Phillip Vélez

The Ruiz Family of Mayaguez and Las Marias, Puerto Rico

My maternal grandmother’s maiden name was Ruiz and her family came from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. As of the date of this post, I have been able to trace the Ruiz Family line back to about 1822. My grandmother, Carmen Maria Ruiz y Santiago de Gomez, who gave birth to 17 children and was known mostContinue reading “The Ruiz Family of Mayaguez and Las Marias, Puerto Rico”

The Lugo Family of San German, Puerto Rico

The Lugo Family name begins in my ancestry with my great-grandmother on my Vélez father’s side of the family. Her name was Juana Maria Cancel y Lugo de Vélez and she was born in 1891 and died in 1950. Juana Maria was married to my great-grandfather, Antonio Vélez y Mercado. The Vélez side of myContinue reading “The Lugo Family of San German, Puerto Rico”

FamilySearch – A Great FREE Website to Start Researching Your Family Tree

When it comes to choosing a genealogy website to search your family history, no site comes close to FamilySearch when you consider the total monthly cost associated with membership. While you can pay up to $25 per month for some genealogy search sites, FamilySearch is in a league of its own with the unbeatable monthlyContinue reading “FamilySearch – A Great FREE Website to Start Researching Your Family Tree”

Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

My mother’s side of the family is from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. The family names from Mayagüez are Gómez, Soler, Ruíz, and Santiago. Mayagüez, the largest city on the western side of the island, was founded in 1760. Most of the town’s settlers, including its founders, came originally from the Canary Islands. Mayagüez, whose population inContinue reading “Mayagüez, Puerto Rico”

WikiTree: A Genealogy Community Collaborating to Create a Single Global Family Tree

As a new amateur genealogist, I have come across a great number of websites, tools, and software that aim to assist me in growing my family tree. There is a wealth of resources in the field of family history and it is easy to get lost in all the research possibilities. As a beginner inContinue reading “WikiTree: A Genealogy Community Collaborating to Create a Single Global Family Tree”