Genealogical Resources for Socorro, NM

Yesterday I received in the mail a book I purchased from the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center, titled "Matrimonios: San Miguel del Socorro..., San Ignacio y San Cristobal ... , San Marcial ... and Our Lady Sorrows of La Jolla ...." The book includes transcribed marriage records from 1854 until 1900 for Socorro County churches. The records are transcribed from the records of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

For years I've been using a copy from the library to do my research. I was tired of having to go to the library every time I needed to find information, so I finally decided to get my own copy.

Although I always recommend that researchers should use the original sources, or at the very least microfilmed copies of sources to do research, books such as this one are sufficient. The books published by the Hispanic Genealogical Research Center and my own organization The New Mexico Genealogical Society are checked for errors numerous times before being published. However, there are always chances for errors. Sometimes, too, a record can be read one way by one person and another way by another. There may also be information on the document that the extractor did not deem important, but may be important information to the researcher. So whenever you have a chance, check the original.

With all that said, I would like to list books that are useful for a genealogist researching his or her Socorro, New Mexico family.

Depending on the title, these books may be purchased either on the NMGS website (link) or the HGRC website (link.)

Socorro was re-settled in either 1815 or 1816. The first church records show up in 1821.

* New Mexico Baptisms San Miguel de Socorro Church 1821-1853 (NMGS)

* Censuses 1833 and 1845 - Socorro and Surrounding Communities of the Rio Abajo (NMGS)

* 1850 Territorial Census, Volume I: Valencia County (NMGS) - Socorro and the surrounding area was in Valencia County in 1850.

* Baptisimos: San Miguel del Socorro: Vol. 1 Jan 1854 - Mar 1865 (HGRC)

* Matrimonios: Socorro 1854-1900, San Ignacio, San Cristóbal, San Marcial, La Joya (HGRC)


Many of the early families of Socorro area came from the Belen, Tome and Isleta areas. So I would also suggest these books going back further into the 1700s:

* Baptisms: Church of Our Lady of Belen, 1810-1851 (NMGS)

* Baptisms: Nuestra Señora de la Inmaculada Concepción de Tomé. Vol. I: 22 Mar 1793- 8 May 1853. (NMGS)

* San Augustin de la Isleta Church Baptisms 1730 to 1776 and 1829 to 1842. Marriages 1736 to 1846 (NMGS)

* Marriages: Churches of Immaculate Conception of Tomé and Our Lady of Belén. (Tomé 1793-1826 and 1809-1855. Belén 1826-1856.)  (NMGS)

* NM Spanish and Mexican Colonial Censuses, 1790, 1823, 1845. (NMGS)

* Spanish and Mexican Censuses of NM, 1750-1830 (NMGS)

And for information on where else to look for resources on Socorro, New Mexico genealogy:

* Genealogical Resources in New Mexico. 3rd edition., Vols. 1-38, 1962-1999. (NMGS)