(Credit: Joao Ventura, the archivist)
(Note: I'm copying from 2011, so not sure if some hyperlinks work)
*BAPTISMS*
Key Baptism Words:
baptisei solemnemente = baptize solemnly
um individuo do sexo masculino/feminino =(an individual of the sex
masculine/feminine)
nome = name
nasceu = born
filho legitimo = son legitimate
filha natural = daughter illegitimate
Pai nao sabido = father unknown
Pais incognitos = parents unknown
natural (with a location) = native
onde se receberam = where received (married)
neto paterno = grandson paternal
neta materna = granddaughter maternal
Foi paderinho = For godfather
madrinha = godmother
*Third Baptism Period 1860-1911* (approx). - this is mainly from Joao
Ventura's lectures in San Jose and Sacramento, CA a few years ago.
Order of the info that appears in a record from this time period:
• Baptism date
• Village and neighborhood
• Council and priest
• Sex of child
• First name of child, date and time of birth
• Sometimes number born before with the same name
• Name: first, middle, mother’s family name, father’s family name
• Legitimate or illegitimate
• Father’s name
• Mother’s name
• Place of birth
• Where living
• Place married
• Maternal/paternal grandparents names
• Godparents
The information below originally came from Joao Ventura when he came to
California a few years ago and gave his speeches in San Jose and Sacramento.
*Second Baptism Period* (again, a guideline, not a hard and fast rule with
these dates)
*(1696/early 1700s – 1860)* (not because of the handwriting/paleography
per se, but because all the information that you need is right up on the
top lines).
*These are the easiest records to read *(not because of the
handwriting/paleography per se, but because all the information that you
need is right up on the top lines).
• Name of baby
• Father’s name
• Mother’s name
• Village of origin
• Date born
• Date baptized
• Priest’s name
• Godparents
• Sometimes relationship between child & godparents
• Witnesses (sometimes godfather)
• If mother single, information about her parents
•Godfather necessary
• Godmother could be by invocation (call upon a saint or blessed mother)
• Dona was a title for a lady of higher position or nobility
> 1600s, title was real
> 1700s titles was sometimes real
> 1800s titles were less accurate
• Priest and godparents signed records
• No abbreviations (they are forbidden) (except for the few priests who
didn't get the memo!)
*First Baptism Period *
*(1500s - 1696)*
Very basic information is contained in the first period records.
• Date
• Priest
• Child’s name
• Parents names sometimes missing
• Only priest signed record
• Lots of abbreviations
Some abbreviations can be found here (from the LDS' Portuguese Paleography
booklet): http://goo.gl/K5cR9
The full booklet (already posted previously) can be found here:
http://goo.gl/vuO53
Portuguese Word List: http://goo.gl/LvDzG
*MARRIAGES*
Key Words (Marriage)
igreja parochial = parish church
lugar = place
nubentes = betrothed
sem impedimento = without impediment (means the couple is not related)
consanguinidade = consanguinity (related by blood - such as a cousin
marriage)
afinidade = affinity (related, such as the wife died and so he married his
sister-in-law)
grau = degree
elle = he; ella = she
idade = age
annos = years
solteiro = single; solteira = single (female)
moradores = both living/residing
ja de functo = had died (male); functos = both dead
testimunhas = witnesses
*Third Marriage Period (1860 – 1911)* - Again, the years are approximate.
All from Joao Ventura's lectures a few years back.
General info:
• Age of individual determined age at time of marriage - the person had to
be self-sufficient
• Those with resources married younger
Those without resources married at an older age
Order (usually) that the info appears:
• Date, church, place, council, island, diocese, Priest
• Groom and bride, papers, impediments
• Groom’s age, status, occupation, parents
• Brides’s age, status, occupation, parents
• Witnesses
*Second Marriage Period *
*(1696/early 1700s – 1860)* (again, a guideline)
• Date, church, place
• Dispensation
• Priest and church stuff
• Name of groom, age (sometimes), status, parents
• Name of bride, age (sometimes), status, parents
• Witnesses
Much less info in this time period.
*First Marriage Period *
*(1500s - 1696)*
• Less information
• Date
• Names
• Sometimes parents
• If widow/widower, name of deceased spouse
• No place of baptism
• 1600s, priest used shorter names (left out parts)
*DEATHS*
Key words for the death or obitos:
faleceu/falleceu = died
viuvo = widower; viuva = widow
mais ou menos = more or less
sepultado = buried
cemiterio = cemetery
afinidade = affinity
grau = degree
*Third Death Period (1860 – 1911)*
•Date and hour of death
• Place of death
• Whether received sacraments (confession, communion, extreme unction
(sacrament of the dead).
• If sacraments of confession and communion not received, cause of death
is recorded.
• If not of sound mind, could not receive confession or communion (also if
could not swallow).
* Name and age
•Marital status
• Parents names
• Where lived
• Native of which village
• Whether left a will
• Number of children (number of legitimate and illegitimate)
*Second Death Period *
*(1696/early 1700s – 1860)* (a guideline)
* Date of death
* Place of death
* If received sacraments
* Name of deceased, age more or less
* Marital status; if married, to whom
* If left a will
* Sometimes, description of grave (#)
* Before 1830/1840, deceased were buried inside the church; after this
period, every church had a cemetery
*First Death Period *
*(1500s - 1696)*
These records give minimal information. The name and date is there. Other
info that could be there:
*Date of death
* Son/daughter of
* Buried in mother’s grave
* Mother’s name
Cheri Mello
Listowner, Azores-Gen
Researching: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas,
Achada
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