Araruama, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Genealogy

Guide to Municipality of AraruamaE ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, church records, parish registers, and civil registration.

History
According to professor Marcel Jules Thieblot, the first inhabitants of Araruama were the Tupinambá Indians. They arrived in the city attracted by the abundance of salt and frequented the place, today called Ponta do Anzol.

The Tupinambá Indians did not see the extraction of salt as a commercial opportunity, this activity being limited to subsistence to meet their own needs. History records the year 1575 as the beginning of the Portuguese presence. On this occasion, Antônio de Salema led an expedition with the purpose of expelling or decimating the French and their allies, the Tamoios Indians.

Araruama was a locality subordinate to the Municipality of Cabo Frio until 1852, when it passed to the jurisdiction of Saquarema. A law dated 6 February 1859 took Araruama, more precisely the locality of Mataruna, to the status of seat of the Municipality of Saquarema. In 1860 the Municipality was already installed, having the first Municipal Council, which governed on an interim basis. The new Municipality was subject to colonial laws, which determined that the City Council building should be built with the money of the benefited population.

The then councilor Carlos Sá de Carvalho, a wealthy farmer and producer of brandy, covered the expenses.

With the arrival of the first Europeans, the salt pans started to be commercially exploited.

The Portuguese Crown enacted a law guaranteeing the Metropolis every monopoly on the salt trade, not only for the financial aspect, but for fear that, if it were controlled by natives, it could become the seeds of an emancipationist movement. There was then the kidnapping of some salt pans that could harm the interests of the Portuguese Crown. The City Council maintained the 'Salina do Povo' with the purpose of distributing salt to the natives free of charge. The extraction of salt was of vital importance for the development of Araruama, so much so that the municipality's heraldic coat of arms features a pile of crystallized salt.

According to Sesmarias' letters, the first owner of land within the current perimeter of the municipality of Araruama was Manoel da Silva Risoado. In this place, he laid the foundations of the future farm in Parati and of a sawmill that developed and made profits thanks to the abundance of Pau-Brasil and other hardwoods. Source: IBGE

Parish created with the name of São Sebastião de Araruama, by Alvará of 10-01-1799.

The district of Araruama had its creation confirmed by State Decrees n.º 1, of 08-05-1892 and 1-A of 03-06-1892.

Elevated to the category of village with the name of Araruama, by Provincial Decree n.º 1.128, of 06-02-1859. Consisting of 3 districts: Araruama, Morro Grande and São Vicente de São Paulo. Under the same law, the town of Mataruna was made the seat of the municipality of Saquarema. Installed on 25-08-1859.

Elevated to the category of city with the name of Araruama, by State Decree No. 40, of 22-01-1890.

In administrative division referring to the years of 1911, the municipality is made up of 3 districts: Araruama, Morro Grande and São Vicente de São Paulo.

Thus remaining in territorial divisions dated 31-XII-1936 and 31-XII-1937.

In the framework established to be in force in the period 1939-1943, Araruama kept the previous constitution, with only toponymic alteration in the district of São Vicente de Paulo, to São Vicente de Paula.

In a territorial division dating from I-VII-1960, the municipality is made up of 3 districts: Araruama, Morro Grande and São Vicente de Paula.

Thus remaining in territorial division dated 2007. Source: IBGE

Local Churches
São Sebastião Parish - Archdiocese of Niterói - Araruama

Address: Praça São Sebastião, 192 – Center –

28970-000 - ARARUAMA - RJ

Tel.: (22) 2665-1010

Fax: (22) 2665-6344

E-mail: paroquiasaosebastiaodeararuama@yahoo.com.br

PARISH WORKSHOP:

Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm (Does not close for lunch)

Saturday: 8am to 12pm

(Include churches and other institutions related to these, such as dioceses, archdioceses and offices, existing in the municipalities, as well as address, telephone, e-mails and links to virtual pages, if any.)

Localities
Districts:

Araruama Headquarters District


 * 2nd District of Morro Grande
 * 3rd District São Vicente de Paula
 * 4th Praia Seca District
 * 5th District Iguabinha