Baraúna, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

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

History
In the mid-1890s, the Barbosa and Rodrigues families arrived here from Brejo de Areia, who settled in the towns of Pedra Vermelha and Lagoa da Caraibeira. In the locality known as Catolé, the Galdino family settled, coming, in withdrawal of cattle, from Sítio Velho, in the municipality of Soledade. In the town of Cabeça de Boi, the Sousa family was established, dedicated to cattle raising, finding in this region the suitable place for such activity. At the end of 1890, the Italian family arrived in the region. Mr. Francisco Italiano acquires from Cel. Manuel de Barros a piece of land, in the locality called Moreira, where he took up residence building a rammed earth house and a corral to hold the cattle, which until then had grazed freely in the capoeirão, where mallow and Baraúna predominated, tree very common in the caatinga and that contains thorns in its branches. Due to the large number of these trees, the lagoon that existed in the town of Moreira for a long time was called Lagoa das Baraúnas. Later, to simplify the name, they just called it Baraúnas.

It was common for the families that inhabited the area to raise cattle, farm and practiced the Catholic religion. They met at the home of Mr. Francisco Italiano to pray and, from time to time, a mass was celebrated by the priest of the parish of São Sebastião do Triunfo. With the appearance of other families in the region, the population of the locality increased, which soon became a village.

In mid-1937, a large epidemic of smallpox, known as taboca bladder and yellow fever, arose throughout the region, taking many lives. Mr. Francisco Italiano, a devotee of Nossa Senhora do Desterro, made a promise that if the evil was decimated he would build a chapel and bring the image of Our Lady, thus making her the patron saint of the locality. When the village became a district in 1958, the chapel was transferred to the place where it is today, being expanded, over time, by its faithful. Many priests celebrated Mass in the chapel. Canon José da Cunha Barros, born in the region, was parish priest until his death in 1978. He was replaced by Italian priest Donato Rizzi. For the formation of the village, a cluster of houses was built, made of mud covered with Gravatá. The first houses made of bricks were located on Francisco Italiano Street, owned by Mr. José Lourenço Dantas.

The district was created with the name of Baraúnas, on December 20, 1961, subordinated to the municipality of Picuí. Elevated to the category of municipality with the name of Baraúna, on April 29, 1994, separated from Picuí.

Local Offices
Cartório de Registro Civil e Notas Rua Castelo Branco, 76 Centro Barauna PB 58188-000 Telephone: (83)3633-1059 E-mail: cartório-de-braúna@bol.com.br

Online Resources

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

Local Churches
PARÓQUIA DE NOSSA SENHORA DO DESTERRO 2014 Rua Padre Apolônio Gaudêncio Nº 15 Barauna PB 58188-000 Telephone: (83) 9622-2267 (83) 8664-6036