Cape Verde, Catholic Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Cape Verde

What Is in the Collection?
This collection includes baptism, marriage, and death records from Catholic Church parishes on the ten (10) islands of Cape Verde and date from 1787-1957. These records are housed at the Arquivo Nacional de Cabo Verde.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Portuguese. See the section For Help Reading these Records for translation helps.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Baptismal Records may contain:
 * Name of child
 * Name of parents
 * Birthdate of child
 * Birthplace of child

Marriage Records may contain:
 * Name of groom
 * Name of bride
 * Marriage date
 * Marriage place

Death Records may contain:
 * Name of deceased
 * Place of death
 * Date of death

Sample Images
Click on image for a larger view.

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * General location of the event
 * Date range for record

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page. br>

1. Select the appropriate Island 2. Select the appropriate Civil Parish 3. Select the appropriate 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.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Portuguese. For help reading the records, see the following resources:
 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Portuguese Letter-writing Guide
 * Learning Center Resources:
 * Portuguese Handwriting Tutorial: Portuguese Letters
 * Portuguese Handwriting Tutorial: Date, Words, and Names
 * Portuguese Handwriting Tutorial: Reading Portuguese Records

I Found Who I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the ages to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in civil records.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify. Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records indexes in the country.
 * Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information.
 * Information you find may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

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

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor
 * Your ancestor may have used nicknames, middle names, or different names at different times.
 * For women, burial records may be filed using their maiden name, so they may not be found by searching the married name.
 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, Civil Registration records may be more useful.
 * Standard spelling of names may not have existed during the periods your ancestor lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation.
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another.

Citing This Collection
A citation is a note that shows where you found information. Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Using citations allows others to find the same records.


 * Collection Citation:

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