My fahters Grand Father family is from Spain, how and where do I start searching

Question:Spain is different than what you'd be used to in the US. VERY few civil records are going to be available to you pre-War...and the war there was in the 1930s, not the 1940s.

If you know his name, that's the place to start. When did he leave Spain? Where did he go? If he fled during the civil war in the 30s, that's actually a good thing. By then immigration processes were "refined" and he'd actually have to fill out detailed questionnaires in order to become a permanent alien and naturalized citizen in his new land. And you start by finding those immigration and naturalization documents from the National Archives of the country where he settled. If it's the US then you start with http://www.archives.gov

Don't skip getting those documents. They're extremely valuable and they'll be the only authenticated information available where you know HE actually provided the detail himself. Death certificates are notoriously error-ridden because family and friends provide "best guestimates"...not facts.

Once you get those immigration docs, you look for details. Where was he born? It won't just say "Spain", but should give the detail of the town, province, etc. When was he born? Month/day/year is critical information. Spain was a fully Catholic country after the 15th century. It was actually illegal to be anything other than Catholic. And the Catholic priest in every town was legally required to keep all documents for the government...has a little to do with his often being the only literate person in a town. So we use Catholic sacramental registers to trace in Europe the way that Americans use birth certificates, marriage licenses and death certificates. The parish sacramental registers will even tell you within 1 week when he was born and when he died. He would have been baptized within a week and he'd have been buried within a week. The marriage date will be exact.

Those registers will also tell you his parents' names, his godparents' names, and the parish where each was baptized. It's beautiful and usually very complete information that will go back to the late 14th century. You just need to be patient and don't try to over-reach in your letters. For instance, don't write to the priest and say, "I'd like all records on the Garcia family." That would be immensely unreasonable. Instead write and ask, "Could you please provide sacramental information on Sr. Jesus Garcia-Mendoza, born 23 May 1920. I believe he was baptized in your parish. I am particularly interested in verifying his birth and marriage in your parish and locating information that will identify his parents and their parish. If that information is available through you, I am most grateful."

Make sure you only go a generation or two at a time. They're not full-time researchers in churches. Also include more than enough money for copying and postage. An honorarium of $10 is commonly sent to request a mass in honor of your loved one whom they're researching for you.

Once you get that generation, go back and request the next generation. It sometimes takes a year to finish the process...and you can't usually speed it along by showing up over there. Sacramental registers are highly protected and not open to public scrutiny. But if you're patient, the priest and his staff are your very best friends in researching in Spain.

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Spain is different than what you'd be used to in the US. VERY few civil records are going to be available to you pre-War...and the war there was in the 1930s, not the 1940s.

If you know his name, that's the place to start. When did he leave Spain? Where did he go? If he fled during the civil war in the 30s, that's actually a good thing. By then immigration processes were "refined" and he'd actually have to fill out detailed questionnaires in order to become a permanent alien and naturalized citizen in his new land. And you start by finding those immigration and naturalization documents from the National Archives of the country where he settled. If it's the US then you start with http://www.archives.gov

Don't skip getting those documents. They're extremely valuable and they'll be the only authenticated information available where you know HE actually provided the detail himself. Death certificates are notoriously error-ridden because family and friends provide "best guestimates"...not facts.

Once you get those immigration docs, you look for details. Where was he born? It won't just say "Spain", but should give the detail of the town, province, etc. When was he born? Month/day/year is critical information. Spain was a fully Catholic country after the 15th century. It was actually illegal to be anything other than Catholic. And the Catholic priest in every town was legally required to keep all documents for the government...has a little to do with his often being the only literate person in a town. So we use Catholic sacramental registers to trace in Europe the way that Americans use birth certificates, marriage licenses and death certificates. The parish sacramental registers will even tell you within 1 week when he was born and when he died. He would have been baptized within a week and he'd have been buried within a week. The marriage date will be exact.

Those registers will also tell you his parents' names, his godparents' names, and the parish where each was baptized. It's beautiful and usually very complete information that will go back to the late 14th century. You just need to be patient and don't try to over-reach in your letters. For instance, don't write to the priest and say, "I'd like all records on the Garcia family." That would be immensely unreasonable. Instead write and ask, "Could you please provide sacramental information on Sr. Jesus Garcia-Mendoza, born 23 May 1920. I believe he was baptized in your parish. I am particularly interested in verifying his birth and marriage in your parish and locating information that will identify his parents and their parish. If that information is available through you, I am most grateful."

Make sure you only go a generation or two at a time. They're not full-time researchers in churches. Also include more than enough money for copying and postage. An honorarium of $10 is commonly sent to request a mass in honor of your loved one whom they're researching for you.

Once you get that generation, go back and request the next generation. It sometimes takes a year to finish the process...and you can't usually speed it along by showing up over there. Sacramental registers are highly protected and not open to public scrutiny. But if you're patient, the priest and his staff are your very best friends in researching in Spain.

Under usual process of research, you have already started by getting documentation from yourself back to gr grandfather.. at least that is the normal 'start'. When you make the statement that the grandfather is from Spain, normally you would be making that statement from some document or record, which verifies what is stated. What is that document? It should have some specifics for you to work with.. or suggest other records of value.
However.. if you are making the statement based on family knowledge, you have not been collecting records to confirm the information. The point of using documentation is not just to 'prove', but also to give further info.
Example.. have you located him in census records? I don't know if you are in the US.. if you are, that should indicate a way to estimate any immigration, and using that date, look for that record.

Go to Y! International and click on the map for Spain. log onto the genealogical Spanish site and continue from there.

from their hometown/village in spain.

Your surname is your last name.
Go to the public library in your city and ask the Geneologist to help you start searching your family tree. That is what they are there for, to help with genealogy searches.