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Resources for Doing Genealogical Research in

Guatemala and Central America

Join us for a FREE virtual program on May 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET!

Join us for a virtual program exploring genealogical resources for uncovering your family story in Guatemala and Central America!

Walter Kevin Sánchez is a Guatemalan genealogical researcher, born in Guatemala City. He holds a Bachelor's degree in International Relations from the University of San Carlos de Guatemala. At the young age of 12, he began to take an interest in family history and genealogy, thanks to his mother Claudia Lisbeth González Borrayo (R.I.P.), who was a family history consultant in their congregation. In 2017, he formally started conducting genealogical research primarily for his own family and friends. In 2019, he briefly joined a genealogical association in Guatemala where he met several professional genealogical researchers who motivated him to start writing his own family history. In 2022, he collaborated on a genealogical research project with Ancestry.com as an independent contractor, conducting fieldwork in some parishes in western Guatemala and archives of genealogical interest. In 2023, he began his studies for an Associate’s Degree in Family History from Brigham Young University-Idaho, developing various skills necessary for conducting his first independent research with clients from the United States, Mexico, and Guatemala interested in their family genealogies in Mexico and Guatemala. He has experience conducting field research at the General Archive of Central America (AGCA), Archdiocesan Historical Archive of Guatemala (AHAG), General Archive of Protocols, National General Archive (AGN) in Mexico, Diocesan Historical Archive of San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico, parish archives, private collections, and libraries. He also has experience using websites such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, MyHeritage, Geneanet, Billion Graves, Find a Grave, and databases like Roots Magic.