Brazil Genealogy

Getting started with Brazil research
Welcome to the Brazil page of the research wiki! FamilySearch Wiki is a community website dedicated to helping people throughout the world learn how to find their ancestors.Through the Brazil page you will learn how to find, use, and analyze records for Brazil of genealogical value. The content on this page provides helps and tips for beginner, intermediate, and expert researchers alike. Here you will find helpful research tools and research guidance to aid you in your search for your ancestors. The Brazil page is a work in progress, your contributions and feedback are essential!

Brazil is the largest country by both land area and population on the continent of South America. Also more people speak Portuguese in Brazil by far than speak that language in any other country, including Portugal. Discovered by the Portuguese explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral in April 21st, 1500 was populated by immigrants in the 1600s and 1700s becaming home to many, including immigrants from Italy and Germany who primarily settled in the south of the country.

For help getting started with Brazilian research see Getting Started.

See the tutorials in FamilySearch.org pertaining to Latin American research and "Reading Portuguese Handwritten Records"

Jurisdictions, States
Brazil is a republic comprised of 26 states and a federal district (Distrito Federal), which comprises the capital city of Brazilia. Many records are kept at the state and local level and may include civil registrations, censuses, inventories and wills, land records, notarial records, and military records to name a few.

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States are also divided into counties, and the cities and towns 'municipios' are in the counties, it is possible that a city, especially the larger ones such as Recife and São Paulo, may have a number of counties in them since a state like São Paulo can have over 200 counties.

Research Tools

 * (helpful tools and resources, gazetteers)
 * (language dictionary, handwriting guide or tutorial, etc.)
 * Brazil Research Outline
 * Research Guide: BYU Research Outline for Brazil
 * Websites
 * See the tutorials in FamilySearch.org pertaining to Latin American research and "Reading Portuguese handwritten Records"
 * Listing of all records collections for Brazil available on FamilySearch.org

Wiki articles describing these collections are found at:


 * Brazil Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil Catholic Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil Civil Registration (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil Deaths (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Brazil Marriages (FamilySearch Historical Records
 * Brazil, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Cemetery Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Help Wanted
In order to make this wiki a better research tool, we need your help! Many tasks need to be done. You can help by:

Featured Content
Today's featured article is: Brazil Census

See the tutorials in FamilySearch.org pertaining to Latin American research.

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