Peru, Callao, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Registro Civil de Callao, Peru

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1874-1993.

This collection consists of digital images of original civil registration records of births, marriages, and deaths from the Provincia Constitucional, or Callao, in Peru.

The registration of births, marriages, and deaths in Peru documents the civil status of the residents.

Earlier records are all handwritten in a narrative format. The later records are also handwritten but on a printed format. The text of the records is in Spanish. Some of their text may also vary slightly.

Before the government instituted civil registration in Peru, the Catholic Church was the only institution tracking the births, marriages, and deaths of the population. In 1852, during the Republican Era, the government instituted civil registration. This was first done by political authorities, such as prefecture, subprefecture, and state. In 1856, this responsibility was given to municipalities. Currently, civil registration is in the hands of RENIEC, which delegates the registration process to municipal registrars.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
Information found in death records may include the following:


 * Time, date, and place of registration
 * Name, age and gender of deceased
 * Race, civil status, and occupation of deceased
 * Nationality and origin of deceased
 * Parents' names
 * Declarents' name, age, civil status, occupation, origin and residence
 * Names of witnesses, their age(s), origin and residence

How to Use the Record
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.

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 and 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.

Search the Collection
To search the collection image by image ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Province" ⇒Select the appropriate "Municipality" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type and Years" which takes you to the images.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Spanish. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Chile Language and Languages

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Map of Peru, showing Callao next to Lima
 * AD 1797 map showing Callao de Lima (top map)

Local Histories

 * Brief Encyclopedia Britannica article on Callao's history
 * Blog post on Callao's history
 * Travel website with some history of Callao

Related Wiki Articles

 * Peru
 * Peru Civil Registration
 * Peru History

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
Citations for individual image records are available for this collection. Browse through images in this collection and click on the “Show Citation” box: Peru, Callao, Civil Registration, 1874-1993.

When you copy information from a 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 did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

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