Chile - any advice on censuses and ancestry investigation

[Barry Emmott]

My grand-daughter has a Chilean mother and I would like to trace that side of her ancestry. Any help or advice will be most welcome.

[Erato]

Just as a starter, FamilySearch has a few Chilean records.

https://familysearch.org/search/collection/location/1927143?region=Chile

[philipsearching]

Stating the bloomin' obvious, the first step is to talk to Chilean Mama and get all the information you can from her.   Names, locations and dates, where known.

In many South American countries (including Chile) children used the (male line) surnames of both parents, for example Miss Lopez Perez would be the daughter of father Lopez and mother Perez; this could lead to a marriage of Lopez Castro and Perez Guevara - thus you get two more surnames to work with.

Philip

[Barry Emmott]

Unfortunately there are problems with the course suggested. I am aware of the surname situation but sometimes the actual father didn't make the grade, is "bad news" and not mentioned in polite company. I was wondering if there was a Chilean version of our Free BMD. The lady in question uses a stepfather's name so I go nowhere in that direction !!

[Erato]

Can you read Spanish?  If so, here is the website of the Servicio de Registro Civil e Identificación de Chile which handles birth, marriage and death certificates.  BUT to use it, you need to enter with a valid Chilean ID number.  I noticed that they have a section called 'Archivo Histórico' but nothing happened when I clicked on it.  You could try writing to them to see how to proceed.

https://www.srcei.cl/

This seems to be their email contact point::
https://www.registrocivil.cl/OficinaInternet/servlet/MuestraPagina?contexto=0&pagina=/OficinaInternet/servlet/Contactenos?tipoContacto=1

[Erato]

I notice that you are located in Pinner, Middlesex.  Google tells me that this is part of greater London.  So, as an alternative you could go to the Chilean embassy [or call them] to find out if it is possible for a foreigner to get access to the Records held by the Regístro Civil and, if so, how to go about it.

Embassy of Chile, London
Address: 37-41 Old Queen St, Westminster, London SW1H 9JA, UK
Hours:  9AM–5:30PM

[barryd]

I only have one relative born in Chile. My ancestry is largely made up of Coal Mining Managers and my Routledge line was the most successful of all of my lines. Norman Davie Routledge born 1 Aug 1914, Concepcion,, Bio-Bio, Chile. Died 25 Jul 1985, Port Erin, Isle of Man. From my notes on baby Norman "Most of Chile's coal is/was mined south of Concepcion in Arauco Bay".

Parents Norman Wilkinson Routledge/Esther Davie Redpath.

Not much of an answer but at least I found him. Bear in mind that Chile is along straggling country and an area like I have would probably help.

[Barry Emmott]

Thanks for the responses.  Although I took Spanish one evening a week at night school over 50 years ago and can "get by", my Spanish isn't up to the specialist terms on the Chilean website. I also don't want to go to the Chilean Embassy as word could get back to my Chilean family and I wanted any discoveries to come as a surprise. So, for the moment, my investigations will be halted until I go back to Chile for the 7th time !! Thanks again to erato, philipsearching and barryd. I have other Emmotts, possibly not related but from the same small part of Yorkshire as my own ancestors, who emigrated to Patagonia over 100 years ago, to follow up !!

[titocanete]

Thanks for the responses.  Although I took Spanish one evening a week at night school over 50 years ago and can "get by", my Spanish isn't up to the specialist terms on the Chilean website. I also don't want to go to the Chilean Embassy as word could get back to my Chilean family and I wanted any discoveries to come as a surprise. So, for the moment, my investigations will be halted until I go back to Chile for the 7th time !! Thanks again to erato, philipsearching and barryd. I have other Emmotts, possibly not related but from the same small part of Yorkshire as my own ancestors, who emigrated to Patagonia over 100 years ago, to follow up !!

Hi Barry, I might be able to help, I am a local genealogist and know how to use the Civil Registry tools. Perhaps you could help me back, I'm looking for some info about my great-great-grandfather, born in Islington!