Azores Genealogy

Genealogy Research in the Azores

1584 map of the Azores by Luís Teixeira

The Azores are a great place to do research because of the wealth of historical material that can be found at the district'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 Azorean and Portuguese genealogy is the Direção-Geral de Arquivos, which is a directory of archives located throughout Portugal, Africa, and Latin America.

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.

There are a number of ways to get copies of vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) in the Azores. 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.

The Family History Library holds a large collection of records relating to the Azores. 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.

Where to Find Records

Port of Ponte Delgada in 1899

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 the Azores' 19 municipalities and 156 civil parishes.

Civil Parish

Achada

Achadinha

Água de Pau

Algarvia

Altares

Arco da Calheta

Bandeiras

Cabouco

Calheta

Calheta de Nesquim

Candelária

Capelo

Castelo Branco

Cedros

Cinco Ribeiras

Criação Velha

Doze Ribeiras

Estreito da Calheta

Fajã Grande

Fajã da Ovelha

Fajãzinha

Fazenda

Feteira

Flamengos

Jardim do Mar

Lajedo

Lajes das Flores

Lomba

Lomba da Fazenda

Madalena

Mosteiro

Nordeste

Nossa Senhora da Conceição

Nossa Senhora do Rosário

Paúl do Mar

Pedro Miguel

Piedade

Ponta do Pargo

Porto Judeu

Posto Santo

Praia do Almoxarife

Praia do Norte

Prazeres

Raminho

Ribeiras

Ribeira Chã

Ribeirinha

Salão

Salga

Santa Bárbara

Santa Cruz

Santa Luzia

Santana

São Bartolomeu de Regatos

Santo António de Nordestinho

São Pedro de Nordestinho

São Bento

São Caetano

São João

São Mateus

São Mateus da Calheta

São Pedro

Sé

Serreta

Terra Chã

Vila de São Sebastião

Municipality

Nordeste

Lagoa

Nordeste

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Calheta

Madalena

Lagoa

Calheta

Lajes do Pico

Madalena

Horta

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Madalena

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Calheta

Lajes das Flores

Calheta

Lajes das Flores

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Horta

Calheta

Lajes das Flores

Nordeste

Madalena

Lajes das Flores

Nordeste

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Lagoa

Calheta

Horta

Lajes do Pico

Calheta

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Horta

Calheta

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Lajes do Pico

Lagoa

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Horta

Lajes do Pico

Horta

Nordeste

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Lagoa

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Nordeste

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Nordeste

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Madalena

Lajes do Pico

Madalena

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Angra do Heroísmo‎‎

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Island

São Miguel

Terceira

Madeira

Pico

São Miguel

Madeira

Pico

Horta

Terceira

Pico

Terceira

Madeira

Flores

Madeira

Flores

Terceira

Horta

Madeira

Flores

São Miguel

Pico

Flores

São Miguel

Terceira

São Miguel

Madeira

Horta

Pico

Madeira

Terceira

Horta

Madeira

Terceira

Pico

São Miguel

Terceira

Horta

Pico

Horta

São Miguel

Terceira

São Miguel

Terceira

São Miguel

Terceira

São Miguel

Terceira

Pico

Terceira

Capital

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Funchal

Madalena

Ponta Delgada

Funchal

Madalena

Faial

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Madalena

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Funchal

Lajes das Flores

Funchal

Lajes das Flores

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Faial

Funchal

Lajes das Flores

Ponta Delgada

Madalena

Lajes das Flores

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Ponta Delgada

Funchal

Faial

Madalena

Funchal

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Faial

Funchal

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Madalena

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Faial

Madalena

Faial

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Ponta Delgada

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Madalena

Angra do Heroísmo‎

Region

Azores