealogia.org.mx
Access conditions: Publishes descriptive lists of AGN files
Access mode: Free online

Archivo General de Indias (Seville, Spain) / PARES¹⁵

Type: Foreign repository
City: Seville
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: https://pares.mcu.es
Access conditions: PARES: catalog and images free online
Access mode: Free online

FamilySearch (catalog and collections)¹⁶

Type: Genealogical repository
City: Salt Lake City / online
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: https://www.familysearch.org
Access conditions: Free account. Some images only at a FamilySearch center or affiliate library, or with custodian restrictions
Access mode: Online with free account, Restricted online

El Colegio de México (repository and guides to protocols)¹⁷

Type: National academic center
City: Mexico City
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: https://repositorio.colmex.mx
Access conditions: Guides to notarial records (protocols) in PDF
Access mode: Free online

Emory University Libraries (digital copy of the AHAM)¹⁸

Type: U.S. university library
City: Atlanta
Address: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Hours: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Phone: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Email: Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.
Website: https://search.libraries.emory.edu
Access conditions: Emory community only
Access mode: Restricted online

Collections by record type

Notarial records (protocols)

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Acervo Histórico, Fondo Antiguo de protocolos¹⁹ Archivo General de Notarías CDMX	1525–1901 (see C6)	Wills, parentage, property, slaves	Digitized 16th-century holdings (consulted in the reading room). Annual Colmex guides (COL-0017) In person, with authorization, Fee-based — E + G
Acervo Histórico, Fondo Contemporáneo²⁰ Archivo General de Notarías CDMX	ca. 1902–1938	Same as COL-0014	— In person, with authorization, Fee-based — E + G
Acervo Histórico, Fondo Consular²¹ Archivo General de Notarías CDMX	No published dates	Legal acts by Mexicans abroad	— In person, with authorization, Fee-based — E + G

Court records and probate (sucesiones)

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Inquisición (ramo)²² AGN	Colonial (exact dates to be confirmed)	Genealogies of defendants and of applicants for the posts of familiar or comisario	AGN Digital Repository (https://repositorio.agn.gob.mx/, partial). FHL index Q 972 A5mi, film 1149544 items 1–2, computer number 0071572. Partial copies at UNM (mss 867) Free online — A (partial) / E
Tierras (ramo)²³ AGN	Colonial–19th c. (to be confirmed)	Heirs, boundaries, cacicazgos, kinship	AGN Digital Repository (partial). Regional indexes, e.g., Menes Llaguno (Hidalgo, 1976) Free online — A (partial) / E
Vínculos y Mayorazgos²⁴ AGN (Instituciones Coloniales ramo and loose files in Indiferente Virreinal)	1593–1821, some up to 1826–1827	Lines of succession, descendants of Moctezuma and of conquistadors (López de Peralta, Guerrero Dávila, Cano Moctezuma, Romero de Terreros)	Descriptive list by box and file: SGHFM (https://genealogia.org.mx/vinculos-y-mayorazgos-documentos-en-el-agn-mexico/). Research copies (1520s–1794) at UNM In person, with authorization — E
Indiferente Virreinal (fonds of loose files arranged by box)²⁵ AGN	Colonial (about 780 linear meters are from New Spain)	Highly varied	About 4,500 boxes, around 1,100 linear meters. It goes back to the Ordenanzas de Revillagigedo (1792), which ordered that papers not fitting the old classification be gathered in chronological "Varios" bundles. Third-party subject lists (A. Arenet, PDF on filedn.com, not tested) In person, with authorization — E
Archivo Judicial de la SCJN (amparo and federal case files)²⁶ SCJN	19th–20th c.	Parties, addresses, property	More than 1 million files. Six 19th-century rulings in PDF. "Impartición de justicia federal (Porfiriato–posrevolución)" is in the Memory of the World Register Free online — A (samples) / D-F

Marriage dispensations, prenuptial investigations, and other church sources

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Matrimonios (ramo)²⁷ AGN	to be confirmed	Parents, grandparents, place of origin, witnesses, consanguinity	Published catalog: Catálogos de documentos de arte en el Archivo General de la Nación, México. Ramo Matrimonios, 3 vols. (México: UNAM, Instituto de Investigaciones Estéticas, 1984–1995; series Catálogos de documentos de arte 5 and 18). Compilers: R. Pineda Mendoza (pt. 1), J. L. López Reyes (pt. 2), R. Maldonado Mares and R. Pineda Mendoza (pt. 3). With indexes. ISBN pt. 3: 9683637221. Copy at Stanford, N6557 .M4 M49 1984 In person, with authorization — E
Bienes Nacionales (ramo)²⁸ AGN	Colonial–19th c. (to be confirmed)	Chaplains, founders, wills	Used as a source by G. von Wobeser, Vida eterna y preocupaciones terrenales: las capellanías de misas en la Nueva España, 1600-1821 (UNAM-IIH, 2005), together with the Capellanías, Civil, Testamentos, and Tierras ramos. Third-party list (Arenet), not tested In person, with authorization — E
Archivo Histórico del Arzobispado de México: Fondo Episcopal, Fondo Cabildo, Fondo Juzgado Eclesiástico de Toluca (colonial section)²⁹ AHAM	1532–1860	Prenuptial investigations, dispensations, chaplaincies, padrones (series to be confirmed)	Watson Marrón et al., Guía de documentos novohispanos del AHAM (2002, 962 pp.). Digital copy: Archivo digital y catálogo electrónico del AHAM, 1532-1860 (199,667 images), Emory Restricted online, On request — C (Emory) / F
Parish padrones of the Archivo de la Arquidiócesis de México (e.g., Mexicaltzingo, 1778)³⁰ Arquidiócesis de México / FamilySearch	18th–19th centuries	Families by household	FS catalog 80059 (film 708357; padrones vol. 8, 1778). Images within "Mexico, Distrito Federal, Catholic Church Records" Online with free account, Restricted online — B / C

Census and tax lists (padrones)

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Padrones (ramo)³¹ AGN	1752–1865 (vols. 1–108)	Names, age, casta/calidad, occupation, marital status, family	FS: 41 films starting at 1520343, computer number 0548280 (BYU). Index: FS catalog 277080 (films 1149544 item 4 and 1224506 item 1; DGS 7961141 and 7952355). FHL book 972 X22m Restricted online — C (FS images, possible restriction) / E (AGN)
Mexico, National Census, 1930³² AGN (originals) / FamilySearch	May 15, 1930	Name, age, sex, birthplace, marital status, occupation, religion	FS collection 1307314 (12,797,584 records). FS catalog 1307314. Book HABC 972 X2 – 1930 Online with free account — B
General population censuses 1895, 1900, 1910, and 1921 (published results)³³ INEGI (formerly the Dirección General de Estadística)	1895–1921 (yearbooks from 1893)	Aggregate figures only, no names. Useful for locating places and for a place’s population and political status on a given date	inegi.org.mx/programas/ccpv (historical publications). 1921 schedule: https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/programas/ccpv/1921/doc/censo_1921_cedula_habitantes.pdf. Microfilms at UTSA (1895: 2 rolls; 1900: 6; 1910: 1; 1921: 3) Free online — A

Military records

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Cancelados (personnel files)³⁴ SEDENA, DGAH	1821–early decades of the 20th c.	Enlistment record, birthplace, career, family	No verified online catalog In person, with authorization, Fee-based — E + G
Veteranos de la Revolución, Reconocidos y No Reconocidos³⁵ SEDENA, DGAH	Service in 1910–1911 and 1913–1914	Civilian revolutionaries (maderistas, zapatistas, villistas, constitucionalistas)	Together with Cancelados, 152,348 files in all In person, with authorization, Fee-based — E + G
Operaciones Militares del Ejército y Fuerza Aérea Mexicanos³⁶ SEDENA, DGAH	1821–1876 and 1910–1927 (plus Cristero documents from 1926–1929)	Personnel lists and casualties	6,373 files In person, with authorization, Fee-based — E + G

Migration

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Pasaportes (ramo)³⁷ AGN	1821–1873 (FS). The ramo has 58 volumes	Name, origin, destination, physical description, companions	FS: 31 films starting at 1520483, computer number 0548325, no index (BYU). C. Martínez de Reyes, Ramo Pasaportes (AGN, 1980), index to vols. 1–8 (1821–1827), LC CS103 .M49 1980 Restricted online, In person, with authorization — C / E
Expulsión de Españoles (ramo)³⁸ AGN	1827–1830s (first law of December 20, 1827; federal law of 1829)	1,091 documents with an index of surnames and places	Catálogo del ramo Expulsión de Españoles (AGN, 1980–), LC Z1426.2 .A7 1980. Background study: H. Sims, The Expulsion of Mexico's Spaniards, 1821-1836 (Pittsburgh, 1990) In person, with authorization — E
Secretaría de Gobernación, 20th c. Departamento de Migración (cards by nationality)³⁹ AGN	ca. 1930–1950/1958 (see C8). Some arrivals date from 1891	Age, sex, origin, date and port of arrival, occupation, immigration status	About 160,000 cards, arranged in subseries by nationality ("Colombianos," "Japoneses," etc.). Samples on Google Arts & Culture In person, with authorization — E
Registro Nacional de Extranjeros (RNE) and Nuevo RNE⁴⁰ AGN (Gobernación fonds)	RNE from the 1926 Law (rules of 1930 and 1932). Nuevo RNE from 1941	Associations, references, consular certificates	No verified online finding aid In person, with authorization — E
Acervo Histórico Diplomático: Acervo Histórico Digital, Embajadores de México, Colección Digital Exilio Español en América Latina 1936–1975, Archivo de la Embajada en EE. UU.⁴¹ SRE	19th–20th c.	Spanish exiles, diplomatic staff. Naturalization letters have their own row: MX-COL-0033	Acervo Histórico Digital (acervohistorico.sre.gob.mx, not tested). Electronic catalogs at portales.sre.gob.mx/acervo/catalogos-electronicos (not tested) Free online, In person, free — A / D
Casa de Contratación: Pasajeros a Indias (Libros de Asientos)⁴² AGI / FamilySearch	1509–1701 (legajos 5536–5540); files up to ca. 1790	Name, parents, origin, destination	PARES (search "Pasajero a Indias: Apellido"). FS catalog 20763 (films). Catálogo de Pasajeros a Indias vols. 1–3 (1509–1559) in FS catalog 349326 Free online — A
Mexico, Distrito Federal, British Consulate Deaths, 1827–1926⁴³ FamilySearch	1827–1926	Name, date and cause of death	FS collection 2313185 (1,241 records) Online with free account — B
Cartas de naturalización (naturalization lists and files)⁴⁴ SRE, Archivo Histórico Genaro Estrada	1828–1917 (lists used by Pani); 20th c. up to about 1950 (Yankelevich)	Name, origin, sex, marital status, residence, occupation (variables used by Yankelevich)	Studies: E. Pani, Para pertenecer a la gran familia mexicana: procesos de naturalización en el siglo XIX (Colmex, 2015, ISBN 978-607-462-713-8), with about 3,800 19th-century naturalizations; P. Yankelevich, "Mexicanos por naturalización en la primera mitad del siglo XX", Historia Mexicana (2015). The letters were also published in the DOF (MX-COL-0019) [to be confirmed] In person, free — D
Immigration files of resident foreigners (being digitized and transferred to the AGN)⁴⁵ INM → AGN	20th–21st c. (dates not published)	The foreigner’s personal data, residence, applications	About 3,051,000 files in 63,000 boxes, plus about 4.6 million still to be recovered (2020) Legally restricted, On request — H / F

Historical newspapers and official gazettes

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Hemeroteca Nacional Digital de México (HNDM)⁴⁶ Hemeroteca Nacional (IIB-UNAM)	1722–2010	Death notices, announcements, lists, legal notices, society news	http://www.hndm.unam.mx. Catalog Publicaciones periódicas mexicanas del siglo XIX (545 titles, 1822–1876) Free online — A (open) / D (restricted)
Diario Oficial de la Federación and its predecessors (Gaceta del Gobierno de México 1810–1821, Diario Oficial from August 1867, DOF from 1987)⁴⁷ DOF / SEGOB	1810– (digital from 1921, indexes from 1917)	Published naturalization letters, military pensions, probate notices	https://dof.gob.mx (search by date and advanced search) Free online, Online with free account — A / B
19th-century newspapers, manuscripts, and oral histories of the Revolution⁴⁸ BNAH (INAH)	16th–20th c.	Varies	BNAH catalog (not tested) In person, free — D (to be confirmed with the archive)

Indexes and derivative works

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Guides to the protocols of the Archivo General de Notarías (years 1829, 1836, 1847, 1858, 1875…)⁴⁹ El Colegio de México / AGNot	19th c.	Parties to the act, notary, type of act	Colmex repository (e.g., Guía de protocolos… 1858, J. Z. Vázquez, 2001, ISBN 9681210387). Potash, Bazant, and Vázquez, Guide to the notarial records… 1829–1875 Free online — A
Published nobiliaries and genealogies: R. Ortega y Pérez Gallardo, Estudios genealógicos (1902); G. Fernández de Recas, Cacicazgos y nobiliario indígena de la Nueva España (1961); Dahl, Linajes en México (1967–)⁵⁰ Various (BNM, LC, FS)	16th–19th c.	Titled families and caciques	Copies at BNM and LC (call numbers to be confirmed) In person, free — D

Other government and education records

Collection and custodian	Dates	What it offers	Where and how to consult it
Indios (ramo)⁵¹ AGN	Colonial (to be confirmed)	Caciques, governors, towns	AGN Digital Repository (partial) Free online — A (partial) / E
Audiencia de México (Gobierno section), with its counterpart Audiencia de Guadalajara⁵² AGI	16th–19th c.	Licenses, conquistadors’ merits, offices	PARES, call numbers "MEXICO,…" (e.g., MEXICO,1088,L.2,F.191R) Free online — A
AHUNAM: Escuela Nacional Preparatoria (grades), Real Colegio de Cristo (students’ account books), Rectoría (from the 1920s), Consejo Universitario⁵³ AHUNAM-IISUE	18th–20th c.	Students, faculty	IISUE thematic portals (Movimiento del 68, about 80,000 images) To be confirmed — Contact the archive for information on access and holdings.

Verified directly

Data read on the official websites and in the FamilySearch Catalog while signed in, in November 2026. On FamilySearch, “viewable online” means the images can be viewed from home with a free account.

AGN: hours and consultation requirements. Reading rooms Mon–Fri 9:00-15:00, with the document references in hand (average wait 30 min); appointments by email at consultadocumental@agn.gob.mx with your name, researcher number, and references, Mon–Fri 9:00-17:00, 2 days in advance; individual consultation; governed by the document «Lineamientos para la consulta, solicitudes de reproducción y uso del contenido del Patrimonio Documental de la Nación».⁵⁴
AGN: Guía General de Fondos. Online: Guide (1990) to 322 fonds in 9 sections; a PDF description for each fonds (e.g., 069 Matrimonios, 083 Padrones, 063 Intestados, 045 Escribanos, 129 Movimientos Marítimo, Pasaportes y Cartas de Seguridad, 130 Expulsión de Españoles). Section I (colonial institutions) has 115 fonds, among them Matrimonios, Padrones, Intestados, Vínculos y Mayorazgos, Bienes Nacionales, Bienes de Difuntos, Capellanías, Universidad, Pensiones.⁵⁵
AGN: digital repository. repositorio.agn.gob.mx loads as an application with no readable text; we could not determine which fonds have images.⁵⁶
SRE: Acervo Histórico Diplomático. acervohistorico.sre.gob.mx does not load from Guatemala (browsing refused).⁵⁷
FamilySearch 277080 «Índice de padrones de México» (AGN). 2 reels, no image access (NoAccess). Index to vols. 1-108 of the Padrones ramo.⁵⁸
FamilySearch 20763 «Pasajeros a Indias: libros de asientos» (AGI). 22 reels, all viewable online with a free account.⁵⁹

Contradictions between sources

Item	One source says	Another source says	Proposal
Move of the AGN to Lecumberri	"Since 1980" (English Wikipedia)	Between 1977 and 1982 (AGN, on Google Arts & Culture)	Use the AGN version: move between 1977 and 1982
AGN address	Eduardo Molina 113, col. Penitenciaría, C.P. 15280 (AGN, AGN 200 años, 2023)	Eduardo Molina y Albañiles, col. Penitenciaría Ampliación, C.P. 15350 (BYU, Research Outline, old). Time Out México (2013) gives a mix: "Eduardo Molina 113, Penitenciaría Ampliación, 15350"	Unresolved, but clearer: version B is old (2013 or earlier). E. A. Polanco (2024) uses postal code 15280. Use the 2023 version and confirm at gob.mx/agn
Street number of SEDENA-DGAH	Av. Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra s/n (SEDENA, requirements)	Av. Miguel de Cervantes de Saavedra 596 (BiCentenario 46, 2025)	Use the official version "s/n, Campo Militar 1-J" and add 596 as a reference
States indexed in the 1930 census	32 states (FS collection page 1307314)	31 states (FS catalog entry 1307314)	Say "all states except the DF" and check it on the FS wiki
Size of the AHAM colonial section	9,550 documents and 319 books (Emory)	9,428 documents (review of the 2002 Guía)	These are counts from different times. Cite both with their dates
Dates of the Fondo Antiguo of the Notarías archive	1525–1901 (CEJUR CDMX)	1525–1900 ("Relación de Notarías, 1982", cited by Colmex)	Use the custodian’s dates: 1525–1901
Name of the notarial archive	"Archivo Histórico de Notarías" (common usage)	"Acervo Histórico del Archivo General de Notarías" (CEJUR)	Use the custodian’s official name
Dates of the Departamento de Migración cards	1930–1958 (Dialnet 9639234, results)	1930–1950 (same article, methodology)	Check with the AGN. Use "ca. 1930–1950s"
HNDM URL	http://www.hndm.unam.mx (2015 guide; Early American Sources)	Files hosted at hndm.iib.unam.mx	Check in a browser which URL is currently canonical
Coverage of the Pasaportes ramo	1821–1873, 31 films (BYU)	58 volumes; published index for 1821–1827 (LC/AGN 1980)	They do not fully contradict each other: record both
C11 (new)	Switchboard of the SRE / Acervo Histórico Diplomático	55 5686 5100 (Wave 1 report, taken from "Servicios")	3686-5100 (SRE, Directorio de oficinas centrales)
C12 (new)	Consultation hours of the SEDENA Archivo Histórico	Monday to Friday, 15:00–19:00, by appointment (SEDENA, "Requisitos para consulta…")	"from 0900 to 1400 hours," depending on the official calendar and the epidemiological traffic-light system (SEDENA-DGAH, researcher form, gob.mx file 765259)
C13 (new)	Deadline for requesting documents in the AGN reading room	After 14:30, requests roll over to the next day (E. A. Polanco, main text)	No new documents are requested after 14:00 (E. A. Polanco, March 2023 update)
C14 (new)	Weekend hours of the BNM/HNM	Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 9:00–15:00 (Uno TV, May 2022)	Saturdays 9:00–17:00; Sundays and holidays 9:00–15:00 (Reglamento General, January 25, 2023)

Still to be verified

Topics for which we found no verifiable information online. If you have it, please write to us.

AGN, platforms: Whether "Mapa de Archivo" exists and its URL, and the current scope of "Archivos de México"
AGN "Genealogía y Heráldica": Whether it is an AGN ramo or the FamilySearch microfilm collection deposited at the AGN
FamilySearch, "Mexico, Index of Foreigners": Check whether a collection by that name exists
AHAM, institutional details: Address, contact, in-person access

Notes

AGN, AGN 200 años (2023); E. A. Polanco, "Researching in the AGN" (updated 25 July 2024); Early American Sources ↩
CEJUR CDMX (2 pages); La Razón (2018) ↩
IIB-UNAM, Reglamento General de la BNM y la HNM (25 January 2023); Uno TV (2022) ↩
Guía de usuario HNDM (IIB, 2015); IIB-UNAM, Reglamento General (2023) ↩
Emory Libraries (catalog and Emory Digital Collections); review by E. de la Torre Villar (2004); E. A. Polanco (mention only) ↩
SEDENA, "Requisitos para consulta…" (PDF); SEDENA-DGAH, researcher form (PDF); BiCentenario 46 (2025) ↩
SRE, "Servicios"; SRE, "Antecedentes"; SRE, Directorio de oficinas centrales ↩
SCJN, Centro de Documentación ↩
IISUE, note on the AHUNAM; UNAM, Reglamento del AHUNAM (Abogado General repository, 2024) ↩
CDMX, tourism portal ↩
DOF, "Historia"; SIDOF, "Preguntas frecuentes" ↩
Desacatos 26; Excélsior (14 August 2020) ↩
UTSA Libraries, "Mexican Census"; INEGI, 1921 census schedule (PDF); FamilySearch 1307314 ↩
SGHFM ↩
PARES; Indigenous Mexico ↩
FamilySearch catalog entries ↩
Colmex repository ↩
Emory catalog ↩
CEJUR CDMX; Colmex ↩
CEJUR CDMX ↩
CEJUR CDMX ↩
E. A. Polanco (2024); BYU; UNM ↩
E. A. Polanco (2024); LC ↩
SGHFM (2022/2024); UNM ↩
Seminario "Indiferente", project «Fastos, simulacros y saberes en la América Virreinal» (ILLA-CSIC, 2021); search results (filedn) ↩
SCJN, Centro de Documentación ↩
Stanford SearchWorks 4671878 ↩
Von Wobeser (2005), "Archivos consultados"; filedn (search result) ↩
Emory; review by De la Torre Villar (2004) ↩
FamilySearch 80059 ↩
FamilySearch 277080; BYU, Mexico Research Outline ↩
FamilySearch 1307314 (collection and catalog) ↩
UTSA Libraries; INEGI, 1921 schedule; Broadstreet (2020) ↩
BiCentenario 46; SEDENA ↩
BiCentenario 46 ↩
BiCentenario 46 ↩
BYU; LC, Hispanic Local History… ↩
LC, Hispanic Local History…; Sordo Cedeño, review of Sims, Historia Mexicana ↩
Dialnet 9639234; Google Arts & Culture ↩
Dialnet 9639234 ↩
SRE, "Servicios"; SRE, "Antecedentes" ↩
Indigenous Mexico; BYU ↩
FS collection list ↩
Villavicencio Navarro, review of Pani, Secuencia (2017); Colmex, Yankelevich record (2015) ↩
Excélsior (14 August 2020) ↩
Guía de usuario HNDM; Early American Sources ↩
DOF, "Historia"; SIDOF ↩
Portal CDMX ↩
Colmex repository; LC ↩
LC, Hispanic Local History… ↩
E. A. Polanco (2024); AGN 2023 ↩
PARES ↩
IISUE ↩
https://www.gob.mx/agn/acciones-y-programas/como-consultar-los-fondos-documentales-y-graficos-del-agn ↩
https://archivos.gob.mx/GuiaGeneral/GuiaGeneral.html ↩
https://repositorio.agn.gob.mx/ ↩
http://acervohistorico.sre.gob.mx ↩
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/277080 ↩
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/20763 ↩

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La Razón, "Continúa reapertura de Archivo General de Notarías," 26 March 2018, razon.com.mx (https://www.razon.com.mx/ciudad/2018/03/26/continua-reapertura-de-archivo-general-de-notarias/ : accessed 3 November 2026).
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María Elena Tovar González, "Antecedentes históricos de Chiapas," in Chiapas en el Congreso Constituyente (México: INEHRM, 2018), 23–32, PDF, BJV-IIJ UNAM (https://archivos.juridicas.unam.mx/www/bjv/libros/12/5903/5.PDF : accessed 4 November 2026).
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"Mexico, National Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1307314 : accessed 3 November 2026).
"México, censo nacional: Collection Record, 1930," catalog, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1307314 : accessed 3 November 2026).
National Archives (U.S.), "Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo," Recursos para docentes en español (https://www.archives.gov/espanol/recursos-para-docentes/guadalupe-hidalgo : accessed 4 November 2026).
Pablo Yankelevich, "Mexicanos por naturalización en la primera mitad del siglo XX. Un acercamiento cuantitativo," Historia Mexicana (2015), record, Revistas Colmex (https://revistas.colmex.mx/index.php/Record/oai:oai.historiamexicana.colmex.mx:article-3120/Description?lng=en : accessed 4 November 2026). [Volume, issue, and pages to be completed]
"Padrones, 1778" (Mexicaltzingo), catalog, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/80059 : accessed 3 November 2026).
Paola Chenillo Alazraki and Pablo Yankelevich, "El Archivo Histórico del Instituto Nacional de Migración," Desacatos 26 (Archivo Histórico INM), CIESAS (https://desacatos.ciesas.edu.mx/index.php/Desacatos/article/view/535 : accessed 3 November 2026).
Raúl Flores, "Digitalizarán 4 millones de expedientes de extranjeros que viven en México," Excélsior, 14 August 2020 (https://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/digitalizaran-4-millones-de-expedientes-de-extranjeros-que-viven-en-mexico/1399900 : accessed 4 November 2026).
"Registros parroquiales, parroquia Asunción de María… Milpa Alta 1920-1925," catalog, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/81207 : accessed 3 November 2026).
Reynaldo Sordo Cedeño, review of Harold Sims, The Expulsion of Mexico's Spaniards, 1821-1836 (Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1990), Historia Mexicana, 361–364, PDF (https://historiamexicana.colmex.mx/index.php/RHM/article/download/2254/1889 : accessed 4 November 2026). [Volume and year to be completed]
Secretaría de Gobernación, "Preguntas frecuentes," SIDOF (https://sidof.segob.gob.mx/FAQS : accessed 3 November 2026).
Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, "Requisitos para consulta de expedientes del Archivo Histórico de la Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional," PDF, gob.mx (https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/829653/Requisitos_para_consulta_de_expedientes_del_Archivo_Hist_rico_de_la_Secretar_a_de_la_Defensa_Nacional.pdf : accessed 3 November 2026).
Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, Dirección General de Archivo e Historia, "Formulario para investigadores," PDF, gob.mx (https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/765259/formularioparainvestigadores.pdf : accessed 4 November 2026).
Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, "Antecedentes," Acervo Histórico Diplomático (https://portales.sre.gob.mx/acervo/antecedentes : accessed 4 November 2026).
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Mexico: secondary sources for genealogical research

Context and geography

National archives and institutions

Archivo General de la Nación (AGN)1

Archivo General de Notarías de la Ciudad de México. Acervo Histórico2

Biblioteca Nacional de México (Instituto de Investigaciones Bibliográficas, UNAM)3

Hemeroteca Nacional de México (IIB-UNAM) and Hemeroteca Nacional Digital de México (HNDM)4

Archivo Histórico del Arzobispado de México (Arquidiócesis Primada de México)5

Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional, Dirección General de Archivo e Historia (Archivo Histórico de la SEDENA)6

Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores. Dirección General del Acervo Histórico Diplomático. Archivo Histórico "Genaro Estrada"7

Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación. Archivo Central (Archivo Judicial)8

Archivo Histórico de la UNAM (AHUNAM), IISUE9

Biblioteca Nacional de Antropología e Historia "Eusebio Dávalos Hurtado" (INAH)10

Diario Oficial de la Federación (Secretaría de Gobernación)11

Instituto Nacional de Migración. Archivo Histórico12

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI)13

Sociedad Genealógica y de Historia Familiar de México14

Archivo General de Indias (Seville, Spain) / PARES15

FamilySearch (catalog and collections)16

El Colegio de México (repository and guides to protocols)17

Emory University Libraries (digital copy of the AHAM)18