Chile Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Record
Chile, Registros de Cementerios

Record Description
This collection includes municipal cemetery records for cemeteries throughout Chile including the Antofagasta, Cementario General in Santiago, Valparaíso, and Viña del Mar cemeteries. The earliest records found in this collection are from 1821 and include up unto 2013.

The records are in Spanish; see the section "For Help Reading these Records" for access to translation helps.

Record Categories
Some records you may find in this collection are:


 * Burial Registers and Card Indexes
 * Burial Authorizations (also Transfer Requests, Payment Records, Receipts, and Proof of Income)

Record Content
The records were usually made close to the date of burial.

Burial Registers &amp; Card Indexes
Burial registers and card indexes may contain the following information:


 * Name of deceased (keep in mind that death records for women may be filed under their married name)
 * Plot location
 * Date of the site was renovated
 * Date the site expires
 * Receipt number

Burial Authorization Papers
Burial authorization papers relate to each burial and may be comprised of various record types: (a) work orders correspond to transfers or reductions of cadavers, (b) sworn declarations contain family relationships with the buried person, sometimes including birth or marriage information, (c) authorization documents are legal approvals to bury an individual, and (d) receipts include burial service payment.

These records may contain the following information:


 * Cemetery name
 * Name of the deceased
 * Date and time of death
 * Place of death
 * Age at death
 * Gender
 * Cause of death
 * Amount paid for any burial/grave-site expenses
 * Family relations to the deceased (children, extended family, etc.)

How to Use the Record
If you locate your ancestor’s burial record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given.

Burial records are often brief, so it can be easy to confuse individuals of the same name, origin, and birth date.

Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To search by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒ Select “Browse through images” on the initial collection page ⇒ Select the “Cemetery” category ⇒ Select the “Record Type and Years” category which takes you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

When searching: As you are searching, it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, and some identifying information such as residence, age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Spanish. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * Spanish Genealogical Word List
 * Chile Language and Languages

Using the Information

 * Use the age to determine a birth year.
 * Use the estimated birth year (from previous) and birthplace to locate the birth record.
 * Use the locality and the spouse's name to locate a marriage record church and/or civil records.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives of the deceased who may have been buried in the same cemetery or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.

Tips to Keep in Mind
When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.

General Information about These Records
Cemetery registers and a variety of documents were needed for the burial. The work orders correspond to transfers or grave-site reductions. The judicial declarations give family relationships with the buried person and sometimes include birth or marriage records. The authorization document is a legal approval to give burial to an individual, and receipts (comprobantes) include the burial service payment. The daily log register includes the name of all cadavers entering the cemetery through a specific door and includes the service requested.

Related Websites

 * Cementerio General of Chile, An Outdoor Museum
 * Memorica Chilena, Biblioteca Nacional de Chile
 * Drawing of General Cemetery Layout in 1990
 * Los cementerios en el siglo XIX, un sitio web que incluye documentos, imágenes, y otras cosas
 * "Memoria del Administrador del Cementerio Jeneral," an archived book, published in 1893
 * "Historia i Tradiciones del Cementerio Jeneral de Santiago," an archived book, published in 1890

Related Wiki Articles

 * Chile Cemeteries
 * Chile Gazetteers
 * Chile

Citations for this Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually. Collection Citation: Record Citation (or citation for the index entry): Image Citation