Portugal, Leiria, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This is a collection of church records from parishes in the Diocese of Leiria for the years 1534 to 1911. It includes baptisms, marriages, and burial/deaths. These parish records have been preserved relatively well. Some of the older registers may have some physical damage due to natural causes; therefore, some data may be difficult to read or some even may be lost. However, in general, they are in good condition for extracting genealogical information.

Reading These Records
These records are in Portuguese. For help reading them see Portuguese Genealogical Word List and Portuguese Letter-writing Guide.

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

Birth
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Child's name and gender
 * Child's date, time and place of birth
 * Parents names, occupation and origin
 * Names of paternal grandparents, occupation and origin
 * Names of maternaL grandparents, occupation and origin
 * Godparents’ names

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Groom's name and age
 * Groom's baptismal date and location
 * Groom's date and place of birth
 * Groom's civil status, occupation, and residence
 * Names of groom's parents and their origin
 * Bride's name and age
 * Bride's baptismal date and location
 * Bride's date and place of birth
 * Bride's civil status and residence
 * Names of bride's parents and their origin
 * Names of witnesses and their residence

Burial
 * Date and place of death
 * Name, age and gender of deceased
 * Civil status, residence and origin of deceased
 * Spouse's name if married
 * Parents' names and their origin if deceased is a minor
 * Sometimes, names of children of deceased
 * Sometimes, a testament (will) of deceased
 * Burial information

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference
 * 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
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Portugal’s emigration rate is one of the highest in the world. Check Portugal Emigration and Immigration for more information
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition, local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military unties, counties, parishes, etc.)
 * Use the parents' birth places to find former residences and to establish a migration pattern for the family
 * For records after 1911, it is suggested that you research both the civil registry and the church records to verify information

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

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

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.

Portugal, Diocese de Leiria Registros da Igreja Católica (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)