Peru, Lima, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Registro Civil de Lima, Peru.

Collection Time Period
Civil registration in Peru started on June 21, 1852. However, the Family History Library’s collection covers only the years 1874 to 1933.

Record Description
The earlier records are all handwritten in a narrative format. The later records are also handwritten but on a printed format. Some of their text may also vary slightly.

Record Content
Important genealogical information found in birth records include:


 * Date and place of the registration
 * Name and sex of the newborn
 * Legitimacy
 * Parents’ names (sometimes their ages) and residence (or birthplace)
 * Grandparents’ names

Important genealogical information found in marriage records include:


 * Date and place of the registration
 * Bride’s full name (including maiden name)
 * Groom’s full name
 * Bride and groom ages (or birth dates)
 * Bride and groom place of residence and/or birth place
 * Their civil status (single, divorced, or widowed)
 * Their parents’ names and birthplaces and/or current residence
 * Names of the witnesses (these are usually relatives or close friends of the couple)

Important genealogical information found in birth records include:


 * Time, date, and place of the registration
 * Name of the principal (deceased)
 * Place, date, time, and cause of death
 * Principal's occupation
 * Principal’s age (or birthplace and date)
 * Parents’ names
 * Name of witnesses and their residence
 * Name of person registering the death and his/her relationship to the deceased

How to Use the Record
For genealogical research, the birth, marriage, and death records contain important information for at least two and sometimes three generations of ancestors in one document.

Record History
Before the government instituted civil registration in Peru, the Catholic Church was the only institution tracking the births, marriages, and deaths of the population. In 1852, during the Republican Era, the government instituted civil registration. This was first done by political authorities, such as prefecture, subprefecture, and state. In 1856, this responsibility was given to municipalities. Currently, civil registration is in the hands of RENIEC, which delegates the registration process to municipal registrars.

In 1876, Peru’s census counted a population of 2.6 million residents, with just over 100,000 of those living in Lima. By 1900, Peru’s population numbered 3.8 million, with 223,807 in Lima. The Family History Library’s collection includes civil registers from the following municipalities:


 * Lima o Cercado de lima
 * Ancón
 * Barranco
 * Chorrillos
 * Lurigancho
 * Magdalena del Mar
 * Magdalena Vieja
 * Miraflores
 * San Miguel (previously known as San Miguel del Mar)
 * Santiago de Surco (previously known as San José de Surco)

Why the Record Was Created
Civil registration in Peru identifies all its residents and issues certificates regarding their identity. The registration of births, marriages, and deaths documents the civil status of the residents.

Record Reliability
The information in civil records may be the most accurate available for finding an ancestor who lived in Peru. Parish records would be next best since they were created much earlier than the civil records.

Related Wiki Articles

 * Peru
 * Peru Civil Registration
 * Peru History

Citations for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch .org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

"Peru, Lima Civil Registration, 1874-1930", index and images, FamilySearch, 2008; from Archivo General de la Nacion de Peru. "Peru, Lima, Lima, birth records", 1874-1933. Archivo General de la Nación de Perú. FHL microfilm reels. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.

Information about creating source citations for FamilySearch Historical Collections is listed in the wiki article Help:How to Create Source Citations For FamilySearch Histoical Records Collections.

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. 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.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Example of a Source Citation for a Record Found in This Collection
"Peru, Lima Civil Registration, 1874-1930." database and digital images, FamilySearch (https//www.familysearch.org: accessed 1 April 2011). entry for Victor Galindo, born 6 October 1920; citing Civil Registrations, FHL microfillm 4,253,910; Archivo General de la Nacion de Peru, Lima, Peru. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA