Brazil, Ceará, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include baptism, marriage, and burial records created by various Catholic parishes and diocese in the state of in the state of Ceará from 1725 to 1971.

Additional images will be added as they become available.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Portuguese. For help reading these records see the following:


 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Brazil Language and Languages

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

Baptism Marriage Burial
 * Date of baptism
 * Place of baptism
 * Name
 * Birth date
 * Place of birth
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents' names
 * Godparents' names
 * Date of marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Names of groom and bride
 * Groom's place of birth
 * Groom's age
 * Baptism date
 * Residence
 * Groom's legitimacy
 * Groom's parents' names
 * Bride’s place of birth
 * Bride's age
 * Bride's baptism date
 * Bride's residence
 * Bride’s legitimacy
 * Bride's parents' names
 * Witnesses' names
 * Date and place of registration
 * Registrant's name
 * Date, place, and time of death
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Deceased's marital status/name of spouse
 * Deceased's origin and residence
 * Legitimacy
 * Cause of death
 * Names of deceased's parents
 * Residence of parents
 * Names of witnesses
 * Burial place

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them, see the wiki article, Brazil Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Sample Images
The information found in each record varies by year.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before using 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 Municipality
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) Select Record Type and Years

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.

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. Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records.
 * A boundary change could have occurred, and the record of you ancestor is now in a neighboring provinces or regions. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * 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
 * Or your ancestor immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or Brazil Emigration and Immigration
 * Brazil Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records) are also a good substitute when baptism, marriage, and burial records can’t be found or are unavailable

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.