Search Tips & Techniques

The following tips and techniques were provided to assist users in performing searches when the correct spelling of a name, location, or other variable is unknown.

Stemming, Truncation, and Boolean operators

Searching Date Fields

Advanced Search Techniques

Mission Notes

"Stemming"

The search engine will find records that include your search term as well as variations on the word.  For example, if you search for “San Gabriel” in the mother’s origin field of the baptism register, the results will include records with the phrases “San Gabriel, Mision de,” “San Gabriel en la alta California,” “San Gabriel jurisdicion del Presidio de San Diego,” etc.  Also, you can enter only a small portion of a term to retrieve records containing that specific character string.  For example, a search for “ndi” in ego’s ethnicity of the baptism register yields the following values: Yndio, [Indio], Yndios, India, Yndia, indigena, etc.  Likewise, a search for “ald” in the father’s surname field retrieve “Valdés,” “Baldez,” “Elizaldi”, “Calderon,” etc. 

Truncation and Wildcards

The truncation/wildcard symbol is "%."  This symbol may be used to replace any single character, either inside a word or the right end of a word when you are not certain how the name has been spelled in the original records.  Also you can use this feature to locate variant spellings of a certain word or name.  For example, a search for “Pas%ual” in Ego’s Spanish Name field will yield records where the Spanish name of the individual receiving the sacrament is Pasqual, Pasquala, Pascual, or Pascuala.  A search for “Pas%” will yield Pascasio, Antipas, Pascual, etc. Because the search function of the database does not support accent marks, the wildcard feature symbol must be used to search for records containing accent marks.  For example, a search in the father’s Spanish name field for “Jos%” will result in “Joseph,” “Josef,” “José,” etc.  Similarly, a search for “Zu%iga” in ego’s surname field will yield “Zuñiga” or “Soto y Zuñiga.” 

Boolean operators

Logic or Boolean operators may be used to either broaden or narrow  your queries in the Basic Search function.

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Searching Date Fields: Formatted versus Unformatted 

The baptism, marriage, and burial registers each contains fields that records the dates that the sacraments were administered.  This information is contained in two forms: formatted and unformatted.  The formatted date appears as a standard month/day/year, such as 01/01/1797.  The unformatted date appears as a day, followed by a 3-letter English month abbreviation, followed by the years, such as 1 Jan 1797.  If the date in the record could not be expressed as such, then the transcribed date was entered in the unformatted field, such as “A mediados del mes de Julio del año de 1802.” When searching a formatted date field, you must enter the exact date, such as 01/01/1797 or January 1, 1797.  The unformatted date field is more flexible, allowing users to search records by day, month, and/or year.  But you must use the correct form.   For example, to view all burials performed during the month of May in the year 1800, enter “May 1800” into the burial date field of the burial register. 

As noted earlier, not all dates conform to a standard month/day/year format, and as a result, the user will see a select number of records that contain a value in the unformatted field, but not in the formatted field (some records do not contain dates in either field).   When searching any date field, the search engine will automatically omit those records that do not contain a value in that field.  For specific questions concerning individual fields, please refer to the user guide, which outlines and describes the fields for each register.

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Advanced Search Techniques

The advanced search allows users to view specific data from various records at one time.  Users can work with one register at a time or choose to work with multiple registers at once. Below are suggestions on working with the advanced search feature.

1.  Field Names in the Advanced Search Application

All fields that are contained in the Basic Search are searchable in the Advanced Search. However, to facilitate the joining of tables and the retrieval of data, and because of issues relating to software design, some field names in the Advanced Search application appear only in the Advanced Search function or appear in the Advanced Search under slightly different names than in the Basic Search or the Basic Search View.  Most of these discrepancies relate to mission identification, or ID fields.  All of these fields combine two pieces of information that are unique to each individual in the database, namely the individual’s mission of baptism and baptism record number.  These fields are all expressed in the same format: mission identifier code, colon, and record number, or, for example, as SCZ:00060.

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2.  Searching a Single Table

In the Advanced Search you can use one or two tables.  Searching with more than one table is discussed in section 3.

To start an Advanced Search using a single register first, Click on the Data Sources tab to select your register. Then choose a table from the pull down menu.  There are nine options:

Baptisms Auxiliary: This contains the information entered as miscellaneous attributes on the baptism table.

 

Baptisms:  Baptism table.

 

Deaths Auxiliary:  This table has all the miscellaneous attributes entered in the death table.

 

Deaths:  Death parent table.

 

Godparents:  This table has all godparent information entered in the baptism table.

 

Marriage Auxiliary: This table has all the miscellaneous attributes entered in the marriage table.

 

Marriages:  Marriage table.

 

Relatives: This table has all relatives’ information entered in the baptism table.

 

Witnesses: This table has all witness information entered in the marriage table.

 

Click on the Fields tab.  Select those fields that will be incorporated into the final report/search results.  Begin by choosing a field or multiple fields from the pull down menu.  After each field selection, the description box will automatically contain the full name of that field.  The search results will appear in the same order in which the fields were selected.  

To delete a field, simply click on the red box marked with an “X.” 

To change the order of the fields or insert a field above or below the pre-selected field/s, use the up or down arrows to the right of the red box.  

To sort by a field, check on Sort (A) to sort ascending or Sort (D) to sort descending. 

To refine your search, review sections 4, 5, and 6.

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3.  Searching Multiple and Joined Tables

Unlike the Basic Search, the Advanced Search allows users to work with multiple registers at one time.  To search using multiple registers:

Click on the Data Sources tab.  Choose the first register you want from the pull down menu.  There are nine options:

Baptisms Auxiliary: This contains the information entered as miscellaneous attributes on the baptism table.

Baptisms:  Baptism table. Deaths Auxiliary:  This table has all the miscellaneous attributes entered in the death table. 

Deaths:  Death parent table. 

Godparents:  This table has all godparent information entered in the baptism table.

Marriage Auxiliary: This table has all the miscellaneous attributes entered in the marriage table. 

Marriages:  Marriage table. 

Relatives: This table has all relatives’ information entered in the baptism table.

Witnesses: This table has all witness information entered in the marriage table.

 

Choose a second table to combine with the first one selected.  For example, you might select Baptisms(VW) as the first table and Marriages(VW) as the second table.  Note: A table may not be joined to itself, such as Baptisms(VW) and Baptisms(VW).

The application will automatically add new pull down menus to the right of the tables entitled Join Field, Foreign Table, and Field.  Join Field will contain all the fields in the second register selected, such as in this case, all the fields in the marriage register. The Foreign Table is the first register that the user selected, in this case baptisms.  The Field menu contains all the fields in the baptism table.  To join the tables together, you must select one field in the second register that has the exact same content as one field in the first register.  This feature ensures that in your report information relating to more than one individual is not confused.  So, if you are interested in linking a bride in her marriage record to her baptism mission and number, then Brides Linked ID should be joined to the ID field in the Baptisms(VW) because the information in those two fields is the same for both tables. 

Click on the Fields tab.  Select those fields that will be incorporated into the final report.  Begin by choosing a field or multiple fields from the pull down menu.  Be advised that some fields have the same name in both registers.  For those field names that are identical in both tables, the application will affix at the end of the field name the table to which that field belongs.  For example, when the baptism and death tables are joined, Egos Spanish Name will appear as Egos Spanish Name(Baptism) and Egos Spanish Name(Death) so that users can differentiate the two.

After each field selection, the description box will automatically contain the full name of that field. The search results will appear in the same order in which the fields were selected. 

To delete a field, simply click on the red box marked with an “X.” 

To change the order of the fields or insert a field above or below the pre-selected field/s, use the up or down arrows to the right of the red box. 

To sort by a field, check on Sort (A) to sort ascending or Sort (D) to sort descending.   It is not necessary to enter a function to see search results. 

To refine your search, go to sections 4, 5, and 6 below.

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4.   Adding a Function to Your Advanced Search

It is not necessary to enter a function to see search results.  However, if you choose a function for one field, then a function for each field must be chosen. There are five functions:

Count: Counts all instances that the field selected appears in the table. Example: Counting Spanish names in the baptism table will produce a search result of 103890.  This is the number of times text was entered in the baptism Spanish Name field across all missions.

 

Count Distinct:  Counts each distinct time a field appears in the table.  Example: Counting distinct Spanish names in the baptism table will produce a search result of 20958.  The name Maria may have been entered thousands of times in the Spanish Name field, but will only be counted once using the count distinct function.  Count distinct will distinguish between anything that has not been entered exactly the same, thus it will count Maria, as well as Maria Refugio, Maria del Refugio and Maria Refu[gio].

 

Maximum:  Will provide the maximum of any field.  For example, the maximum formatted baptism date will produce the search result 12/26/1855.  This is the latest baptism date found in the records.

 

Minimum:  Will provide the minimum of any field.  For example, the minimum formatted baptism date will produce the search result 12/26/1770. This is the earliest baptism date found in the records.

 

Group:  Will group any field of the user’s choice.  For example, grouping baptism officiant will produce a search result of each distinct name/text found in baptism officiant field. 

These functions can be used in combination with each other.  For example, you can choose to count the number of females in the baptism table and group these numbers by mission. 

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5.  Using Filters to Produce More Specific Results

Click on the Filters tab to produce more specific results.  Begin by choosing a filter field from the pull down menu.  After selecting the filter field, choose an operator from the pull down menu.  There are seventeen options.  Most are self-explanatory, but a few might require more explanation:

Equals: allows the user to enter the value of his/her choice.  For example, if the user is looking for an individual with the Spanish name “Maria Antonia” in the death table, then the user would select the field Egos Spanish Name(Death), Equals as the operator, and enter “Maria Antonia” into the Value(s) box.

 

Equals (select): allows user to select a value from a list of options. For example, if the user selects the field Record Mission(Baptism) and equals (select) as the operator, the application will load the mission identifier codes used in the baptism record mission field.  Note: The application will load only the first 500 values in alphabetical order for that field chosen by the user.

 

Like: allows user to broaden search results by entering a value that will be contained in that field. For example, if the user is interested in baptisms that occurred during the year 1790, then s/he would select Egos Baptism Date(Baptism), the Like operator, and enter 1790 into the value field. The results will include any baptism date that contains 1790 in the unformatted date field.

 

Blank: allows user to include any fields that are blank.  This may be used in conjunction with another operator.

 

Use Previous OR: this operator has an “Either/Or” function.  If the user is interested in persons from San Carlos or Monterrey, then s/he would:

• Select Egos Origin as the first field, followed by the Like operator, with the value “San Carlos”

• Select Egos Origin as the second field, followed by the Use Previous Or operator

• Select Egos Origin as the third field, followed by the Like operator, with the value "Monterrey"

The final results will include persons who were cited as being from San Carlos (Mission, Presidio, or rancheria) or Monterey.

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6.  Other Features of the Advanced Search

The Summary tab provides a tally of the total number of results retrieved.  If this option is not selected, the application will provide a list of results without a total.

The Description tab allows users to title their customized reports and add descriptive language to the query.

The Style function allows users to further customize the design of their reports.  There are options to change the colors of the borders and table of the report.

The Preview tab allows users to see the results of their report.  To modify the results of the report, users may return to any of the previous steps by clicking on the tab buttons (do not use the “back” button on the Web browser). The results will be automatically updated to reflect any changes.

Under the Reports tab, users can view sample reports, as well as the data sources, fields and filters used to create those reports.  These reports are intended to be illustrative of the potential of this application. Users can follow the steps used in the sample reports in order to create their own reports.  Consult the report under “Family History” to see a sample report created using one table.

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Mission Notes

Missionaries followed standard practices when they recorded baptisms, marriages, and burials, but nevertheless each set of records for each mission has its own peculiarities.  Mission Notes document for each mission gaps in records, the missionaries’ errors in numbering their entries, and any other circumstances that researchers should be aware of when they are looking at the records for a particular mission.

La Purisima Concepcion (LPC)

Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (SLD)

Los Angeles Plaza Church (LA)

San Antonio de Padua (SAP)

San Buenaventura (SBV)

San Carlos Borromeo (SC)

San Diego (SD)  

San Fernando (SFR)

San Francisco Dolores (SFD)

San Francisco Solano (SFS)

San Jose (SJS)

San Juan Bautista (SJB)

San Juan Capistrano (SJC)

San Luis Obispo (SLO)

San Luis Rey (SLR)

San Miguel Arcangel (SMA)

San Rafael Arcangel (SRA)

San Gabriel (SG)

Santa Barbara (SB)

Santa Barbara Presidio (BP)

Santa Clara (SCL)

Santa Cruz (SCZ)

Santa Ynes (SI)

La Purisima Concepcion (LPC)

Baptisms

• Records 3150- 3159 were skipped

Marriages

• Padre accidentally wrote entries 272y-276y as 172-176.  The previous entries and those that followed were 271 and 278.
• Padre skipped entries 981-988.
• Duplicate record 999 assigned number 999a.
• Padre skipped entries 1020-1029

Burials

• Padre accidentally wrote entry 251y as 241.  The previous entries and those that followed were 250 and 252.
• There is an unidentifiable symbol in entry 289:  Something similar to a hand with an H inside of it.
• There is an unidentifiable symbol in entry 309:  Something similar to a hand with an H inside of it.
• Padre accidentally wrote entries 327y-335y as 227-235.  The previous entries and those that followed were 326 and 336.
• Padre accidentally wrote entries 369a-378a as 369-378.  The previous entry was 378.
• Padre skipped entries 410-419 with no explanation.  I think he realized that he had duplicated the above and tried to fix it.
• Padre skipped entry 2171.
• Padre skipped entries 770-779
• Padre wrote “Nota” in the margin with no entry number.  The entry explained that there were 4 “gente de razon” killed at the hands of “Yndios.”  These entries were assigned 2279a-2279d.
• Sequence error.  After record 2579 Padre starts numbering again at 2560-2578.  These records were assigned these records as follows: 2560a-2578a
• Sequence Error: after the duplicate record 2578a, Padre started numbering from 2525-2996 again.  Records are as follows: 2525a-2548a, 2549b, 2550a-2552a, 2553b, 2554a-2559a; 2560b-2576b, 2577a, 2578b, 2579a; 2580-2995, back to normal.

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Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (SLD)

Baptisms

• There are many sections in the baptisms register where the initial numbering was off by one and had been fixed later on to show the record's correct number.  Many of the baptism links provided by the padres, however, give the original, incorrect numbers.
• There are several baptism records which have been scratched out; these are individuals who had already been baptized in other missions.  The explanation for the deletion usually isn't given until many records later.  There records have been listed as “skipped,” with a note to explain.
• When the padre lists someone as a sibling of a previous record, staff only entered the parents' names from that previous record if the records are in the same series and the padre is specific about which parents they share.
• Margin notes:  staff did not include everything written in the margin.  Staff only included information that is not found in the main record or which has been written differently in the main record.
• Relatives in a series: if the earlier record does not list relative info, staff did not make any entries in the baptism table itself (in marital status, for example), but staff did make an entry in the Relatives table.  The name is listed in brackets, the baptism number has an “X” after it, and there will be a note in the Comments section describing where the information comes from.
• The last baptism record for Soledad entered into this database is 2289a, in the year 1840.  The following record is for the year 1854, and the records in the film end after that.
• The baptism record after record 2286 is numbered 2267, and the numbering continues on sequentially to 2268, 2269, etc.  Staff gave these records the numbers they should have had (with a “Y” at the end) to keep them in the correct chronological order and have put the incorrect numbers they were given in the margin notes.
• “Skipped” baptism records: 43, 186, 237 (crossed out records); 1634-1653; 1725; 02308Y (connected to a visit note, rather than a record).
• “Missing” baptism records: 1764-1780.

Marriages

• In the marriage records, the padres frequently list witnesses as “testigos de todo;” Staff took this to mean that they were sacrament witnesses for all of the marriages in a series.
• It seems like the padres sometimes treat place origins like they are native names in marriage records.  If the bride's or groom's baptism record shows that word as a native name, staff considered the name as a native name in the marriage record -- unless another origin is already given for the bride or groom.  If another origin is given, or there is no link for the baptism record, staff treated the word as an origin or ethnicity, depending on the term.
• In the marriage records, the couple is often listed as “Neofitos de la Mision,” but their origins are given as well.  When this happens (or when the bride/groom has an ethnicity like “Chalon” which implies an origin) instead of putting “mission” in the origins field the whole phrase “neofitos de la mission” was entered into the religious status field.
• Although the majority of the marriages for records 681 through 721 were performed at San Antonio, most of the individuals getting married are from Soledad.
• Records 722 through 738 seem to be primarily individuals from San Antonio, and the marriages were performed at San Antonio.  Since there are no marriage records entered in the San Antonio register between June 18, 1846 and 1861, staff assumed that the padre was using the Soledad register for both missions.
• “Skipped” marriage records: 160, 490-499.

Burials

There are no burials for SLD: the burial register is missing.

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Los Angeles Plaza Church (LA)

Baptisms

• Most of the plaza church parish members were transplants from other missions, or were not from Alta California.  Thus, not many baptisms are linked parent baptism records and burial records.
• There are 251 skipped baptisms due to numbering problems: 697-796, 849, 857, 887, 1110-1119, 1277, 1330-1399, 1407, 1469, 1655, 1774, 1797a, 1972.

Marriages

• Apparently, LA did not keep a separate marriage register.  Instead, from 18 July 1840 -5 Feb 1849, marriages that occurred in Los Angeles and Mission San Gabriel were recorded in the same book.  These records were given the Mission ID code of SGL.  After Feb 1849, both missions kept separate books, but the LA records were not recorded in this database after 1849.

Burials

• Sequence error after record 00500: the Padre began numbering the records starting with 1, 2, 3, etc.  Thus, 159 records from 1 July 1840- 9 Nov. 1844 are numbered 00001a, 00002a, 00003a, etc.  Also, records 00041, 00414, 00454-00459, 00132a, 00133b and 00140a were skipped.

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San Antonio de Padua (SAP)

 

Baptisms

• Baptism 03563 is the last record entered in the first book of baptisms for this mission. 
• There is a note that is signed in 1813 and reads, "En la cabezera de este libro se pusó que constara de, 283,, Fojas sin contar la primera, y ultima: mas haviendose numerado las Fojas solo se hallaron,,278,, y no Faltando partidas en dicho libro, se infiere, que se padecio equivocacion al tiempo de Foliar. Y paraque conste lo Firmo oy dia, 9, Septiembre de,,1813,, F.r Pedro Cabot."

Burials

• Record number jumps from 789 to 797.  Padre notes, "Se pone a la pone...el numero 797 porq.e habiendose registrado con cuydado el libro, se hallan 7 partidas con los mismos numeros de sus antecedentes, y son...279...370...402...405...415...453...524 y paraq.e conste lo firme F.r Miguel Pieras".

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San Buenaventura (SBV)

Baptisms

• There are two books of baptisms, the 2nd book starts the records with the number 1, when it should be record number 2649.  Staff continued the original number sequence adding the letter "Y" to the end of each new number to show it was not original to the record.  Staff placed the actual given number in the margin notes. "Y" numbering begins with 2649Y.
• In record SBV 03464Y padre notes, "En virtud de una circular del Govierno, y á causa de N.ra Suma proximidad á la playa, se mandaba retirarnos con los ornamentos, vasos sagrados, y quanto el tiempo permitiese extraher; por haberse dado á la vela las dos Fragatas de Ynsurgentes q.e se habian posesionado del Presidio de Monterey; y despues de ocho dias de permanecia, improvisam.te, y sin saberse á donde irian á caer, se alargaron, incendiado antes el Presidio, y rebentados los cañones del Castillo...de suerte, q.e al presentarme al referido niño, ya no habia mas en la Yglesia q.e las paredes, y el retablo mayor, aunq.e sin Ymagen alguna, ni adorno. Y paraq.e aora, y en lo venidero como se este tan extraordinario trastorno, q.e ocasionaron las dha.s Fragatas de Rebeldes, cuya tripulacion se componia de Hereges, Cismaticos, Excomulgados, Gentiles, y algunos Moros, aunq.e pocos". Supli Ceremonia: "en el parage llamado la Purisima Nueva, reunida ya alli la madre y la familia del niño Mariano de los Desamparados, le supli las ceremonias...en una capillita de enrramada, en donde decia la S.ta Misa"

Burials

• There are two books of burials.  The 2nd book of burials begins counting the number of burials with the number 1.  To avoid confusion between burial number 1 in the first book and burial number 1 in the second book, staff continued the numbering sequence where the first book of burials ended, assigning the records in book 2 a new number and adding the letter "Y" to the end of each new number to show it was not original to the record.  Staff have placed the actual given number for the burials in book 2 in the margin notes.

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San Carlos Borromeo (SC)

Baptisms

• There are several large gaps of missing pages in the San Carlos baptism register.  Some of these records have been reconstructed based on various sources.  Additionally, the Huntington Library provided hardcopies of several pages that are missing from the microfilmed version.
• Missing and reconstructed records include: 167-172, 661, 933-944, and 1009- 1017
• Records originally numbered 5523 - 5571 are placed out of date order.  Staff placed them back in date order by giving them a number that corresponds to the place they were supposed to be entered had they been in chronological order. Staff also added the letter “Y” to the end of each new number to show it was not original to the record.  Staff placed their given numbers in the margin notes.  See baptism SC 4020Y for more information.  Nine other records entered among the years 1851-1855 were dated with the year 1850.  Staff followed the same procedure as above and placed them in the database by date order.
• It seems many of the surnames for gente de razon entered in the margin notes were added in at a later time.

Marriages

• Marriage records jumped from number 1230 to 2231 and continue to be numbered in the twenty-two hundreds, but marriage dates remain in chronological order.  Staff assigned each of the last 17 records in the year 1850, the record number that should have corresponded to them, and placed the letter "Y" next to it to show it was not original to the record.  Staff placed their given number in the margin notes.

Burials

• After record 2901, padre begins assigning numbers in the 2100s.  Staff reassigned them their sequential number in the 2900s and placed the letter "Y" to the end of each new number to show it was not original to the record.  The actual number given has been placed in the margin notes.
• Skipped records: 2936, 2588-2589, 2558, 2510-2513, and 2473
• Duplicated records: 272, 1318, 1321, 1346, 1402, 1427, 1511, 1532, 1623, 1665, 1689, 1914, 2065, 2616a, 2628, 2848, 2939Y, 2973Y, 3128Y, 3264Y, and 3324Y
• Missing records: there are a few gaps of missing pages in the SC burial registers.  Records 950-952, 954-956, 958, 961, 963-964 could not be reconstructed and are considered missing.

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San Diego (SD)  

Baptisms

• The first 16 baptism records are not dated.  When they were reconstructed the padres did not know the dates of the original records.  SD baptism records 1-422 were reconstructed by the padres after the November 5, 1775 rebellion during which the original records were burned.  As stated, baptism records 1-16 do not have a date.  A default date has been used in the remaining reconstructed entries, due to entry limitations.  To view date of baptism as stated by padre, refer to the ‘Notes’ field of each entry.
• Skipped records: The following numbers were not used by the padres; they have been entered in the database as “skipped”: 52, 134, 591, 1543, 1858-1859, 2095, 2558, 2582, 2928, 5215, 5128, and 6877.
• Duplicated Records: 459 and 2159

Marriages

• Records 1-114 have no dates because they were reconstructed due to the loss of the originals during the rebellion.
• Marriage records 478 through 594 contain no information because, as the padre explains, 177 Indian marriages were renewed, but not recorded.  These records are listed in the database with the phrase “[see notes].”
• Skipped records: The following numbers were not used by the padres; they have been entered in the database as “skipped”: 154, 437, and 1319.
• Duplicated records: 26-31 and 712-713.
• There was a numbering error between 1022Y and 1089Y: these numbers were written in the margin as 1122 through 1189.  The recorder eventually corrects the problem on record number 1090.  Padre wrote a note preceding 1090, stating that after entry 1021 he had made a mistake with the numbering: “Se advierte que por equiboco se salto de la partida 1021 a la de 1122 = por consiguiente se aumentaron 100 matrimonios - y asi la partida que sigue debe ser de 1090.”  The letter “Y” was affixed at the end of these corrected numbers, in order to be consistent with ECPP style guide standards concerning unnumbered or misnumbered entries.

Burials

• After 4 Jun 1831, there is a 16-year gap in the San Diego death records: these pages from the register have been lost or destroyed.  There are a few records from April of 1847, but the next record after those is from November 9, 1849.  To maintain consistency, the death records were only entered up to 14 Jun 1831.
• Some of the early records of SD burials do not contain dates.  After record 8, Fuster wrote “no me acuerdo de mas difuntos antes de la desgracia” (i.e. the rebellion).
• Skipped records: 193, 1153, 1228, 1412, 1477, 1588, 1615, 2223, 2312-2321, 3051-3053, and 3112
• Duplicated records: 790, 829, 1212, 1409, and 1647
• Occasionally, a padre stated that an individual received the sacraments (“recibio los sacramentos”) without specifying which of the 3 were received.  In these instances, all 3 sacraments have been selected as having been received, but a note has been included in the field sacrament memo field to describe the ambiguity.

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San Fernando (SFR)

Baptisms

• Skipped records: 212, 248, 909, 1137, 1583-1584, 2459, 2593, 2885, 3056, 3057-3069, 3073-3075, 3081-3083, 3085-3087, 3089, 3095, 3097
• Duplicate Records: 329, 1753, and 2312
• Starting with baptism SFR 2989, there was a numbering problem that was subsequently corrected by the missionaries.  However, most of the numbers after 2056a were not corrected.  What should be number 3056 was instead 2056.  From this point on, the numbers are repeated, and few were corrected by the padres.
• Data entry of baptisms ceased with baptism number 03098.  This marks the end of baptisms through 1847.  There are three baptisms for the year 1849 and six for 1850 (none for 1848) but the numbering problems worsen at that point.

Marriages

• After marriage record SFR 294, padre duplicates record numbers 235-247 then jumps to record number 34[8Y].  The last digit in the record padre jumps to is illegible, but since the record that follows is numbered 349, staff assumed padre meant it to be 348. 
• Padre skips records SFR 295-347.
  
  Burials
• There seems to be one page missing in the book of burials as record numbers jump from 2102 to 2117 and the burial dates also jump from July 1836 to November 1836.

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San Francisco Dolores (SFD)

Baptisms

• There are two pages missing with records on both sides.  Missing records include 125-141.  Record numbers 142-144 are only missing baptism date and location. 142 is also missing margin note.
• Padres keep track of the number of gente de razon baptized at the mission by assigning them a separate number in the margin notes.  This number can be found in the miscellaneous attributes.
• After baptism 789, padre wrote the following record as 800 and continued in order until record 894 where he noticed his mistake.  He returned to change record 800 to 790 and corrected the numbers that follow as well.  However, the padre did not correct their record numbers when he noted them as relatives in other baptism records, or when he linked them in marriage and burial records.
• After baptism 6469, padre Estenaga separated the numbering for gente de razon and gentiles.  Up to this point, gente de razon had two numbers, one accounting for the total number of people baptized at the mission, and another accounting for the number of gente de razon baptized at the mission.  After baptism 6469, gente de razon were only assigned the number accounting for gente de razon, not the second number accounting for the total number of baptisms.  To maintain the original numbering order used up to this point for all people baptized at this mission, staff took the last total number of baptisms assigned to a gentil and duplicated this number for the gente de razon that follows, adding the letters "a", "b", "c", etc. depending on how many egos needed this duplicate number.  As Padre Altimira had previously assigned gente de razon the numbers SFD 06463-06469, which accounted for the total number of baptisms at the mission, padre Estenaga duplicated these numbers, this time assigning them to gentiles.
• Below record 6536e, padre Jesus Maria Vasquez del Mercado signed the following note regarding the numbering problem up to this point: "Para evitar confusion en el orden numeral de las partidas segun hasta aqui se han señalado, me parece conveniente unir la ultima de 453,, a la que le antecede de 6536,, para q. ambas formen la de 6989,, que es el num.o que deve señalar la partida siguiente, y para que conste lo firme".  Padre skipped from record 6536 to 6989 and began using the same numbering order for both gente de razon and gentil.
• Page numbers jump from 199 to 201 in the book of baptisms, but it appears only one page, with records 7015-7023, is missing.
• Baptisms SFD 5918-6311 go back and forth between the months of April, May and June in the year 1821.

Marriages

• It seems the missionaries may have forgotten to enter three marriage records on June 16, 1821.  The padres chronologically listed a series of renewal marriages in the order of bride and grooms' baptism numbers.  So the series of marriage records, SFD 1925 - 1961 accounts for all females baptized from SFD 5960 to SFD 5999, skipping only three female egos baptized in records SFD 5976, 5980, and 5991.  This series of marriages also includes all males baptized from record SFD 5920 to SFD 5959, skipping again only three, those baptized in SFD 5936, 5940, 5951. There are children baptism and burial records, as well as ego burial records, that indicate the following are married to each other, but their marriage records were not recorded: SFD 5976 married SFD 5936,  SFD 5980 married SFD 5940, and SFD 5991 married 5951.
• The dates in marriages SFD 1857-1961 go back and forth between the months of June and July in the year 1821.
• Starting with record 2011 the padres stopped assigning sequential numbers to "Razon" records.
• After number 2029 the padres tried to correct the numbering problem using numbers 2030- 2107.  There is a note written in number 2029 explaining this reasoning.

Burials

• After burial record SFD 399, padres entered duplicate record numbers 393-399. 
• At the end of the first book of burials, following record SFD 2740, the padre wrote a note accounting for the number of men and women buried, as well as the number of "gente de razon".
• At the beginning of the second book of burials is an unsigned introduction.
• At the end of record SFD 03802, the padre wrote another note accounting for the number of "gente de razon" buried at the mission.
• Below burial record SFD 4628, an auto de visita, dated 10/9/1818, is entered.  It reads in part: "F.r Vicente Fran.co de Sarria...visitò este libro de Dif.s ÿ lo halló en el debido metodo ÿ orden, ÿ recomendò assimismo los S.tos Viaticos administrados à los Neofitos capaces de ella", signed by Fr. Vicente Fran.co de Sarria and the recorder of this auto de visita, Fr. Jose Viader Secretario.
• Gente de razon were sometimes assigned a separate number to keep track of how many were buried.  This number can be found in the miscellaneous attributes.  The number is not completely accurate as some gente de razon were not assigned a number, such as SFD 5095 and 5146b.
• Numbering problem.  Following burial record SFD 5187 padre Estenaga duplicates burial numbers 5108 through 5160.  Originally skipping record numbers 5161-5169, the padre added them in after the duplicate numbers.  After record 5169, Padre Jesus Maria Vasquez del Mercado wrote, "Nota-Para evitar confusion el el ord.n num.l de las partid.s me parece conveniente unir la ultima de 5169,, a la que le antecede de 151,, y ambas forman la de 5320,, deviendo señalarse la que sigue con el numero de 5321".  Padre Quijas then began writting the burial records in numerical order, beginning with record SFD 05321.

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San Francisco Solano (SFS)

Baptisms

• At this mission, people are often listed as having been baptized at San Francisco.  If there are no clues to indicate which San Francisco this is, staff added the phrase "bautizado/a en" to the origin field, and leave the Bap Mission field empty.  The following note was included: When padre just states "San Francisco," he appears to be speaking of San Francisco de Asis (Dolores); These records have been fixed so that the baptismal mission field has "SFD" in it.
• Altamira often listed what seems to be an ethnicity after mother's native name.  Unless another ethnicity is given for the father, staff counted the ethnicity after the mother's name as the father's ethnicity as well.  When there are two ethnicities listed after the mother's name, staff assumed that the first is the father's and the second is the mother's.
• Staff only wrote a note about the legitimacy of ego's parents' marriage when ego's own legitimacy is unstated or unclear.
• There are records in each of the registers that are not numbered.  If there were sequential numbers that had not been used for another ego, staff gave the records those numbers and added a "Y" to show that I created the number.  However, there were four unnumbered records that were located between sequentially numbered records:  baptisms 1726a and 1041a, marriage 357a, and burial 400a.  For these records staff gave the unnumbered records the number of the preceding record and added the letter "a" to the end.  Technically, the number should end in "aY," but the number field only accepts 6 characters.  Staff wrote a note on each of the records explaining that I provided their numbers.

Marriages

• There are records in each of the registers that are not numbered.  If there were sequential numbers that had not been used for another ego, staff gave the records those numbers and added a "Y" to show that I created the number.  However, there were four unnumbered records that were located between sequentially numbered records:  baptisms 1726a and 1041a, marriage 357a, and burial 400a.  For these records staff gave the unnumbered records the number of the preceding record and added the letter "a" to the end.  Technically, the number should end in "aY," but the number field only accepts 6 characters.  Staff wrote a note on each of the records explaining that I provided their numbers.

Burials

• After the last Book 1 death record on the microfilm reel, there is a copy of a record written on what looks to be a scrap of paper.  It is unclear what year or register the record comes from, so staff entered the information here in the notes field of Death record 00875.
• There are records in each of the registers that are not numbered.  If there were sequential numbers that had not been used for another ego, staff gave the records those numbers and added a "Y" to show that I created the number.  However, there were four unnumbered records that were located between sequentially numbered records:  baptisms 1726a and 1041a, marriage 357a, and burial 400a.  For these records staff gave the unnumbered records the number of the preceding record and added the letter "a" to the end.  Technically, the number should end in "aY," but the number field only accepts 6 characters.  Staff wrote a note on each of the records explaining that I provided their numbers.

Record Tallies

• Baptisms
• 1 skipped record (1933)

Marriages

• 2 skipped records (177, 331)       

Burials

• 6 skipped records (53, 353, 669, 829, 835, 870)
• Duplicate record:  147 (dup. of 69)

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San Jose (SJS)

Baptisms

• Baptismal records 2820 thru 2913 are very lightly written and are mostly illegible.  There are several other gaps of records that are very faint and illegible.  Every effort has been made to decipher these records, and reconstruct them based on other sources, such as burials and marriages.

Marriages

• Records 391 thru 409 are missing from the microfilm. Any information entered was derived from the marriage index, baptismal or death records.

Deaths

• In number 284, missionary Uria enters a death record for ego, Salomon (even though he is not dead at the time of entry) in order to "void" baptismal number 828 because ego is already baptized at Santa Clara mission.
• In the year 1833 padre duplicated all numbers between 4800 and 4898.  The second set has been numbered 4800a, 4801a, 4802a, etc. . . because of this mistake, padre skipped all of the 4900's.
• At record 6108 in order to rectify the  numbering mistake stated above (4800's), padre skipped one hundred records. Therefore, burial records 6108 thru 6207 are skipped.
• After 6324 padre skipped burial numbers 6325 thru 6344.

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San Juan Bautista (SJB)

Baptisms

• After baptismal number 4079 (3/3/1834) in book two of the baptism, the numbers 4070-4079 are repeated by the padre.  After repeating these numbers, padre continued numbering in chronological order.  It appears someone went back and corrected padre's mistake.  ECPP staff used the corrected record numbers for the records.
• Starting with baptismal number 4367, the corrections of the above mentioned error stopped, where only the entries at the top of each page are corrected. Staff have added the letter "Y" to the baptismal numbers that are incorrect.  The missionary continued making numbering errors through 1850 where it's hard to tell whether pages are missing or if the numbers were just skipped.

 

Marriages

• In the years 1833 and 1834, it appears that the padres went back and added more records and rearranged the numbering.  Therefore, the years are mixed together.
• At the end of the marriage reel small pages are stored that give information on the burial records. ECPP staff entered the data in the respective burial records and indicated the source of the data in the notes field.

 

Burials

• The missionary made a numbering mistake starting at 03421, where he changed the number sequence by using 3200's again and continues with that sequence through 1850.  The burial numbers are recorded as they should be with the letter "Y".  The number given by the padre is entered in the "margin notes" of the miscellaneous attributes table.  The records at the top of each subsequent page was corrected by the padre, therefore; those records do not have a "Y"  added to them.

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San Juan Capistrano (SJC)

Baptisms

• Directly after baptism number 4, there are 3 pages of gente de razon baptisms spanning the time period of 1780 through 1824.  The pages are divided with males on the left and females on the right.  The list includes the egos' baptism dates and numbers, although at least one of the numbers is incorrect.  ECPP staff wrote a note in record four so that users will know that the list exists, but staff did not enter the information from the list.
• In some of the baptism records, the padres note the child was "havida/o en su gentilidad;" that is, that one or both of the parents was a gentil when they had the child.   Since this could easily be determined by comparing the child's age with the father's/mother's baptism dates, ECPP staff only made note of this phrase when it might be needed for clarification; for example, when the mother and father were both gentiles, but the mother has been baptized and re-married another Neofito.
• In baptism records 949, 999, and 1187 there is an abbreviation -- em.s or em.v -- used by the priest to signal either an addition or a change to the information in the record.  Unfortunately, ECPP staff did not know what the abbreviation means.  ECPP staff entered the records' information as stated and made a note of the information listed with the abbreviations.
• The second half of baptism record 524 is missing, as are records 525-563.  ECPP staff wrote "missing" in the 5 key fields, and the baptism numbers are followed by an X.  Any information entered for these records has been reconstructed using other records as sources.  There will be a note listing which sources these are.
• ECPP standard is when a child is given their father's/mother's native name, it is entered as a surname (family name), but at SJC there are multiple instances of individuals who already had a native name before being baptized, and who have the same native name as a parent.  In these cases, ECPP staff listed their native names in the native name field.
• On occasion a padre will misspell a word, switch letters, etc. Generally these words are transcribed as they appear, but in cases where it could cause confusion, or appear that the transcription was incorrect, ECPP staff entered the correct word or letters in brackets, rather than the misspelled word.  For example, de Santiago would often write "Yndido" rather than "Yndio;" in this instance ECPP staff entered [Yndio] in the ethnicity field.
• When there is a conflict with legitimacy, an asterisk is entered in the field, and the written phrase is entered in the misc. attributes.
• When mission is an origin, ECPP staff used "esta," "misma," "dicha," or "la," unless one of them is specifically needed to prevent confusion.
• Between baptism records 2723 and 2724, there is a very long note detailing the completion and consecration of the new church at San Juan Capistrano.  Due to the length of the note, ECPP staff have chosen to summarize its information, rather than transcribe it.
• Padre Jose Maria de Zalvidea often lists multiple origins for the parents of a baptized child.  Often, he starts off by saying that they're Neofitos or Yndios "de esta Mision," and then after their names he will list the names of two rancherias, without specifying if the father is from one, and the mother is from another, or if they are from both.  Here's how ECPP handled it:  rather than listing the Mission in the origin, staff listed the rancherias.  If staff can tell from the baptism or marriage records that the parents are each from a different rancheria, they will separate them; if not, both rancherias will be in each of the parents' origin fields.  If the priest lists another mission as well as rancherias, staff entered "mission name, mission; rancheria name, rancheria."
• There are numbering issues with the later records of both the baptism and marriage registers. Currently, ECPP staff have stopped data entry at the year 1848 for baptisms and the year 1840 for marriages.  Staff renumbered marriages from 1838 (record 1191) to 1840 (record 1202) to fit the standard numbering.
• If an individual is listed as being "bautizado/a en ..." and that place is a mission or presidio, that place will go in the origin, and as a code in the baptismal mission field.  (Staff had only been putting it in the baptismal mission field). If an individual is listed as "de ..." or "natural de ..." this will only be put in the origin, not the baptismal mission field, even if it's a mission or presidio.
• Although a record may be written in the first person, and signed by a particular priest, another, unknown person may be the actual recorder.  When the differences in handwriting are obvious enough to show this, the priest who signed the record will still be listed as recorder, but there will be a note indicating that the record is not in the priest's handwriting.

Godparents

• Francisco Suñer often lists the madrinas as “(Spanish name) de (father or husband's name).”  When staff knew that this second name is a father or husband, they separated out the names; when they did not know, they entered the whole phrase as the madrina's Spanish name.
• At the end of the record, after the godparents' data, the padres sometimes puts the phrase "todos de la Mision."   ECPP staff take this to mean that the godparent, his/her spouse, the ego, and his/her parents, can all have "Mision" entered for their origin.  The only exception to this is when the padre has already stated that one of them is from or was baptized somewhere else.
• Records are normal up to 4642 (1847 or 1848); ECPP staff completed 4642a, which is an 1850 record, to show the jump in time between records.  ECPP staff also completed data entry for 1848 and 1849 records that come later, but entered the dates for the intervening 1850 records.    They I went back and entered the rest of the information for the 1850 baptisms.

Marriages

• In Serra's note at the beginning of the marriage register, the mission is listed as "San Juan de Capistrano de Sajivit."
• Nuptial blessing officiant is only listed if different from marriage officiant
• ECPP staff have not included any information about banns (proclamas or amonestaciones) if there are three of them, an unspecified number, or they are "dispensadas."
• In renewal marriages, when an origin is listed after the bride's name, ECPP staff have entered that as the origin for the groom as well.
• When a series of marriages has one list of witnesses at the end, but does not specify that they are also witnesses for the previous marriages, ECPP staff have entered the witness names in brackets for the previous marriages and entered a note in the witness comments field. If the witness info follows info that is specifically about one of the earlier records -- for example, "Ymediatamente vele y bendije los primeros," than that record is considered to be the one with witness info, and the other records, earlier or later, are treated as derived.
• There was an error made in the marriage register in the numbering around record 274; the padres fixed the problem by simply crossing out the wrong number and writing in the correct one.  All records up to 733, therefore, are numbered correctly; however, after 733 the padres stopped correcting the record numbers.  The register goes from 733 (the corrected number) to 671, and continues on sequentially.  Due to this problem, the numbers 671 through 733 have been used twice; staff have followed this numbering in the database, but have given these numbers an "a" at the end.
• In marriage record 730a, there is a reference to a Padrino of the marriage.  ECPP staff have put "padrino" as a title in the witness table and entered the information there.
• At the point where the record numbering become very confusing and problematic, ECPP staff entered the correct sequential numbers for the records, followed by a "Y" -- for example, "2140Y."  The "Y" will indicate that the number is derived, but the information is not.  In the notes field and the margin notes attribute I will list the incorrect numbers that were given by the padres.
• There are numbering issues with the later records of both the baptism and marriage registers. Currently, I have stopped data entry at the year 1848 for baptisms and the year 1840 for marriages.  I renumbered marriages from 1838 (record 1191) to 1840 (record 1202) to fit the standard numbering.

Burials

• The film the HEH had for the burial registers is very poor.   Staff used hard copies in conjunction with the film, but as the copies start with record 25, much of the first 24 records are illegible.

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San Luis Obispo (SLO)

Baptisms

• In Junipero Serra's introductory note at the start of the register, San Luis Obispo is referred to as the “cañada de los ossos” by “primitivos exploradores,” and as “Tixlini,” by “los naturales.”
• All previously derived native names and surnames for SLO baptisms will not be included in the ECPP database. For these 2 transcription fields, the native name and/or surname will be entered as it appears in the record.
• After baptism record 612, the next page begins with baptism record 626.  Therefore, baptisms 613-625 are missing from the microfilm.  Information for these records has been derived using other resources.  The Huntington Library provided hardcopies of the pages with entry numbers 613-625, and the information was entered into the database.
• The phrase "marriage was renewed" will be entered in the Relatives comments field for ego's spouse when the padre notes ego was married to spouse "en la gentilidad," but was married immediately after being baptized.

Marriages

• For marriage records 858-860, Ximeno uses the phrase “pregunte en la Yglesia de Santa Ynes.”  ECPP staff took this to mean that the marriage presentation and ceremony took place at Santa Ynes, and staff entered it as marriage place.
• For marriage records 861-864, there are no marriage witnesses listed, but there are marriage padrinos.  ECPP staff have entered these in the auxiliary field, rather than the witness field.
• Father's native names are frequently given to mission-born children.  Since they are being used like family names, these “native names” will be entered into the surname field.
• Padre uses record numbers 273 thru 355 again after record number 873 in the year 1837.  This numbering continues through 1850 and are recorded as 273a, 274a, 275a...etc.

Burials

• After burial record 779, the records are mis-numbered 800-848, but were corrected by the padre to 780-828--as described in record 828.  (Note:  there is no burial information for record 828, only a description of the number sequencing error.) 
• Fathers' (and sometimes mothers’) native names are frequently given to mission-born children.  Since they are being used like family names, these “native names” will be entered into the surname field.
• Padre makes a numbering error after record 779, where he jumps to number 800; but he corrects this problem where he wrote in the correct numbers in the margin. Data is entered using the correct numbers written by the padre. This correction only goes up to number 834, here he stops and the number continue starting with 835. When he gets to number 848, he begins the numbering with number 829. Because of his correction of the numbers, numbers 815 through 828 are skipped and number 835 through 848 have duplicates where the numbers are used twice for a second set of records.

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San Luis Rey (SLR)

Baptisms

• All baptism and marriage records were reconstructed using the padron. The padron is treated as the primary record, so that information need not be derived. Certain fields were left blank, such as the place (place of baptism), baptism type, and ethnicity fields.  Age level is left unstated for many records, too.
• Death link source--because the burial records are missing, data entry personnel cannot link these reconstructed records to SLR burials.  However, the recorder of the padron indicated the deceased by crossing out the name of the individual.  For those individuals, the term “Deceased” appears in the death link source. “+ Deceased” appears for those deceased individuals with a cross by the name.

Marriages

• All marriage numbers are fictitious numbers.  Since the recorder of the padron listed couples in alphabetical order (by the husband's Spanish name), these marriages are also listed in alpha order in roughly the same order as they appear in the padron, starting with the first letter of the first name of the husband. Thus, all grooms' names that begin with the letter “A” have the A prefix (A1, A2, A3, etc.).

Burials

• There are no burials for SLR.

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San Miguel Arcangel (SMA)

Baptisms

• Skipped record: 2827

Marriages

• After entry 872 in the marriage book, padre repeated numbers 273-355.

Burials

• Duplicate records: 1, 247, 435, 458, and 500
• Missing records (pages missing in the register): 2259-2277
• Skipped records: 2037-2038