What we research
Primary sources for your family history
We research baptisms, marriages, deaths, civil register entries and other historical sources in parish, diocesan, municipal, provincial and historical archives. We can reconstruct family branches, identify people and verify earlier genealogies.
MAGENHA —Mapa Genealógico de Haplogrupos— is a scientific project studying genealogy, Y-DNA and mtDNA uniparental lineages, population genetics and population history. Documentary research is a complementary activity that helps sustain this scientific work.
How it works
From starting point to research report
1. A brief, free preliminary assessment. Tell us your goal, locality, approximate dates and what information you hold. We will check whether we can reasonably accept the request.
2. A documentary starting point. We normally need certificates, baptism, marriage or death records, records of children or relatives, places of birth or residence and references to archives already consulted. You do not need to prove your entire ancestry. We may exceptionally accept exploratory searches, explaining their uncertainties.
3. Quotation and case opening. We agree objectives, sources, research arrangement and terms before any payment. Where applicable, case opening covers organisation, initial planning, coordination and research history; its fee is communicated privately.
4. Research and delivery. You receive the results and a report, including when a search is unsuccessful. We aim to update you every three or four weeks while the case remains pending, or sooner when significant progress occurs. Timing depends on appointments, collaborators and archives; dates are not guaranteed.
Indicative coverage
Where would you like to research?
Type your locality or province and we will tell you straight away whether we can research there: green means viable, red means not viable for now. If it does not appear, request an individual assessment.
Viable does not guarantee record preservation, consultation permission or an immediate appointment. Not viable means we have no confirmed route today, not that records do not exist.
Type at least two letters of your locality or province.
Research arrangements and fees
Documentary research from €40/hour
An indicative starting point for hourly research, not a guaranteed rate for every assignment. Your quotation depends on the locality and archive, available records, historical period, information supplied, difficulty, travel, estimated time and the nature of the requested results. All charges are communicated before any payment is requested.
Targeted Document Search. For a specific historical record with sufficient identifying information, such as a baptism, marriage, death or civil entry. An individual assignment can be quoted without booking several hours. Research may be conducted remotely or through an archive visit, depending on the institution and available access. The agreed quotation covers the research work once; any necessary logistical expenses are estimated separately. The quotation and payment terms are provided before accepting the assignment.
Hourly Research. For broader genealogical investigations, reconstructing family lineages or searches involving multiple records. Blocks of hours are agreed and paid in advance. Research may be conducted remotely or through in-person archive visits, depending on the institution and available access; both use the same contracted hours, without an additional research service charge. They include consultation of authorised sources, locating and analysing records, manual copying or notes, ordinary transcriptions, identifying relationships and the report. Ordinary transcription and its preparation using Valerius are part of the booked time; subsequently preparing the PDF does not in itself incur another charge. There is no artificial document limit or guaranteed minimum number of generations.
Remaining hours. If we finish early, the balance remains available to continue the same line, research other ancestors or search other archives within our coverage. Its availability and duration are defined in the individual terms; there is no universal expiry date. New extraordinary expenses require a separate quotation. Unused hours, committed expenses and applicable rights on cancellation or closure are handled under the communicated terms and applicable law.
Fees pay for the agreed service. Extraordinary expenses are identified separately in the quotation. Donations to support MAGENHA are entirely voluntary and involve no service in return.
Archive Visits and Travel Expenses
Some investigations require in-person archive visits. For hourly research, the archive consultation is included within the contracted research hours, not charged as an additional research service. For targeted searches, any necessary in-person research is covered by the agreed assignment quotation. The client pays for the research work only once, whether it is performed remotely or in person. Ordinary transcriptions and their preparation remain included in the contracted research time.
Travel, accommodation, meals and other necessary logistical expenses are estimated and communicated separately before any payment. These expenses require approval and advance payment. When a local collaborator can access the archive without significant travel, additional logistical expenses may not apply. Shared archive visits may reduce logistical costs, which can be allocated proportionally between clients where possible. Certification and shipping costs are also quoted separately where applicable. Immediate access and available appointments are not guaranteed.
What you receive
Documented sources, rigorous results
MAGENHA does not sell photographs of historical archives. Our deliverables are documents prepared by the team from the sources consulted, using MAGENHA formats.
Literal transcription: a faithful textual reproduction of the entry, preserving its information and relevant features of the original.
Genealogical extract: an organised presentation of names, dates, places, relationships, witnesses and other identified information.
Archival reference: archive, collection, parish, book, folio, entry and other available references.
Research report: searches, periods reviewed, sources consulted, records identified, results, obstacles and possible next steps. Negative searches also contribute knowledge.
We provide photographs, scans or reproductions of originals only when authorised. Transcriptions and extracts respect each archive’s conditions, which are not necessarily the same as those for a photograph. Publication or redistribution depends on the material’s nature, repository permissions and applicable rights.
Official documents
Certificates and administration, where feasible
We can arrange full official certificates or official extracts, archive-issued copies, ecclesiastical certificates, apostilles, legalisation, official translations and domestic or international shipping. Availability depends on the institution, document and destination country.
Administrative handling is quoted separately. Documents that can be processed together may be grouped, without automatically charging a separate handling fee per document. Obtaining, certification, legalisation, translation and shipping costs are communicated separately and paid under the approved quotation. A free civil registry certificate is not presented as carrying an official fee: our handling fees are a separate item.
We can help obtain documents for nationality, immigration, inheritance or other procedures, but provide no legal advice or guarantee of acceptance. You must confirm the receiving authority’s requirements. If you need a full certificate, we will confirm its availability before committing additional expenses; not every archive can issue the exact document requested.
MAGENHA Cuba clients
Continuity for your research
Current or former clients continuing in Spain may receive preferential terms. A second case-opening fee will not be charged where an existing relationship is being continued. We assess personalised discounts based on your history, mainly on research fees rather than logistics or third-party costs. Not every case receives the same reduction.
If we retain sufficient documentation for a branch already researched, you will not need to supply it again. This Spain service is distinct from any other service MAGENHA currently offers, with its own research arrangements, terms and collaborator network.
Practical answers
Frequently asked questions
Before booking
What records can you research?
Baptisms, marriages, deaths, civil entries and other historical sources, depending on locality, period, preservation and access.
Do you research in my ancestors’ locality?
Check the coverage search and request an individual assessment. An operational route does not guarantee that the record exists or appointments are available.
What documents should I supply?
Tell us which certificates, records or family documents you hold, known dates and places and archives already consulted. After the initial assessment we will request necessary private documents by email.
Is an approximate date enough?
It can be a starting point if names, places or other references narrow the search. We assess feasibility and the time needed before quoting.
Must I book several hours for one record?
No. If there is enough information to identify a specific record, we can quote a targeted search with its own terms.
What benefits are available to existing Cuba clients?
Where applicable, we can continue your case without a second opening fee, reuse sufficient documentation we retain and consider personalised research discounts. Third-party and logistics costs are quoted separately.
Must I prove every relationship before starting?
No. We need a reasonable starting point, not your entire ancestry. We may consider exploratory searches with explicit uncertainties. For living people or recent records we check access and data protection requirements; we do not apply a universal 120-year rule.
Fees and expenses
How much does research in Spain cost?
The indicative starting rate is €40/hour for hourly research. Each assignment receives a personalised quotation before any payment; targeted searches are quoted individually.
Why is there no fixed price per record?
Locality, archive, period, available sources, information supplied, difficulty, travel, time and deliverables vary between cases.
Do I pay before work begins?
Hours and approved logistics expenses are paid in advance. Case opening, where applicable, and terms for targeted searches and other services are explained before accepting the assignment. The brief preliminary assessment is free.
Is travel included?
In-person research is included in the contracted hours, not billed as another research service. Travel and other necessary logistical expenses are separate from research fees and remaining hours: they are estimated and communicated before payment and require your approval. If a local collaborator can access the archive without significant travel, these additional expenses may not apply.
Is travel to the archive always necessary?
No. Research may be conducted remotely, including direct requests to an institution, or through in-person archive visits, depending on available access. A local collaborator may also consult the archive without significant travel. These are ways of carrying out the agreed research, not separate research services.
What logistics expenses would I pay?
Only those communicated and approved for your research, which may include transport, accommodation, meals and other necessary costs. You receive the quotation before they are committed.
Can travel costs be shared with other clients?
Yes, when assignments can be coordinated, shared archive visits may reduce logistical costs, which we can allocate proportionally between clients. Research work is charged only once within each agreed assignment. Compatible assignments are not guaranteed.
What happens to unused hours?
The balance remains available for future research. Its availability and duration are set in the individual case terms, with no universal expiry date.
Can I use the balance for other research?
Yes: for the same line, other ancestors or other archives within our coverage. Any new travel or extraordinary expense is quoted separately.
What if I cancel or the case is closed?
Work completed, unused hours and already committed expenses are reviewed under the communicated terms and applicable law, including if MAGENHA decides to close the case. We do not treat prepaid hours as absolutely non-refundable or exclude mandatory rights.
Research and deliverables
How many records can I obtain?
It depends on time, sources and the nature of the records. We set no artificial maximum and guarantee no minimum number of records or generations.
Can you continue with parents and grandparents if time remains?
Yes, within the booked hours and in line with your objectives, when the sources allow progress.
Are transcriptions included?
Yes. Ordinary transcriptions, their preparation and the report are part of the booked research time, whether the research is conducted remotely or in person. The same work is not charged twice, and subsequently preparing the PDF does not incur another charge.
Literal transcription or genealogical extract?
A transcription faithfully reproduces the text; an extract organises names, dates, places, relationships, witnesses and other information. Neither is in itself an official certificate.
Will I receive photographs of originals?
Only if the archive authorises those reproductions. Usual deliverables are transcriptions, extracts, references and reports. Transcription conditions may differ from photography conditions.
What does the final report contain?
Searches and periods reviewed, sources consulted, identified records, results, obstacles and possible next steps, with available archival references.
What if you cannot find the record?
You receive a report of the negative search. Work performed consumes research time; failure to find a record does not prove that the event never occurred.
Can I share transcriptions with family or in my tree?
It depends on the material’s nature, archive conditions, privacy and applicable rights. We communicate known restrictions; permission for private use does not automatically permit publication or redistribution.
What if parish books were destroyed?
We can explore marriage files, notarial records or historical certificates preserved in other documents. Feasibility and scope are assessed, without guaranteeing a replacement for the lost record.
Certificates and legal documentation
Can you obtain official certificates?
Where feasible, we can arrange birth, marriage or death certificates, official copies and ecclesiastical documents. This depends on the institution and its access requirements.
Can you help with documents for nationality procedures?
We can arrange documentation, also for immigration or inheritance. We provide no legal advice or guarantee of acceptance. Confirm requirements with the receiving authority.
Do you arrange apostilles and legalisation?
Where these can be arranged for the specific document and destination, they are included in a separate quotation. We can also assess official translations where required.
How much does obtaining and shipping a certificate cost?
We communicate handling fees and external costs separately before payment. Compatible requests can be grouped. We do not attribute an official fee to civil registry certificates that are free.
What if I need a full certificate but only an extract is available?
We confirm what can be issued before committing additional expenses. We will not substitute the requested document without agreement; you must verify whether an alternative meets the receiving authority’s requirements.
Can you ship documents outside Spain?
Where feasible for the document and destination country. Shipping costs and terms are communicated separately and require approval.
Progress updates
When will research begin?
After agreeing the assignment and applicable payments, we coordinate the start around appointments, collaborators and access. We communicate estimates where possible, without guaranteeing dates.
How often will I hear from you?
We aim to update you every three or four weeks while the case remains pending, or sooner for significant progress. We do not promise a notification for every trip.
What if the archive cancels an appointment?
We will explain material consequences and consider another appointment or alternatives. Already committed expenses are handled under the quotation and terms; new expenses require approval.
What if the archive refuses access?
We respect its requirements and explain the limitation. We can consider other authorised sources or review the scope and balance of the assignment.
Can I request alternative sources?
Yes. We agree objectives and sources, using available hours where appropriate. Any additional extraordinary cost is quoted separately.
What if the case remains blocked for a long time?
We can reassess blocked investigations using alternative historical sources, such as marriage files, notarial records or historical certificates preserved in other documents. We review with you whether to wait, pursue those sources or close the case, and how to handle the balance under your terms and rights. Results are not guaranteed, and reassessment does not imply free continuous research.
MAGENHA Research — Spain
Spain-specific terms
These terms are supplemented by the quotation and individual conditions communicated before formalising the assignment.
Assessment, acceptance and case opening
The preliminary assessment is free, brief and limited to whether we can reasonably accept the assignment. Acceptance depends on coverage, sources and access. Where applicable, we communicate the case-opening fee before formalising the case; it covers organisation, initial planning, coordination and research history.
Scope, hours and payments
The two research modalities are Targeted Document Search and Hourly Research. The individual quotation defines objectives, modality, authorised sources, deliverables and charges before any payment. Research may be performed remotely or through archive visits, depending on the institution and access. The research work is charged only once: in-person consultation forms part of the contracted hours for hourly research or the agreed quotation for a targeted search, not an additional research service. Hours are prepaid and cover research, analysis, notes, ordinary transcriptions and their preparation, and the report; preparing the PDF is not charged again. Targeted searches have their own quotations and payment terms. No number of records or generations is guaranteed.
Balance, cancellations and closure
Unused hours remain available for future research within our coverage, with availability and duration defined in the individual terms. On cancellation or closure, including by MAGENHA, unused hours, completed work and committed expenses are reviewed under the communicated terms and applicable law. Mandatory rights are not excluded and hours are not declared absolutely non-refundable.
Logistics and external costs
Travel, accommodation, meals and other necessary logistical expenses are estimated and communicated separately before payment, without duplicating research charges. Logistics require approval and advance payment. Additional logistical expenses may not apply when a local collaborator can access the archive without significant travel. Shared archive visits may reduce costs, which are allocated proportionally where possible. Third-party costs and official document services are paid under the approved quotation; new expenses are not automatically included in the hour balance.
Results and archive restrictions
Finding records is not guaranteed. A negative search is also documented in the report and consumes the time worked. Transcriptions and extracts respect archive conditions. Original images are provided only with authorisation; their restrictions may differ from those for transcription. Publication and redistribution depend on permissions, the material’s nature and applicable rights.
Certificates and administrative use
Official document services are subject to feasibility and a separate quotation; compatible documents may be grouped. Handling fees are distinguished from any actual official costs, without attributing fees to free certificates. We confirm whether a full certificate can be obtained before committing additional expenses. The client checks the receiving authority’s requirements; we offer no legal advice or guarantee of acceptance.
Communication, timing and blocked research
Timing depends on archive appointments, collaborator availability and archive conditions. We aim to provide updates approximately every three or four weeks while a case remains pending, or sooner for significant progress. Blocked investigations may be reassessed with the client using alternative historical sources. Neither results nor completion dates are guaranteed, and reassessment does not imply free continuous research.
Privacy and initial documentation
The website’s contact form prepares an email in your browser; it does not store the information entered or upload files. Emails subsequently sent by clients are retained and processed to manage their inquiries. Do not include particularly sensitive data in the initial inquiry. Necessary private documentation is requested only after the initial assessment, by email. Access to recent records, records of living people and restricted records is checked under the applicable archive access and data protection requirements, without a universal age threshold.
Scientific purpose and donations
Income from documentary research helps support MAGENHA’s scientific activities in genealogy, uniparental lineages, population genetics and population history. Fees for agreed services, additional expenses and entirely voluntary donations with no service in return are distinct items. This Spain service has its own conditions, distinct from those of any other service MAGENHA currently offers.
The specific conditions of each research assignment, including advance payments, remaining research hours, additional expenses, and possible cancellations, will be communicated individually before the assignment is confirmed. MAGENHA will seek reasonable solutions to unforeseen circumstances while respecting applicable client rights.
First contact
Tell us what you want to discover.
Request a brief, free preliminary assessment. Describe the Spanish locality, period, your goal and the initial information you hold. Do not attach documents or include sensitive data: private documentation is requested later by email.