Brazil, Santa Catarina, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include baptism, marriage, and death records created by various Catholic parishes and dioceses in the state of Santa Catarina from 1714-1977. Some of these records have been indexed and are searchable as part of this collection. Additional images and indexed records will be published as they become available.

Reading These Records
For help reading these Portuguese records see the following:
 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Brazil Language and Languages

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

Baptism records
 * Date of baptism
 * Place of baptism
 * Name
 * Birthdate
 * Place of birth
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents' names
 * Godparents' names

Marriage records
 * Date of marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Names of groom and bride
 * Groom's place of birth
 * Groom's age, baptism date, and residence
 * Groom's legitimacy
 * Groom's parents' names
 * Bride’s place of birth
 * Bride's age, baptism date, and residence
 * Bride’s legitimacy
 * Bride's parents' names
 * Witnesses' names

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

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see the wiki article: Brazil Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

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

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Municipality
 * 2) Select Parish
 * 3) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

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; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth if that is 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
 * The birth and/or age may also help you find the family in the Brazil Census
 * 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, Now What?
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 recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections. Watch for an asterisk for recently added or updated records.
 * A boundary change could have occurred and the record of your ancestor's records could now be in a neighboring city, provinces, or region
 * Your ancestor may have immigrated to another country. Search the records of nearby areas or Brazil Emigration and Immigration
 * Civil Registration records are also a good substitute when birth, marriage, and death records can’t be found or are unavailable. Check out Brazil Civil Registration- Vital Records and Brazil Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records for more information

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

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.