Chile, Santiago, Cemetery Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Title in the Language of the Records
Cementerio General de Santiago, Chile

Record Description
This is a collection of burial records from the General Cemetery of Recoleta, Santiago, Chile. It includes cemetrery registers and a variaty of documents which were needed for the burial. The work orders correspond to transfers or reductions of cadavers. The judicial declarations give family relationships with the buried person and often 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.This collection only includes a portion of the images in the complete collection. Additional images will be published as they become available.

Spanish : Esta es una colección de registros del Cementerio General de Recoleta, Santiago, Chile. Contiene registros del cementerio y documentaciones varias necesarias para dar sepultura en el cementerio. Las ordenes de trabajo del cementerio corresponden a traslados o reducciones de cadáveres. Las declaraciones juradas, que demuestran relación familiar, a veces estan acompañadas por certificados de nacimiento o matrimonio. Las autorizaciones son documentos que aprueban legalmente la sepultación del cadáver y los comprobantes indican el pago del servicio de sepultación. Los registros de operaciones diarias del cementerio incluye los nombres de todos los cadáveres que entraron por la puerta especificada. Las imágenes digitales serán publicadas en FamilySearch.org a medida que estén disponibles.

Record Content
Key genealogical facts found in burial records may include:


 * Place and date of burial
 * Name of deceased
 * Date and time of death
 * Age at time of death
 * Cause of death
 * Sex of deceased
 * Location of the grave

They may also provide clues about:


 * Military service
 * Religion
 * Occupation
 * Place of residence at time of death
 * Membership in an organization

How to Use the Record
To begin your search you will need to know the following:


 * The person’s name
 * The approximate burial or death date

Once you have located your ancestor’s burial record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Burial records are often brief so it can be easy confuse individuals. Compare what information is given with what you already know about your ancestor to make sure it is the correct person.

Next, look at the pieces of information given in the burial record for new information. Add any new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

For example:


 * Use the birth date or year to search for birth records.
 * Use the birth date along with relative’s names to find the family in census records.
 * Use the locality and relative’s names to locate church and land records.
 * The name of the undertaker or mortuary could lead you to funeral records, which often include the names and residences of other family members.
 * 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.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.

If you are unable to find the ancestors you are looking for, try the following:


 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby public cemeteries and church cemeteries.

Record History
The General Cemetery of Santiago was founded in 1821 in the commune (comuna) of Recoleta. The cemetery office keeps a record file for each burial. Various documents are included in a burial file such as the municipality permission for burial, the cemetery plot and location, purchase information, copies of source of identification, and more.

Record Reliability
Cemetery records are a reliable source for doing family history in Chile.

Related Websites
Cementerio General de Recoleta, Chile

Related Wiki Articles

 * Chile
 * Chile Cemeteries
 * Chile History

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Citations Examples for Records Found in FamilySearch Historical Collection
The following are examples of records found in different collections. Please help us by replacing these examples with a citation for a record you have found in this collection.


 * “Delaware Marriage Records,” database and digital images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 4 March 2011), entry for William Anderson and Elizabeth Baynard Henry, married 23 November 1913; citing marriage certificate no. 859; FHL microfilm 2,025,063; Delaware Bureau of Archives and Records Management, Dover.
 * “El Salvador Civil Registration,” database and digital images,FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 21 March 2011), entry for Jose Maria Antonio del Carmen, born 9 April 1880; citing La Libertad, San Juan Opico, Nacimientos 1879-1893, image 50; Ministerio Archivo Civil de la Alcaldia Municipal de San Salvador.

When the citation has been replaced with a citation specific to the collection described, please change the heading to "Citation Example for Records Found in This Collection".