Portugal, Évora, Civil Registration and Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection will include records from 1554 to 1938. There are various record types housed at the Arquivo Distrital de Évora, Portugal. This collection includes civil registration records of births, marriages, deaths, passport registers, Catholic Church marriage dispensations, testaments and death records from the Santa Casa da Misericórdia.

Reading These Records
For help reading these Portuguese records see the following guides:
 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Portuguese Letter-writing Guide

What Can These Records Tell Me?
These records may contain the following information

Birth
 * Place and date of registration
 * Informant's name, age and residence
 * Child's name
 * Place and date of birth
 * Parents' names

Marriage
 * Place and date of registration
 * Name of groom
 * Groom’s place of origin and residence
 * Groom’s age
 * Groom’s marital status
 * Name of bride
 * Bride’s place of origin and residence
 * Bride’s age
 * Bride’s marital status
 * Groom’s parents' names and their place of origin
 * Bride’s parents' names and their place of origin

Death
 * Place and date of death
 * Name of deceased person
 * Deceased's place of origin
 * Deceased's age at time of death
 * Deceased's marital status, name of spouse if married
 * Cause of death
 * Deceased's place of residence
 * Place of burial
 * Parents’ names and their place of origin

Testaments (wills)
 * Name of notary public
 * Date and place issued
 * Name of testator
 * Place of residence and sometimes place of origin
 * Age or date of birth
 * Spouse’s name and age or birth date
 * Names of heirs and their ages or birth date
 * Place of residence

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
 * 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
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; 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 in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent

I Can’t Find The Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Portugal, Évora, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records records are also a good source of genealogical information. You should obtain copies of both church records and civil registration, when possible, since they do not necessarily provide the same information
 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Portugal’s emigration rate is one of the highest in the world. Check Portugal Emigration and Immigration for more information
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition, local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military unties, counties, parishes, etc.)
 * New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back and 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 and notice the asterisk for recently added or updated records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Portugal.
 * Record Finder
 * Portugal 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.

Portugal, Évora, Registro Civil e Registros Diversos (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)