Who AM I?
HOW I got involved in GENEALOGY?
While working for the New York Public Library at 14, I learned about Ancestry.com and the available census records for Puerto Rico. With that, I began my research by asking older family members what they knew and filling in gaps of information with census records, at the time, from 1910-1930. Years later, I would learn about the Civil Registry of Puerto Rico (Registro Civil de Puerto Rico) and the records of various churches on the island also available online. Ever since 2004, I continue on my journey as an avid genealogist. In 2010, I began including DNA and genetic testing as a part of my research. I am interested in the fields of all things Puerto Rican: genealogy, linguistics, sociocultural anthropology, and diaspora studies. My research mainly revolves around Puerto Rico and as of recently the French islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe, as well as the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca. Traveling and learning new languages are my favorite hobbies after genealogy, of course!
My Research Experiences
Here are some personal highlights of my research over the last 20 years.
- Use United States Census records, Puerto Rican Church Records, and have spent countless hours constructing my own tree and that of other Puerto Ricans.
- Visited various repositories to conduct onsite research, amongst them: Archivo General de Puerto Rico, Archivo Histórico Arquidiocesano de Puerto Rico, Archives Nationales d'Outre Mer (Aix-en-Provence, France), Arxiu Diocesà de Mallorca, Arxiu del Regne de Mallorca, Parroquia De San Juan Bautista (San Juan del Puerto, Huelva, Spain).
- Completed genealogical research with ancestry from these various countries: Austria, Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Czechia (formerly known as the Czech Republic), Dominican Republic, France (Guadeloupe, Martinique), Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Poland, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, United States, Spain (Andalucía, Mallorca), Sweden.
My Publishing Experiences
Besides my own personal research and helping others research their families, here are some of my highlights as a genealogist!
- Published an articled titled "Los Charles salinenses: Orígenes en el Caribe francés" with La Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía" (Sep. 2023).
- Completed GenProof's 8-week Study Group program (Dec. 2022).
- Completed ProGen's 14-month Study Group program (May 2022).
- Completed Boston University's online "Genealogical Research Certificate" program (Dec. 2020).
- Published the post "How Genealogy Can Strengthen Research Skills and Identity in Kids."
- Published the post "How Genealogy Provides Students a Journey of Self-Discovery."
- Complied biographical information on African slaves for the book "La aportación de las naciones africanas a la familia puertorriqueña", published by La Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía.
Luis Rivera
Professional Genealogist/
genealogical blogger
I have been researching my Puerto Rican roots since 2004, using DNA for genetic genealogy since 2010, and blogging since 2011. My research mainly revolves around various towns in Puerto Rico, the French territorial islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, and various regions of Spain (including La Comunidad de Madrid, Andalucía, and Mallorca). Currently, I am a member of the SPG (Sociedad Puertorriqueña de Genealogía) , the NGS (National Genealogical Society), and CM98 (Comité March du 23 Mai 1998). I have completed Boston University’s 15-week Genealogical Research Certificate Program (Dec. 2020). ProGen’s 14 month study group program (May 2022), and recently, I completed GenProof’s 8 week study group program (Dec. 2022).