Genealogy Research in Portugal
Portugaliae et Algarbiae by Nicolaes Visscher II
Portugal is a great place to do research because of the wealth of historical material that can be found at the country's many archives, libraries, and other repositories. Some of Portugal's best resources for historical research can be found in Lisbon at places like the Arquivo Nacional da Torre do Tombo and Biblioteca Nacional. Another great resource for Portuguese genealogy is the Direção-Geral de Arquivos, which is a directory of archives located throughout Portugal, Africa, and Latin America.
There are a number of ways to get copies of vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) in Portugal. Portugal began countrywide registration of vital records in 1832, but church parish registers, which would include baptismal, marriage, and burial records, can be found throughout Portugal, many dating back to the 1600s or even earlier. Some of these records are now available online at Ancestry.com and FamilySearch, or on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, most civil and church records in Portugal would be found at local church parishes, diocesan archives, and civil registration offices at the local level with the help of a professional genealogist.
In addition to country-level archives, records can also be found locally at various church parishes, public libraries, and civil registry offices. Many records are also now available online at a number of great websites including Ancestry.com and FamilySearch, which both have large searchable databases relating to Portuguese history and genealogy. We have also compiled a large database of noteworthy Portuguese families that can be found at the following link.
The Family History Library holds a large collection of records relating to Portugal. This is the largest and most important genealogy collection in the world and is worth a visit to explore the many billions of records that can be found there. Published material consists of books, microfilm, microfiche, and other records for all areas of Portugal. The Family History Library also has smaller family history centers located throughout the world where you can order microfilm and have these records shipped to the local area where you live. The library has also transcribed and indexed billions of Portuguese church records, civil registers, published histories, censuses, and other types of records which are available online at FamilySearch.org.
There are a number of ways to get copies of vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) in Portugal. Portugal began countrywide registration of vital records in 1832, but church parish registers, which would include baptismal, marriage, and burial records, can be found throughout Portugal, many dating back to the 1600s or even earlier. Some of these records are now available online at Ancestry.com and FamilySearch, or on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. However, most civil and church records in Portugal would be found at local church parishes, diocesan archives, and civil registration offices at the local level with the help of a professional genealogist.
In addition to country-level archives, records can also be found locally at various church parishes, public libraries, and civil registry offices. Many records are also now available online at a number of great websites including Ancestry.com and FamilySearch, which both have large searchable databases relating to Portuguese history and genealogy. We have also compiled a large database of noteworthy Portuguese families that can be found at the following link.
The Family History Library holds a large collection of records relating to Portugal. This is the largest and most important genealogy collection in the world and is worth a visit to explore the many billions of records that can be found there. Published material consists of books, microfilm, microfiche, and other records for all areas of Portugal. The Family History Library also has smaller family history centers located throughout the world where you can order microfilm and have these records shipped to the local area where you live. The library has also transcribed and indexed billions of Portuguese church records, civil registers, published histories, censuses, and other types of records which are available online at FamilySearch.org.
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A professional genealogist could also be helpful to your research in Portugal. With the expertise and knowledge of a skilled researcher, you can have someone visit local archives and libraries on your behalf throughout Portugal. This is especially helpful if you don't live in the area and don't have ready access to court, land, and many other types of records that can often only be found after a visit to a local courthouse, public library, historical society, or council office. If you would like a professional genealogist to assist you with your ongoing research, please click on the link.
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The Portuguese Diaspora
If your goal is to trace your immigrant ancestors back to their place of origin, it is important to first locate the many different types of records that your ancestors left behind in places like the United States, Canada, Brazil, and elsewhere. Records like ships' passenger lists, naturalization petitions, censuses, military records, vital records, obituaries, and cemetery records can often provide you with information about your ancestor's birthplace, names of relatives, and other important information. This will help you narrow your search parameters when your ancestry search continues overseas. It is generally not possible to locate family records in Portugal without first conducting extensive research in the places where your ancestors immigrated to. If you are currently doing research on your immigrant ancestors in hopes of getting a second passport through the process of jure sanguinis, please click here for more information.
Getting Started With Your Research
Many people wonder where they should begin with their family history research in Portugal. If you are new to genealogical research, the first thing you'll need to do is to start building a family tree with the information you already have at your disposal. There are some great genealogy software programs available that will help you get started with this process. Family Tree Maker, Legacy Family Tree, Family Historian, and RootsMagic all make great programs that can help organize your research.
Get started by first creating a pedigree chart for yourself and family group sheets for your parents, grandparents, and other close family members. You can download free copies of these forms at FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. You can also create these records using a genealogy software program. Family group sheets allow you to record information like family members' birth dates, marriage dates, death dates, burial places, spouses' names, and other information that will be helpful to you as your research progresses. Interview living relatives and take notes about the major events of their lives. Add this information to your family files so that you will have a strong foundation of information as you move forward with your project.
During the initial stages of your research, you can accomplish a great deal using online resources. It is highly recommended that you get subscriptions to websites like Ancestry.com to help with your ongoing research. Information can also be found for free at FamilySearch.org. Many types of records including censuses, vital records, obituaries, and immigration records are available online and will help you put in place the building blocks for the first part of your family tree. Using a combination of online resources along with more traditional archival research will allow you to create a thoroughly documented family history.
It is important when carrying out your research that you are thorough in documenting your family tree. Don't overlook the importance of finding your ancestor's siblings, cousins, and other close relatives. Brick walls are often encountered in genealogical research. To get beyond an apparent impasse it is often worthwhile to approach your research holistically. Many researchers who are new to genealogy often just want to get back as far as possible along a direct paternal or maternal family line. However, it is often the death certificates, obituaries, or other records relating to your ancestor's siblings and other relatives that will provide you with the breakthroughs you are looking for.
Get started by first creating a pedigree chart for yourself and family group sheets for your parents, grandparents, and other close family members. You can download free copies of these forms at FamilySearch.org and Ancestry.com. You can also create these records using a genealogy software program. Family group sheets allow you to record information like family members' birth dates, marriage dates, death dates, burial places, spouses' names, and other information that will be helpful to you as your research progresses. Interview living relatives and take notes about the major events of their lives. Add this information to your family files so that you will have a strong foundation of information as you move forward with your project.
During the initial stages of your research, you can accomplish a great deal using online resources. It is highly recommended that you get subscriptions to websites like Ancestry.com to help with your ongoing research. Information can also be found for free at FamilySearch.org. Many types of records including censuses, vital records, obituaries, and immigration records are available online and will help you put in place the building blocks for the first part of your family tree. Using a combination of online resources along with more traditional archival research will allow you to create a thoroughly documented family history.
It is important when carrying out your research that you are thorough in documenting your family tree. Don't overlook the importance of finding your ancestor's siblings, cousins, and other close relatives. Brick walls are often encountered in genealogical research. To get beyond an apparent impasse it is often worthwhile to approach your research holistically. Many researchers who are new to genealogy often just want to get back as far as possible along a direct paternal or maternal family line. However, it is often the death certificates, obituaries, or other records relating to your ancestor's siblings and other relatives that will provide you with the breakthroughs you are looking for.
Where to Find Records
Many Portuguese family records can be found online and at various archives and libraries located throughout the country. Many millions of records aren't yet available online, though, and many of these are awaiting your discovery at the local level at courthouses, historical societies, churches,, cemeteries, and elsewhere in Portugal. To find these and other records, click on the links below to discover more information about the specific places where your ancestors lived. You'll find information on these pages that will lead you to the specific documentation you're searching for.
It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain areas in Portugal have changed over the past few hundred years. For example, your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family might have been located in another area entirely. When looking for records it is therefore a good idea to search in adjacent areas. Following is a complete list of Portugal's present regions, and historic counties, along with links leading to church parish records in all of these places.
It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain areas in Portugal have changed over the past few hundred years. For example, your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family might have been located in another area entirely. When looking for records it is therefore a good idea to search in adjacent areas. Following is a complete list of Portugal's present regions, and historic counties, along with links leading to church parish records in all of these places.
DistrictBraga
Bragança
Castelo Branco
Coimbra
Évora
Faro
Guarda
Leiria
Lisbon
Madeira
Portalegre
Porto
Santarém
Setúbal
Viana do Castelo
Vila Real
Viseu
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CapitalAveiro
Ponta Delgada
Beja
Braga
Bragança
Castelo Branco
Coimbra
Évora
Faro
Guarda
Leiria
Lisbon
Funchal
Portalegre
Porto
Santarém
Setúbal
Viana do Castelo
Vila Real
Viseu
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RegionCentro and Norte
Azores
Alentejo
Norte
Norte
Centro
Centro
Alentejo
Algarve
Centro
Centro
Lisbon
Madeira
Alentejo
Norte
Centro
Lisbon
Norte
Norte
Centro
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Municipalities19
19
14
14
12
11
17
14
16
14
16
16
11
15
18
21
13
10
14
24
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Civil Parishes147
156
75
347
299
120
155
69
67
242
110
134
54
69
243
141
55
208
197
277
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