Portugal, Civil Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Portugal

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains records of births, marriages, and deaths for Portugal. Civil Registration in Portugal began in 1832, but did not achieve wide-spread compliance until the 1870s. Despite the title of this collection, overwhelmingly most of the records selected for inclusion are from churches which predate the beginning of civil registration. This collection also includes records from schools, notaries, military service, and orphanages.

Most church records in this collection begin in the 1680s, with some dating from earlier years. Most of the parish records prior to the 1800s have substantial gaps in their coverage. Generally, the church records in this collection end in 1911.

The most recent records included in this collection are from 2001, rather than 2023. Some of these records may also be found in other Historical Records collections.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Portuguese. For help reading these records see Portuguese Genealogical Word List and Portuguese Letter-writing Guide.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: Birth (Nascimentos) • 2 Legitimation (Legitimações) • 2 Marriage (Matrimônios, Casamentos) • 2 Death (Obitos) • 2

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
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

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

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

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.