Brazil Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Registros Paroquiais da Igreja Católica em Brasil.

Collection Time Period
This collection of parish registers covers the years 1835-1966.

Record Description
The records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths or burials are bound in separate registers. Most records follow the same format; in earlier years, however, the records were written in narrative form and later in formatted records. Some of the older registers may appear to have some physical damage; therefore some data may have been lost or may be very difficult to read. However, in general they are in good condition to extract genealogical information.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in most baptisms records are:


 * Date of baptism
 * Place of baptism
 * Name of child
 * Place of birth
 * Date of birth
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents' names
 * Godparents' names

The key genealogical facts found in most marriage records are:


 * Date of marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Witnesses’ names
 * Names of groom and bride
 * Groom and bride’s marital status
 * Groom’s age
 * Groom’s legitimacy
 * Groom’s mother
 * Bride’s age
 * Residence of bride’s parents

The key genealogical facts found in most death records are:


 * Date of death
 * Place of death
 * Name of deceased
 * Deceased marital status and spouse’s name
 * Deceased legitimacy
 * Father’s name
 * Deceased age
 * Burial place

How to Use the Records
The Catholic Church parish records are an excellent source for genealogical research in Brazil. These may also be the only available records before the implementation of the civil registration in about 1888. These records may include other family information that will help in the research for other generations. In order to find an entry in this collection, it is necessary to know first the place where the ancestors lived, the year, and his/her name.

Record History
Catholic Church records begun in Brazil with the arrival of the ministers from Portugal. Parish priests performed the sacraments of baptisms and marriages and other holy sacraments in the parish under their jurisdiction. All the original parish records were kept in the parish archive and a duplicate copy was sent to the diocesan archive.

Why the Record Was Created
Catholic Church parish registers were created to record the church sacraments of baptisms, confirmations, marriages, deaths, burials, and other ordinances.

Record Reliability
Catholic Church parish records are a reliable source for doing genealogical research in all of Brazil.

Known Issues with This Collection
Problem #1: The waypoints change while browsing through the images Problem #2: The records are incorrectly linked or missing. In the example for Brazil, Catholic Church Records Santa Catarina Itajaí Santíssimo Sacramento &gt; Batismos 1834-1845 in Historical Records, there are 160 images that display after selecting Batismos, 1834-1845. However, the header which appears above the image screen randomly changes from deaths, to baptisms, to marriages, while browsing through the 160 images. This does not mean that images are missing or wrongly linked.

Workaround: Go by what you see on the film, not the browse points, to determine the content; browse the entire film or skip ahead to check for additional records.

Related Web Sites
Brazil Catholic Church Records

Related Wiki Articles
Brazil Church Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from the record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you do not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

The suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched in found in the Wiki Article: Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Historical Records Collections.

Examples of Source Citations for a Record in This Collection

 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.


 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” index and images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

Sources of information for This Collection
Brazil Catholic Church Records", images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org); from dioceses and local parish archives throughout Brazil. Registros paroquiais, 1835-1966. FHL microfilm and digital folders. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Digital images of original records are housed in diocesan archives and also in local parish archives throughout Brazil.

If you would like to see more citations of the Brazil Catholic Church Records please follow these two links: Brazil, Catholic Church Records Source Citations, Brazil, Catholic Church Source Citations: Page Two

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Luz (Luz, Minas Gerais). Registros paroquiais, 1835-1966.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Campanha (Campanha, Minas Gerais). Registros paroquiais, 1763-1980.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Divinópolis (Divinópolis, Minas Gerais). Registros paroquiais, 1793-1975.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Oliveira (Oliveira, Minas Gerais). Registros paroquiais, 1800-1984.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Amargosa (Amargosa, Bahia). Registros paroquiais, 1805-1950.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Apucaraná (Apucaraná, Paraná). Registros paroquiais, 1942-1991.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Palmares (Palmares, Pernambuco). Registros paroquiais, 1786-1969.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Estância (Estância, Sergipe). Registros paroquiais, 1790-1980.

Igreja Católica. Arquidiocese de Aparecida (Aparecida, São Paulo). Registros paroquiais, 1720-1980.

Igreja Católica. Arquidiocese de Belém (Belém, Pará). Registros paroquiais, 1795-1955.

Igreja Católica. Diocese de Propriá (Propriá, Sergipe). Registros paroquiais, 1840-1960.