Portugal, Guarda, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection of church records includes the years 1459 to 1911. The records included in this collection are those of baptisms, marriages, and burial/deaths from parishes in the in the Diocese of Guarda, Portugal. These parish records have been preserved relatively well. Some of the older registers appear to have some physical damage; therefore, some data may be difficult to read or some even may be lost. However, in general, they are in good condition for extracting genealogical information. These records are written in Portuguese. Earlier records were handwritten in narrative style; newer records are handwritten in formatted registers.

Parish priests performed the ordinances for baptisms, marriages, deaths, and burials, and the other holy sacraments in the jurisdiction of their assigned parish or parishes. All the original parish records were kept in the parish archive under the custody of the priest. However, a duplicate of these registers was regularly sent to the diocesan archive where the records were centralized and kept at a higher state of preservation.

Catholic Church parish registers were created to record the church sacraments of baptism, marriage, death, burial, and other ordinances performed on parishioners by an authorized priest in his area of jurisdiction.

Catholic Church parish records are a reliable source for doing genealogical research in Guarda, Portugal, before 1911, when the civil registration was implemented. For records after 1911, it is suggested that you research both the civil registry and the church records to verify information.

Reading These Records
These records are in Portuguese. For help reading them see:
 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Portuguese Letter-writing Guide

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth records
 * Date and place of the baptism
 * Child's name and gender
 * Date, time and place of birth
 * Parents’ names, occupation and origin
 * Paternal grandparents names, occupation and origin
 * Maternal grandparents names, occupation and origin
 * Names of godparents

Marriage records
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's name and age
 * Groom's civil status and origin
 * Names of groom's parents, their residence and origin
 * Bride's name and age
 * Bride's civil status and origin
 * Names of bride's parents, their residence and origin
 * Names of witnesses

Death or burial records
 * Name, age and gender of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Occupation, marital status and origin of deceased
 * Spouse's name, if married
 * Parents' names and residence if deceased is a minor child
 * Sometimes, burial information

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Portugal’s emigration rate is one of the highest in the world. Check Portugal Emigration and Immigration for more information
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition, local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military unties, counties, parishes, etc.)
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * For records after 1911, it is suggested that you research both the civil registry and the church records to verify information

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Portugal.
 * Portugal Record Finder
 * Portugal Research Tips and Strategies

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Portugal, Diocese da Guarda Registros da Igreja Católica (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)