Brazil, Land Grant Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Brazil

What Is in the Collection?
This Collection includes records from 1714-1888.

The collection includes administrative documents surrounding the concession and confirmation of land grants (sesmarias) during the colonial and early-national periods. The records also include personal information such as names, birth dates, and places of origin, for some of Brazil's earliest immigrants who settled in what would become the states of Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, and Sergipe. These records are currently housed in the National Archives in Rio de Janeiro.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
Land grant records may contain the following information:


 * Full name
 * Family members
 * Residence
 * Dates of important life events

How Do I Search the Collection?
When searching: As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships.

To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒ Select the "_____________" category ⇒ Select the "_____________" category ⇒ Select the "_____________" category which takes you to the images

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Portuguese. For help reading the records, see the following guides:


 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Brazil Language and Languages

Citing This Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation