Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of birth, marriage, death records, and indexes created by the civil registration offices in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Some of these records have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection. Additional indexed records will be published as they become available.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Portuguese. For help reading these records see:
 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Brazil Language and Languages

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

Birth Record
 * Registration date and place
 * Informant's relationship and gender
 * Date, time, and place of birth
 * Name of the child
 * Gender of child
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents' names
 * Parents' civil status and residence
 * Mother's occupation and place of origin
 * Names of maternal grandparents
 * Father's occupation and place of origin
 * Names of paternal grandparents
 * Names of witnesses
 * Names, residence, and occupation of the parents

Marriage Record
 * Date, place, and time of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Birthplaces of 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

Death Record
 * Date and place of registration
 * Registrant's name
 * Date, place, and time of death
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Gender of deceased
 * Deceased's marital status and name of spouse
 * Deceased's origin and residence
 * Legitimacy
 * Cause of death
 * Names of deceased's parents and their residence
 * Names of witnesses
 * Burial place

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
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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?

 * If possible, look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor
 * It was not uncommon for an individual to be listed under a nickname. Your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * A boundary change could have occurred, and the record of your ancestor is now in a neighboring area. Search the records and indexes of neighboring cities, provinces, and regions
 * 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 updated recently

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

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, miscellaneous records = Brasil, Rio Grande do Sul, registros diversos, 1748-1998

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.