Azores Genealogy

Genealogy Research in Beja District, Portugal

Eleanor of Portugal (1458-1525)

Beja is 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 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 Beja District. 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 Beja District of 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.

Where to Find Records

Ajustrel from the east in 1814

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 Beja's 14 municipalities and 75 civil parishes.

Civil Parish

Albernoa e Trindade

Alcaria Ruiva

Aldeia dos Fernandes

Alfundão e Peroguarda

Aljustrel e Rio de Moinhos

Almodôvar e Graça dos Padrões

Alvito

Amareleja

Baleizão

Barrancos

Beja (Salvador e Santa Maria da Feira)

Beja (Santiago Maior e São João Baptista)

Beringel

Boavista dos Pinheiros

Brinches

Cabeça Gorda

Castro Verde e Casével

Colos

Corte do Pinto

Cuba

Entradas

Ervidel

Espírito Santo

Faro do Alentejo

Ferreira do Alentejo e Canhestros

Figueira dos Cavaleiros

Garvão e Santa Luzia

Longueira/Almograve

Luzianes-Gare

Mértola

Messejana

Moura e Santo Amador

Nossa Senhora das Neves

Odivelas

Ourique

Panóias e Conceição

Pedrógão

Pias

Póvoa de São Miguel

Relíquias

Rosário

Sabóia

Safara e Santo Aleixo da Restauração

Salvada e Quintos

Santa Bárbara de Padrões

Santa Clara de Louredo

Santa Clara-a-Nova e Gomes Aires

Santa Clara-a-Velha

Santa Vitória e Mombeja

Santa Cruz

Santana de Cambas

Santana da Serra

São Barnabé

São João dos Caldeireiros

São João de Negrilhos

São Luís

S. Miguel do Pinheiro, S. Pedro de Solis e S. Sebastião

São Marcos da Ataboeira

São Martinho das Amoreiras

São Matias

São Salvador e Santa Maria

São Teotónio

Selmes

Serpa (Salvador e Santa Maria)

Sobral da Adiça

Trigaches e São Brissos

Vale de Santiago

Vidigueira

Vila Alva

Vila de Frades

Vila Nova da Baronia

Vila Nova de Milfontes

Vila Nova de São Bento e Vale de Vargo

Vila Ruiva

Vila Verde de Ficalho

Municipality

Beja

Mértola

Almodôvar

Ferreira do Alentejo

Aljustrel

Almodôvar

Alvito

Moura

Beja

Barrancos

Beja

Odemira

Serpa

Beja

Castro Verde

Odemira

Mértola

Cuba

Castro Verde

Aljustrel

Mértola

Cuba

Ferreira do Alentejo

Ourique

Odemira

Mértola

Aljustrel

Moura

Beja

Ferreira do Alentejo

Ourique

Vidigueira

Serpa

Moura

Odemira

Almodôvar

Odemira

Moura

Beja

Castro Verde

Beja

Almodôvar

Odemira

Beja

Almodôvar

Mértola

Ourique

Almodôvar

Mértola

Aljustrel

Odemira

Mértola

Castro Verde

Odemira

Beja

Odemira

Vidigueira

Serpa

Moura

Beja

Odemira

Vidigueira

Cuba

Vidigueira

Alvito

Odemira

Serpa

Cuba

Serpa

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District

Beja

Region

Alentejo