Serra da Raiz, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
Long before the colonization of the Municipality of Serra da Raiz was effectively initiated, both the French, in acts of piracy and allies of the INIGUASSUS or INIGUASSUS Indians who inhabited the region, as well as the Portuguese colonists, preluded the region in search of gold or precious stones that supposed to flourish in the Serra da Capoaba, and fought countless battles, until Martin Leitão decided to intervene, destroying many indigenous villages and ridding the region of French intruders. Among the first settlers of Serra da Raiz, there is a Major Costa who built, in the small agglomeration, a rustic cotton processing and spinning industry, known as "Bolandeira", a primordial factor for the construction of new buildings in its surroundings, providing the growth and progress of the population. With the donation of a strip of land by its residents, the Capela do Senhor do Bonfim was built, in rammed earth and of small dimensions for the number of followers, being therefore completely rebuilt in masonry in the 1900s, and today it is its matrix church, still under the patron saint of Senhor de Bonfim. The dispute between Vila da Serra da Raiz and Caiçara for the leadership of the Region was arduous, causing this rivalry to partially paralyze the progress of both that became part of the municipality of Guarabira until 1908 when the municipality of Caiçara was reestablished, of which Serra da Raiz remained an integral part of its territory until its emancipation in 1959.

In 1937, the district of Serra da Raiz appears in the municipality of Caiçara. On November 15, 1938, the Serra da Raiz district was renamed Cupaoba. On December 31, 1943, the district of Cupaoba was renamed Serra Raiz and lost part of its territory to the new district of Duas Estradas, in the municipality of Caiçara. Elevated to the category of municipality with the name of Serra da Raiz, on January 21, 1959, separated from Caiçara.

Local Offices
Cartório Distrital de Notas Rua Major Costa, 112 Centro Serra da Raiz PB 58260-000 Telephone: (83) 9347-2764 E-mail: marlucecartorio@hotmail.com

Online Resources

 * Brazil, Paraíba, Catholic Church Records, 1731-2013 no Registros Históricos do FamilySearch

Local Churches
Paróquia Nosso Senhor do Bom Fim Rua Lago da Matriz, s/n Centro Serra da Raiz PB 58260-000 Telephone: (83) 3684-1003 / 3684-1116 E-mail: paroquians.dobomfimsr@yahoo.com.br