While researching my Puerto Rican family history for the past three years, I have been able to trace a few ancestors back about 250 years. However, some family lines have limited records available which causes me to run into genealogical brick walls. Every now and then, I get to break through a barrier to findContinue reading “The Viera Family from Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico Originates from the Canary Islands, Spain”
Author Archives: Phillip Vélez
Help Find Families in Puerto Rico
I love the feeling of finding new family records. It helps grow my family tree, but it also helps those that are researching the same ancestry, my close and distant relatives. More recently, I have started to match non-related Puerto Rican families on the free genealogy website Family Search. Though these new records will notContinue reading “Help Find Families in Puerto Rico”
Leonardo Vélez, Born Circa 1806 in San German, Puerto Rico, is Most Likely My 4th Great-Grandfather
Based on my genealogical research and until proven otherwise, Leonardo Vélez, born sometime around 1806, is my fourth great-grandfather on my biological father’s side of the family. I use the phrase “most likely” in the heading of this post because there is a slight chance I may be incorrect. If you disagree with my ancestralContinue reading “Leonardo Vélez, Born Circa 1806 in San German, Puerto Rico, is Most Likely My 4th Great-Grandfather”
Tomás Gómez – My Third Great-Grandfather
Puerto Ricans who were born and raised in Puerto Rico carry the surnames of both of their parents, which is common in most Spanish speaking nations. If I were born in Puerto Rico, I would also endow my mother’s maiden name of Gómez which would follow my father’s name of Vélez. My mother’s side ofContinue reading “Tomás Gómez – My Third Great-Grandfather”
The Viera-Carmona Family of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico
I was fortunate enough to have two fathers: one who gave me life and the Vélez Family name, and the other raised me like I was one of his own until I was 19 years old. My “step-father,” Angel Luis Viera Carmona, was known to me as “Papi” and was the prominent father figure inContinue reading “The Viera-Carmona Family of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico”
Puerto RiKin 