Brazil, Rio Grande do Norte, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes civil records of births, marriages, deaths with corresponding indexes created by various civil registration offices in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, for the years 1803-2020.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Portuguese. For help reading them see Portuguese Genealogical Word List and Brazil Language and Languages.

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

Birth
 * Name of child
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace

Marriage
 * Names of groom and bride
 * Place of residence
 * Date of marriage
 * Place of marriage

Death
 * Name of deceased
 * Date and place of death
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date and place of burial

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

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
 * Use the information which has been discovered to find more. For instance, use the age listed in a record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth to find the family in census records Brazil Census
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * Use the marriage date and place as the basis for compiling a new family group or for verifying existing information. Keep in mind that the death record for women may be filed under her married name
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Use the marital status to identify previous marriages
 * Witnesses often were relatives of the parents
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * For marriage and death records, name changes, shortened names, or nicknames may have been used by your ancestors, so pay attention to other relationships (parents, spouse, siblings, children, etc.) that can confirm whether you have the right person/record
 * Continue to search the marriage records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the bride and groom who may have married in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * Continue to search the indexes and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have lived in the same area or a nearby area

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

 * When looking for an individual with a common name, look at all the search results before deciding which is the correct person. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to help with this decision. If listed, a personal title may be a clue to property ownership or occupation, either of which might be noted in other records.
 * Try variations of given names and surnames
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of potential matches
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of you ancestor is now in a neighboring. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * Church Records are also a good substitute when birth, marriage, and death records can’t be found or are unavailable.
 * Brazil Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Brazil Church Records
 * Or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or immigration/emigration records:
 * Brazil Emigration and Immigration

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

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.