Searchable database maps Andorra's population, 1500–1830

The National Library hosts today a conference by Jordi Buyreu and Raimon Masdéu on the demographic evolution of Andorra between the 16th and 19th centuries.

Work on the project began in 2014 with the aim of compiling every person recorded in sacramental registers on Andorran soil from the 1500s to 1830 — anyone baptized, married or buried, or who appears in at least one of those acts. Led by Valentí Gual and Jordi Buyreu, both professors at the University of Barcelona, the team received the Cebrià Baraut grant from the National Archive in 2016. The researchers soon realised the task was far larger than expected; completion is now projected for December 2026.

Buyreu says much of the information has already been entered and that the database, currently managed by him, Raimon Masdéu and IT specialist Adrià Sastre, is increasingly complete. The catalogue offers researchers and the public searchable dates of birth, marriage and death for Andorrans of the period and, according to the team, represents a unique demographic resource worldwide.

Beyond vital statistics, the registers have made it possible to reconstruct genealogies of contemporary Andorran families, giving a detailed picture of household composition and kinship in the studied centuries. In many cases the entries also note occupations and other data, opening avenues for research into economic and social history.

The chosen timeframe corresponds to the earliest moments when sacramental books begin to record events systematically, although start dates vary by parish. The 1830 cutoff reflects the microfilmed records available at the National Archive; extending the database would require access to materials currently held by the Bishopric of Urgell. If those documents were incorporated, the series could conceivably be extended up to the late 20th century, until the introduction of the modern Civil Registry.

For now the database alone is a comprehensive tool that the team expects to make publicly accessible in the near future. Today’s presentation at the National Library offers attendees a first look at how the database works. The project’s next medium‑term objective is to produce a full history of Andorran demography based on the compiled records.