When it comes to family history, an American of Mexican descent faces the exact same challenges as any other American. That’s because in many respects, the history of Mexico mirrors the history of the United States. Both nations have been shaped by centuries of conquest and revolution, creating similarly diverse cultures of varying ethnic origin.

Still, it pays to seek out the resources that are unique to Mexican Americans. The best of those resources are listed below.

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Top Resources

Census Records: U.S. census records (beginning in 1880) list the birthplaces of an individual’s parents, enabling you to identify your first Mexican American ancestors. Some census records, particularly those for the western states, might even include a city or county of origin in Mexico.

Access the U.S. Census Collection

Immigration Records: In order to trace your family's passage from Mexico to the U.S., it's important to locate records of immigration, border crossing, or naturalization. These records often detail an individual's age, birthplace, and possibly an address in Mexico.

If you're fairly certain that your ancestors immigrated to the U.S. prior to 1906, you'll want to search for their immigration records in the courthouses of the cities where they originally settled. Records dating after 1906 are kept on file by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service). You can either contact your local USCIS office or write to the national office in Washington D.C.

Search the U.S. Immigration Collection.

The Catholic Church: Following the Spanish conquest, Catholicism became the predominant religion in Mexico as well as the primary governing body. Therefore, one of the best places to look for your Mexican ancestors is in Catholic vital records located in parish offices throughout Mexico. These records, dated as early as the eighteenth century, include information about local births, baptisms, marriages, and burials.

To find these records you can either contact the appropriate parish office directly or search the microfilmed parish registers housed at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Civil Registration Records: Mexico's modern system of civil registration began in 1857. Since that time, local Mexican governments have preserved birth, marriage, and death records for nearly all of Mexico's citizens including non-Catholics and foreign immigrants.

Civil records can be found in local courts, civil registry and municipal offices throughout Mexico. If you know the name of your ancestor's hometown, you can contact the appropriate office and request a transcription of the record you want.

Notarial Records: Frequently overlooked resources for family history, notarial records (such as wills and legal records) can reveal much about your family's situation while in Mexico. A typical will, for example, is likely to contain information about the deceased's spouse, children, and property (down to clothing and household items).

Notarial records are grouped in official registers known as protocolos. Protocolos are housed in provincial archive offices as well as in Mexico's Archivo General de la Nación (General Archives of the Nation) in Mexico City. There is also a large collection on microfilm at the LDS Family History Library.

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Surnames: Unique to Hispanic culture, Mexican surnames make it comparatively easy to trace a maternal line of origin. A child is typically given at least three names at birth -a given name and two surnames. The first of the two surnames is passed down from the father while the second surname is taken from the mother's maiden name.

For example, if your ancestor was named "Antoine Sanchez Dominga," you can assume that his father descended from the Sanchez family while his mother descended from the Dominga family.

Town of origin: Probably the most difficult aspect of Mexican genealogy is locating the birthplace of an ancestor. Not having this information can be a serious hindrance, particularly if your research hinges on locating the correct civil registry or parish office.

Fortunately, one of the best resources for finding this information is the one that's nearest you in terms of mileage - your own family. Historically, Mexican immigrants have retained strong ties to their families back in Mexico. Interviewing older family members and other relations may help you find references to your ancestral hometown in Mexico.

Are you ready to find your Mexican ancestors? Start searching now!