Brazil’s death records are a crucial resource for genealogists researching family histories in South America’s largest country. Civil registration of deaths officially began in 1888, following the abolition of slavery, but earlier records can be found in Catholic Church registers dating back to the 16th century. These church records, created during Brazil’s colonial period, often include vital information about baptisms, marriages, and burials, making them invaluable for tracing lineage.
Death records typically provide key details such as the deceased's name, date and place of death, age, cause of death, and sometimes information about family members. Additional sources, such as cemetery records, obituaries, and notarial documents, help supplement genealogical research, especially for earlier periods.
Brazil’s rich and complex history, shaped by Indigenous cultures, Portuguese colonization, the transatlantic slave trade, and waves of European, Asian, and Middle Eastern immigration, is reflected in these records. They are especially valuable for understanding familial and cultural connections across Brazil’s diverse regions. For genealogists, Brazil’s death records provide a vital link to uncovering personal histories and gaining insight into the cultural and historical evolution of this vast and diverse country.
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Birth, Marriage & Death
Death, Burial, Cemetery & Obituaries
- Brazil, Pernambuco Deaths, 1820-2017 5,570,446 records
- Brazil, Deaths, 1750-1890 85,004 records
