Bananeiras, Paraíba, Brazil Genealogy

Guide to Municipality of Bananeiras ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, church records, parish registers, and civil registration.

History
The land colonization took place in the first half of the 17th century, from the sesmarias donated to Domingos Vieira and Zacarias de Melo, who lived in Mamanguape. The village belonged to the jurisdiction of São Miguel da Baía da Traição. In 1822, it passed to the jurisdiction of Areia (Paraíba). In 1835 the parish of Nossa Senhora do Livramento was created. The region was first a producer of sugar cane and later of coffee. In 1852, coffee production became the largest in Paraíba and the second in the Northeast. This made the city one of the richest in that region, a wealth that is expressed in the architecture of its mansions. The culture was decimated by the emergence of the fungus Cerococus paraibensis. Father José Antônio Maria Ibiapina passed through the region, visiting several neighboring villages.

The first church, dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Livramento, was completed in 1861 after 20 years. Its construction was encouraged by Father Ibiapina and had the support of Monsignor Hermenegildo Herculano. The old rammed earth chapel had collapsed. Banana trees had no more than a thousand inhabitants.

In 1919, the first street was paved, with irregular stones, also called “pé de moleque” or “imperiais”. The railway was inaugurated on September 22, 1922, after the construction of the Serra da Viração tunnel, under the government of Solon de Lucena. Around this time, a plague decimated the coffee plantations. The municipality then turned to the cultivation of sugar cane, tobacco, rice and sisal. District created with the name of Bananeiras, on May 26, 1835. Elevated to the category of village with the name of Bananeiras, on May 09, 1833.

Local Offices
Cartório de Registro Civil Rua Quintino Bocaiuva, s/n Centro Bananeiras Paraíba 58220-000 Telephone: (83) 3367-1375 E-mail: sedin@bol.com.br

Cartório Distrital do Taboleiro Rua Projetada, s/n Taboleiro Bananeiras Paraíba 58220-000 Telephone: (83) 3367-1453 E-mail: cartoriodistritaldotaboleiro@gmail.com

Serviço Notorial e Registral de Vila Maia Rua Dr. Dionizio Maia, s/n Centro Bananeiras Paraíba 58220-000 Telephone: (83) 3367-5088 E-mail: andreamedeirosvm@hotmail.com

Online Resources

 * Brazil, Paraíba, Catholic Church Records, 1731-2013 no Registros Históricos do FamilySearch

Local Churches
Paróquia Nossa Senhora do Livramento Praça Bandeira, 417 Centro Bananeiras Paraíba 58220-000 Telephone: (83) 3367-1293

Localities
Distritos: Camuça (Borborema), Moreno, Pilões do Maia, Dona Inês, Solânea