Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes civil records of births, marriages, deaths with corresponding indexes created by various civil registration offices in the state of Rio de Janeiro from 1829 to 2012. Some of these records have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection. Earlier records are completely handwritten. Later records are handwritten on pre-typed forms. Additional images and indexed records will be published as they become available.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Portuguese. For help reading these records see Portuguese Genealogical Word List and Brazil Language and Languages.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth
 * Registration date and place
 * Informant's relationship and gender
 * Date, time, and place of birth
 * Child's name
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents' names
 * Parents' civil status and residence
 * Mother's occupation and place of origin
 * Names of maternal grandparents
 * Father's occupation and place of origin
 * Names of paternal grandparents
 * Names of witnesses

Marriage
 * Date, time, and place of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Bride and groom's age, civil status and occupation
 * Groom's parents' names
 * Birthplace of groom's parents
 * Bride's parents' names
 * Birthplace of bride's parents
 * Names of witnesses, scribes, and judges

Death
 * Name of informant
 * Date, place, and time of death
 * Name, gender, and age of deceased
 * Deceased's nationality, state of birth, and residence
 * Cause of death
 * Parents' names and their residence
 * Names of witnesses
 * Burial place

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see Brazil Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records.

Coverage Table
See Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Civil Registration Coverage Table for a list of records available from each municipality and civil registration office included in this collection.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Your ancestor's given name and surname
 * Identifying information such as residence
 * Estimated marriage or birth year

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Municipio (Municipality)
 * 2) Select Civil Registration Office
 * 3) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
To learn more about using the information in civil records, view this lesson for free: Brazil Beginning Research

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Check the image the index was taken from to see if there is additional information
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Use the birth date or age along with the place of birth of each spouse to find a couple's birth records and parents' names
 * The birth and/or age may also help you find the family in the Brazil Census
 * Compile the marriage entries for every person who has the same surname as the bride or groom; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?
New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back to see if your ancestor’s records have been added. You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of you ancestor is now in a neighboring. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * Brazil Church Records are also a good substitute when civil records of births, marriages, and deaths cannot be found or are unavailable
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names. Transcription errors could occur in any handwritten record; also, it was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Brazil.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used