Antonina, Paraná, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
Antonina is one of the oldest settlements in Paraná, and its region was shaped from the 17th century onwards. The effective occupation took place in 1648, when Gabriel de Lara, from Parnaíba, Captain Povoador, sesmeiro of Nova Vila (Paranaguá), ceded three sesmarias on the Guarapirocaba coast to Antonio de Leão, Pedro Uzeda and Manoel Duarte. Hence the date of its foundation. Antonina's first name, the first ones on that coast. These were the first settlers of Antonina.

These were gold hunting times, and this cycle intensified with the arrival of men thirsty for the vile metal. Over the years, the settlement of the place was established, dating from September 12, 1714, the erection of the first nave of the Chapel, today Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora do Pilar. In 1712, Manoel do Valle Porto, later sergeant-major, settled in Morro da Graciosa, as he had received a sesmaria located in this region, and the front of a large number of slaves began the work of mining and agriculture in the region.

The first clearings devastated the jungle in front of the island of Graciosa (currently Corisco), which proved the uberdade of the land, of great value to the people of the place.

Valle Porto managed to obtain a permit for the construction of the first nave of the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Pilar in the village, which housed about fifty families of faithful, in tribute to the Virgin Mary. Since this time, the city's residents have been known as "capelistas". Antonina is a Brazilian municipality located on the North Coast of the State of Paraná. Its population counted in 2010 was 18,891 inhabitants. Historic city, whose first traces of occupation were found in the sambaquis. Later Carijós Indians inhabited the place, and the first settlers date from 1648 and 1654. It is accessed by the BR-277, the old Estrada da Graciosa, by rail and through the port, which was recently reactivated, where the headquarters of the County. Created through State Law No. 14 of January 21, 1857, and installed on the same date, it was separated from Paranaguá.

The natural inhabitants of the municipality of Antonina are called Antoninenses or  capelistas, due to the fact that their village lives around the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Pilar. Antonina's name is a tribute paid to the Prince of Beira, Dom Antônio de Portugal, in 1797. Etymologically, there are two sources: first, from the Latin " antonius " which means priceless, second, from the Greek "antheos", translated as flower.

In 1797, the village had 2,300 inhabitants, who lived on mining, fishing and subsistence agriculture. In the same year, on November 6th, the parish of Nossa Senhora do Pilar da Graciosa was elevated to the category of village, with the name of Antonina. This solemn act was carried out in the presence of the nobility and the people in general, who attended the lifting of the pillory and in Praça Coronel Macedo, where the act was drawn up.

On January 14, 1798, the first city council of Antonina was sworn in, and the first step was the reopening of Estrada da Graciosa, in which they were helped by Curitiba authorities. In 1835, the village had 3,300 inhabitants. On January 21, 1857, through Provincial Law n.º 14, it became a municipality in the nascent Province of Paraná.

Local Offices
Cartório de Registro R. Quinze de Novembro, 128 Antonina Paraná 83370-000 Telephone: (41)3432-1042 E-mail cartorio.antonina@yahoo.com.br

Online Resources

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

Other Institutions

 * História de Antonina Prefeitura Municipal de Antonina