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Mexican Genealogy: Later Records Available for Santa Catarina de Tepehuances?

ClewD
ClewD ✭
December 10, 2025 in General Questions

I volunteer in a genealogy section of a local library. A patron of Mexican descent was asking for help with the following concern, but our communication is unfortunately not the best (I don't speak Spanish and his English is fairly good but still limited). The patron has been accessing online church records for Santa Catarina de Tepehuances on FamilySearch. He likes to page through the images and document the entries so that he can help others when they have questions. He wants to be able to see newer records for Santa Catarina de Tepehuances, and said that at one time he was able to access (i.e.,"click on") everything that was listed on the FamilySearch's webpage for this region. But now the newer records are not available, and when you select a newer book, such as Baptisms from 1923 and on, you get the message "Image Unavailable - this image is unavailable for online viewing at this time." I wrote a FamilySearch Center to see if this was something he can view some other way (for example, maybe he would need to go to the FamilySearch Center to see the record images), but the Center's response back to me was the following: "Apparently the records cannot be seen due to local laws-- the agreement between Family Search and the Catholic Church. Baptisms are available to see up to 1923, marriages up to 1955, deaths up to 1881 and matrimonial registrations up to 1891. However if your patron contacts the Mexican Church itself or the diocese he may get the desired information." So, my questions are - what are the best and specific steps to pursue these later records? Who should he write in the Santa Catarina de Tepehuances area? The patron said he called the local church but they couldn't help him. Is It possible that there is another way to see the record images online by other means, such as State Regional Archives?

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Answers

  • sc woz
    sc woz mod
    December 12, 2025

    @ClewD

    I would begin my search at the FamilySearch Wiki Pages for Durango, Mexico Church records. Or the Wiki pages for Mexico Civil Registries.

    An online portal to look at for possible certified copies of birth certificates can be found at

    https://www.miregistrocivil.gob.mx/

    according to the web site as of Aug 1, 2025 all new procedures related to birth certificates will be carried out on the new National Civil Registry Platform.

    For records not available online, you may need to contact the state-level office in the capital of Durango.

    Dirección General del Registro Civil, Calle Sauca 721 Franc Jardines de Durango, 34210 Durango, DGO, México. Tel: 52 618-829-7773 or 52-618-829-7828

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