Peru, La Libertad, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registro Civil de La Libertad, Peru

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1903-1998.

Civil registration in Peru identifies residents and issues certificates regarding their identity. The registration of births, marriages, and deaths documents the civil status of the residents The information in civil records may be the most accurate available for finding an ancestor who lived in Peru. Parish records would be next best since they were created much earlier than the civil records.

The earlier records are handwritten in a narrative format. The later records are also handwritten but on a printed form. Some of the text may also vary slightly. Before the government instituted civil registration in Peru, the Catholic Church was the only institution tracking the births, marriages, and deaths of the population. In 1852, during the Republican Era, the government instituted civil registration. This was first done by political authorities, such as prefecture, subprefecture, and state. In 1856, this responsibility was given to municipalities. Currently, civil registration is in the hands of RENIEC, which delegates the registration process to municipal registrars.

In 1876, Peru’s census counted a population of 2.6 million residents, with just over 100,000 of those living in Lima. By 1900, Peru’s population numbered 3.8 million, with 223,807 in Lima. The Family History Library’s collection includes civil registers from the following municipalities:


 * Lima o Cercado de lima
 * Ancón
 * Barranco
 * Chorrillos
 * Lurigancho
 * Magdalena del Mar
 * Magdalena Vieja
 * Miraflores
 * San Miguel (previously known as San Miguel del Mar)
 * Santiago de Surco (previously known as San José de Surco)

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information for collections published in FamilySearch.org. Source citations include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Important genealogical information found in birth records include:


 * Date and place of the registration
 * Name and sex of the newborn
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents’ names (sometimes their ages) and residence (or birthplace)
 * Grandparents’ names

Important genealogical information found in marriage records include:


 * Date and place of the registration
 * Bride’s full name (including maiden name)
 * Groom’s full name
 * Bride and groom ages (or birth dates)
 * Bride and groom place of residence and/or birth place
 * Their civil status (single, divorced, or widowed)
 * Their parents’ names and birthplaces and/or current residence
 * Names of the witnesses (these are usually relatives or close friends of the couple)

Important genealogical information found in birth records include:


 * Time, date, and place of the registration
 * Name of the principal (deceased)
 * Place, date, time, and cause of death
 * Principal's occupation
 * Principal’s age (or birthplace and date)
 * Parents’ names
 * Name of witnesses and their residence
 * Name of person registering the death and his/her relationship to the deceased

How to Use the Record
To search the collection, select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the “Departamento o región” ⇒ Select the “Provincia” ⇒ Select the “Distrito o municipalidad” ⇒ Select the "Tipo de registro y años" which takes you to the images.

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination. For genealogical research, the birth, marriage, and death records contain important information for at least two and sometimes three generations of ancestors in one document.

When browsing this collection it is helpful to know the following:


 * The place where the event occurred
 * The name and surname of the person
 * The approximate date of the event
 * The name of the parents or spouse

To search this collection select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the Departamento o región where your ancestors lived ⇒Select the appropriate Provincia ⇒Select the appropriate Distrito o municipalidad ⇒Select the proper record type and dates, and you should see images of the records.

Related Websites

 * Peru Surname Search
 * Peru - The WorldGenWeb Project

Related Wiki Articles

 * Peru
 * Peru Civil Registration
 * Peru History

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Peru La Libertad, Civil Registration, 1903-1997,” images, FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-27111-27349-90?cc=2016224&amp;wc=MMMZ-YMZ:1796442028 : accessed 2 Aug 2012), Peru La Libertad, Civil Registration, 1903-1907, La Libertad &gt; Huamachuco &amp;gt Huamachuco &gt; Nacimientos 1982 nov - dic &gt; image 4 of 233; entry for Felix Leonard Compos Medrao, born 7 November 1982, Concejo, Provicial de Sanchez Carrion, Registro Civil.Regional Archive of La Libertad. Civil Registration (Registros Civiles). Regional Archive of La Libertad.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.