Births in Puerto Rico often occurred at home. A parent or other relative would have to register the birth at a municipal office, and this is where we get the 'Acta de nacimiento', or birth register. Below is a glossary of the terms and phrases shown in these documents:

The beginning of the birth register should indicate in what municipality/town the birth was registered. Depending on where your ancestor was born, their birth record might show a different municipality than their adult home address.

The text of the birth register document reads as follows:

Register of Birth

Native American ancestry, higher than nearly any other Caribbean island, originated from groups migrating to Puerto Rico from both South and Central America. Analysis of the Y Chromosome DNA found that no Puerto Rican men (0%) carried indigenous paternal lineages, while more than 80% were West Eurasian (or European). Ramon Fernandez b. 1901 (standing) next to unknown friend/family, ca 1920, NYC, probably shortly after his first marriage in Nov 1920 to Carmen Dorios Picon. He was part of an earlier wave of Puerto Rican migration to New York City. Just a month ago, I decided i’d try searching with the Carrillo name, and, lo and behold!!

In the [name of municipality/town], at [numerical hour of the day] on the [numerical day] of the [month] of the [year spelled out in words], before [name of Judge], Judge of the Municipal District of [name of District], and [name of Secretary], Secretary, appeared [name of declarant], of [hometown (country, if not Puerto Rico)], adult, of [marital status], [profession], and resident of [street address and number], in order to register a [daughter / son], and to do that as [relationship to child]:

That said [daughter / son] was born at the home of the declarant on [xx day of xx month].

That this child is the [legitimate / acknowledged / illegitimate] child of the declarant and [information about other parent; this section might include information on grandparents, as well].

That this child is [granddaughter/grandson] of [paternal grandfather's name], [aged xx years / deceased], and [maternal grandfather's name], [aged xx years / deceased].

And that this child has been given the name [name of child].

All of which was been witnessed by [names and titles of witnesses].

Puerto Rican Dna Test

Sealed by the Municipal Court Judge, declarant, and witnesses.

Puerto Rican Dnapuerto Rican Genealogy Sites

Some useful phrases in translation:

mil novecientos = 19__ (rarely, 'mil ochocientos' = 18__)

comparecio = appears

legitimo = legitimate

natural = illegitimate

ya difunto = deceased

Puerto Rican Dna Study

de __ años de edad = is __ years old

Puerto Rican Dnapuerto Rican Genealogy Ancestry

Some records also list the race of the child, which literally translate as: blanca/o = white; mestiza/o = literally 'mixed', typically refers to a person of Spanish and Native American ancestry; mulata/o = a person with one parent of African descent and one parent of European descent; negra/o = black; parda/o = brown; triqueña/o = 'three cultures'.