An estimated 41.3 million Americans have Hispanic ancestry, so it's no wonder we honor Hispanic culture, traditions and people every year. The month-long heritage observation begins Sept. 15, the day Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua achieved independence from Spain. Mexico and Chile commemorate their independence days later in the month. This year, Family Tree Magazine is joining in the celebration with a roundup of Web sites to help you discover your Hispanic roots.

• Cuba Gen Web <www.cubagenweb.org>: Search for military records from the Cuban War of Independence (1895 to 1898) and the 10 Years War (1868 to 1878), passenger lists (mainly from the 1800s) and Santiago marriages (1670 to 1799). These search forms can be tricky to navigate. When you click the Search Form button for any of the databases, a giant grid appears. You then can click on a box and type in the appropriate term. You also can browse cemetery transcriptions and a glossary of Spanish genealogy terms.