Puerto Rican culture blends Taino, Spanish, and American influences, with African heritage enriching many family histories. The small island nation features multiple different environments, each with their own unique characteristics and histories. Generations of Puerto Ricans have been shaped by the island’s diverse landscapes, historical shifts, and strong family traditions.
If you discover Puerto Rican relatives in your genealogy research, there are many things you can do to keep their culture alive. It’s a powerful way to build bridges across generations and keep traditional food, festivals, art, and more active in the modern age.
Key Takeaways
- ‘Ez’ is a common ending to many Puerto Rican surnames, which can reflect Spanish, Taino, and African roots.
- Expect flavorful food rich with spice blends mixed with rice, pork, and plantains.
- Christian and cultural celebrations feature parades, dancing, and color.
- Blended cultures helped create the traditional Puerto Rico music of bomba and plena.
Puerto Rican Last Names – A Guide to the Past
The surnames from Puerto Rico follow the naming origins and rules of whatever nationality or culture exists in that family. Most are Spanish in origin, although these do mix with African, Caribbean, and others. The most common include family names like Rodriguez, or son of Rodrigo; location-specific ones like Rivera, or riverbank; and ones based on where the family came from like Colon, which means colonist. The rest of the top list includes Sanchez, Diaz, Narvaez, and Vasquez.
Tracking last names is one of the foundations of all genealogical research, of course. The more you learn about what they are and where they come from, the easier it will be to follow threads from the small island region to Europe, Africa, or other places around the world.
The Flavors of Food Connect Generations
Although many options exist based on availability in the region, expect a lot of flavorful seasonings in Puerto Rican cooking. Cilantro, bay leaves, oregano, chili, garlic, and the Adobo blend are commonly used. Sweet treats feature custard, coconut, tropical fruit, and dulce de leche.
Many foods blend the three primary cultural influences: Spanish, Taino, and African. Rice, potatoes, and cornmeal-based foods make up the primary side dishes. In fact, arroz con gandules, a rice dish with pigeon peas, is the national food. It and other sides are served frequently with roast pork or lechon asado. Along the coasts, you can find a lot of fish instead. Other common ingredients include plantains, sofrito, which is a blend of onions, garlic, and pepper, and yucca hearts.
How to Celebrate Life Puerto Rican Style
The heavy influence of Catholicism from the Spanish colonists long ago touches most celebrations in modern-day and historical Puerto Rico. Towns and cities have their own patron saints, each of which has a unique festival with colorful parades, dancing, feasts, and music. Christmas, Three Kings Day, and Carnival on the lead-up to Lent are also popular. One of the largest celebrations in the country is the Fiesta de la Calle San Sebastian, a January festival in San Juan.
Family Projects to Explore Cultural Expression
What cultural elements, craft styles, and music did your ancestors enjoy? Although partially regional, there are some that infiltrate the whole history of Puerto Rico. These are definitely things you can introduce to your family’s life today with the intention of keeping the rich history alive for later generations. Indigenous and African roots gave the music world bomba, which feature dance and drumming in a type of music conversation, and plena, which tells stories through song.
If you’d like to try your hand at traditional arts and crafts, wood carving featuring religious motifs and saints was always quite popular. Papier mâché vejigante masks for carnivals and other festivals are commonplace and colorful. Basket weaving, embroidery, and bobbin lace are three specialties that clearly show Spanish influence.
Exploring your Puerto Rican ancestral roots is about so much more than unearthing surnames or migration patterns from the old world to the new one. Learning these things help you put your family tree into perspective and helps make history come alive. Through understanding diverse influences and experiencing things like music, art, dance, handcrafts, and festival traditions, you get a much fuller picture of who you are and where you came from. Best of all, you can keep the spirit of your ancestors alive by passing down these things to others.
Start discovering your Puerto Rican heritage today with MyHeritage, explore your family history and celebrate your roots.
FAQ on Puerto Rican Genealogy
What are some resources for researching Puerto Rican ancestry?
As with all genealogy research, MyHeritage offers a specific portal for Puerto Rico. This can get you closer to discovering facts about family members from long ago. The official Catholic Church records from the country are also a good source of a lot of information.
What are a few traditional foods I can cook with my family?
The official national dish, arroz con gandules, is quite easy to prepare. Rice, peas, tomato sauce, adobo seasoning, chopped sofrito, and chicken broth will make your family a delicious side dish. No one can resist a dessert of dulce de leche afterward.
How can I incorporate Puerto Rican culture into my everyday life?
For many families, there are still strong ties to their Puerto Rican past, so foods, Spanish language, religious observations, and celebrations reflect the culture. These are the easiest ways to mix historical connections into modern life, too.
Are there any naming customs that can help me understand my surname?
Look to Spanish naming conventions for most of the information about traditional Puerto Rican ones. These often follow the father’s line or have something to do with where your ancestors lived long ago.
What historical arts and crafts can I try at home?
Making a carnival mask from paper-mâché in the Puerto Rican style is a great way to experience culture with the kids in your family. Play some traditional bomba music while you work.
Can I use MyHeritage DNA to check my Puerto Rican heritage?
MyHeritage DNA kits can be used to explore ethnic origins and possible links to Taino, Spanish, and African ancestry, predominant ethnic groups in Puerto Rico.
The post Being Puerto Rican: Traditions and Genealogy appeared first on MyHeritage Blog.
Source: My Heritage