Brazil, Pernambuco, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records of births, marriages, and deaths. It was created by various civil registration offices in the state of Pernambuco from 1804 to 2016. Some of these records have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection. Additional images and indexed records will be published as they become available.

Reading These Records
For help reading these Portuguese 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:

Birth
 * Registration date and place
 * Informant’s relationship and gender
 * Birth place
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents’ names
 * Parent's civil status and residence
 * Father’s occupation and place of origin
 * Mother’s occupation and place of origin
 * Names of maternal grandparents
 * Names of paternal grandparents
 * Names of witnesses

Marriage
 * Date, time and place of marriage
 * Names of the 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
 * Parent’s names and their residence
 * Names of witnesses
 * Burial place

Collection Content
For details about the history of these records and help using them see the wiki article: Brazil Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records).

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. 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 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: - English

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

What If I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For?

 * 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, Pernambuco, Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical 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
 * Your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or Brazil Emigration and Immigration records
 * 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

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.