Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Registros civis do Estado de Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.

Record Description
The collection contains slave records, notarial records, and copies of some of the state's civil registration from the Arquivo Público do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul for the years 1748-1998.

The records are in Portuguese; see the section "For Help Reading these Records" for access to translation helps.

The collection is being published as images become available.

Record Content
The information in each record varies by year.

Birth records may include the following information:
 * Name of child
 * Child's birth date and place
 * Gender and race
 * Parents' names
 * Paternal grandparents' names
 * Maternal grandparents' names
 * Name of informant
 * Names of witnesses

Declarations and marriage records (habilitações de casamentos) usually include the following information:
 * Date and place of event
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Groom's date of birth
 * Groom's civil status, origin, and occupation
 * Parents' names and birth dates

Slave records may include the following information:
 * Name, origin, age and race of the slave
 * Name of the slave owner

Death records usually include the following information:
 * Date and place of registration
 * Name of informant
 * Date, time, and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Name, sex, age, and race of the deceased
 * Name, residence, and occupation of parents
 * Burial place

How to Use the Record
Some record sets have indexes; these indexes were created at the end of the year. Copy errors could have been made in the index, so you want to find the actual record to verify the information is correct. Using the index is a helpful way to find the actual record.

For death records, the information in records is usually reliable, but depends upon the knowledge of the informant.

Regarding 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.

Search the Collection
To search by image: To browse this collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Municipality" category ⇒Select the "Record Type, Volume, and Years" 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.

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. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

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

Using the Information
To learn more about using the information in civil records, view this lesson for free: Brazil Beginning Research Series Lesson 2: Civil Registration Records - English

Tips to Keep in Mind
When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

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.

Unable to Find your Ancestor?
A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your 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.

General Information about These Records
Generally, the registration of civil records was created in books sequentially numbered and preceded by a letter, according to the type of registry: “A” for births, “B” for Marriages and “B-Aux” for religious marriages with civil effect, “C” for death, and “E” for other type of registry. The civil records of birth, marriage, and deaths are usually listed in chronological order by the date of registration. The older registry books were handwritten in narrative style, but the newer and current registries are handwritten in formatted records. These civil records include a vast of reliable information for doing family history research after 1888.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * Brazil Research Outline
 * Brazil Research Help
 * Certidões de Registro Civil
 * Cartórios e Tabeliães

Related Wiki Articles

 * Brazil Civil Registration- Vital Records
 * Brazil Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
 * Brazil Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil, Rio de Janeiro National Archives, Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil Deaths (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found it. This will help you or others to find the same record again.

Keep track of records where you did not find information about your ancestor so you and others will not waste time looking through these records in the future.

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