Locating family in Asturias

[Rich]

Hello everyone-

I have been tracing my family tree and collecting information for quite a while now, but I've hit a wall when I reached Asturias. On my fathers side I have about a dozen relatives I've traced back to Asturias, most with dates and places of birth, but I can't find any more information. I've spent more hours than I care to admit to searching the web and the many ancestry sites, but so far I've drawn a blank. Does anyone know why there is a lack of information from Spain on these sites?
Short of hopping a plane and having a look myself, are the records accessible in any other way- on the internet, for example? Marta has been a HUGE help (Thanks again, Marta!) but I don't want to contunually rely on the generosity of others.
I will be eternally grateful for any advice anyone has on this matter. Also, if anyone knows where I can get a cheap plane ticket, let me know!

[is]

I've spent more hours than I care to admit to searching the web and the many ancestry sites, but so far I've drawn a blank. Does anyone know why there is a lack of information from Spain on these sites?

Also, if anyone knows where I can get a cheap plane ticket, let me know!

hi Mrdrod:

I'm sure Marta has already tipped you off on parish records and the Archbishopric in Oviedo/Uvieu. If you have last names and dates of birth for relatives in the 19th century, they're likely to be entered in books at either the parish or in the large room at the Archbishopric. Expect very little information online unless other US relatives of yours have been doing genealogical work. I had to invest a good amount of time tracing my family back in three different places: La Puela d'Ayande, L.luarca and the capital, Oviedo. And all three required a great deal of improvisation, although people in Asturias were extremely helpful.

So, as radical as it may sound, your idea of flying to Asturias is probably the more time-efficient option. From Charleroi, your best options to fly are from JFK or BWI, right? I usually fly via London and then take an EasJet to Asturias, but the airport change in the UK is a pain and with the exchange rate, not a good idea. It's probably better to fly direct to Madrid, Barcelona or Bilbao and then take domestic flights to Asturias.

Again, if you have names and birthdates, you'll be able to get literal transcriptions (I think at 10 euros per piece) at the Archbishopric and thus nail your family line. Depending on the parish, those records can go as far back as the 16th century, but each place is different. Read other threads in this section to see how it's done. Or just ask again and we'll try to help. Good luck!

[Art]

Hi, MrDRod,

In the past couple of years some of the cheapest flights I've found go BWI (Baltimore) to London on Air Canada, but the number of EasyJet flights to and from Asturias are extremely limited (one a day, I think). Because of the timing of flight arrivals and departures, you usually have to stop in London overnight, at least on the return trip. As Paul says, that's expensive even for the cheapest lodgings. If everything stays the same, I'll probably fly into Madrid next trip.

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Hola, MrDRod:

En los últimos años Air Canada ha ofrecido algunos de los vuelos más baratos que he encontrado de BWI (Baltimore) a Londres, pero el número de vuelos de EasyJet hasta y desde Asturias es extremadamente limitado (una cada día, creo). Debido a la sincronización de las llegadas y salidas de los vuelos, generalmente hay que quedarse en Londres por la noche, por lo menos en el viaje de vuelta. Como Paul dice, es costoso incluso para los alojamientos más baratos. Si todo permanece igual, probablemente el viaje siguiente volaré a Madrid.

[Rich]

Hey folks-

Thanks for the input. Even though I jokingly mentioned flying to Asturias, I suspected that would be the easiest thing to do. Unforyunately, with kids and college tuition, that is impracticable for the forseeable future.
I have scoured the web, and while I've found people tracing their families to Asturias, I haven't made any matches yet.

[Carlos]

Hi, Rich.

In answer to your question, some things:

1 - Civil Registry in Spain, at every level (Ministry of Justice for all Spain and emigrants, and Municipal Courts for towns and cities) is free acces for all people. It is considered "Public Information". However, those archives are not on the net. Then you, me or other person could freely consult the archives or ask for official certificates. Our member Luiña has done this for a lot of people, she is very kind. I suggest ask her. Naturally, this depends on the concrete place and case and her disposable time.

2 - Another way are the ecclesiastic archives. Why you don't find this information in any genealogy or similar web? Because some other churches different of the Catholic one ask them for those data. Some of these confessions (I don't remember the concrete name) pretend "to baptise retroactively" the ancestors of its members. This has done the contrary effect as a kind of "self-defence" of the Catholic Church. You can write them, or do a direct consultation in person, but not on the net in web pages as mentioned. The State Administration don't acts, because there is a "legal void".

Wishes

[Bob]

Carlos, I thinik the church to which you refer is the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons), which has been very helpful to all, including those of other faiths or no faith whatsoever, in tracing genealogy because they do believe in retroactive baptism in their own church for ancestors.

[is]

Yep, it's the Mormons, a.k.a. the Church of Latter Day Saints. I think Carlos is right about the fact that, as an unfortunate epiphenomenon, the Catholic Church and others may not want to put their records online for fear the data will be harvested by the Mormons to baptize the rest of the human race. Which is rather an odd enterprise, you must admit, Bob. Although I also understand the Mormon records have probably helped many to trace their genetic past.

[Art]

The LDS even offers free software for genealogy.

I've always thought it amazingly open-minded that LDS beliefs would allow non-believers to be admitted to heaven. That's much more inclusive than many religions. Of course, other churches could view that as competition for their dead.

Yes, I do understand Paul's discomfort over someone else deciding for us whether we'd be going to heaven, even if we wouldn't be interested. I'd think that some of the admitted would make terrible "neighbors" in heaven. Maybe the "bad boys" would be transformed in some manner.

I remember reading years ago, probably in the Book of Mormon, that there is a specific number of places available in heaven. I don't recall the number, but it seemed too small a number to accommodate the entire human race. In fact, it was probably too small to accommodate all LDS members past, present, and future, along with their baptized ancestors. Maybe it was a symbolic number, not a literal number.

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La iglesia LDS incluso ofrece software gratis para la genealogía.

Hace mucho tiempo he visto como increíblemente abierta que la creencia de LDS admitiría a los no creyentes al cielo. Es mucho más inclusivo que muchas religiones. Por supuesto, otras religiones podían ver eso como competición para sus muertos.

Sí, entiendo el malestar de Paul si otra persona decide para nosotros si vamos o no al cielo, incluso si no estaríamos interesados. Pensaría que algunos de los admitidos harían a “vecinos terribles” en el cielo. Tal vez las "tarambanas" se transformaría de cierta manera.

Recuerdo leer hace años, probablemente en el Libro del Mormón, que hay un número específico de lugares disponibles en cielo. No recuerdo el número, pero parecía un número demasiado pequeño para acomodar la raza humana entera. De hecho, sería demasiado pequeña para acomodar todos los miembros de LDS de antes, del presente, y del futuro, junto con sus antepasados bautizados. O quizá era un número simbólico, no un número literal.

[Marta Elena Díaz García]

Hello, Rich:
Please, feel free to contact me, I'll try to do my best in looking the information you need . The information I sent you by post was obtained from the town hall records (it was free, I did not pay any money). They told me that they have information until a year (I dont remember it now) and the rest of information can be obtained from the church records. I live in Corvera. So, , please, do not hesitate to contact me.
Marta.

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Hola Rich,
Por favor, no tengas reparos en contactar conmigo. Trataré de buscar toda la información que necesitas. La que te envié por correo la obtuve de los archivos del ayuntamiento (gratis, no pagué nada por ella). Allí me dijeron que tienen información hasta un determinado año (ahora no recuerdo cuál) pero que el resto se puede obtener de los archivos eclesiásticos. Yo vivo en Corvera, no dudes en contactar.
Marta.

[Luiña]

Rich:

He dejado también un mensaje en "Introduction of members". Aquí sólo decir que en Oviedo (Archivo Diocesano) con un poco de tiempo puedo localizar más datos de los antepasados de su abuelo Teddy, unos de Cancienes, otros de Solís, otros de Tamón......

Lamento no dominar el inglés, trataré de que me traduzcan los mensajes antes de enviárselos privadamente.
Aquí, gracias a los traductores del Foro


Para Carlos: Gracias Carlos por tus palabras tan gentiles hacia mí