Finding Place Names in the Family History Library Catalog

Place names in the Family History Library Catalog are listed under their modern names and current municipalities and states as they existed in 1993. To find the municipality that a town is filed under in the Family History Library Catalog, you can use the “see” references on the first Family History Library Locality Catalog microfiche of each state. If you are using the catalog on a compact disc, use the “Locality Browse” search. The computer will find places with that name.

Because of the many changes in place names, the Family History Library uses one gazetteer as the standard guide for listing places in the Family History Library Catalog. Regardless of the names a place may have had at various times, all Brazilian places are listed in the Family History Library Catalog as they are listed in:

Cadastro de Municípios (Survey of Municipalities). Rio de Janeiro: Fundação Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, 1993. (FHL book 981 E5c; computer number 0791700.)

Although this book is the standard used for cataloging, many items were cataloged prior to 1993, using older gazetteers; therefore, some discrepancies arise. If you cannot find a place in the catalog using the 1993 gazetteer, search an older gazetteer.

Another useful gazetteer that identifies many towns, cities, and geographical areas in Brazil and other parts of the world is found below. This gazetteer is written in English, easy to use, and available through many public libraries:

The Columbia Lippincott gazetteer of the world: with 1961 supplement. Morningside, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, c1962. (FHL book 910.3 C723g; computer number 0260764.)

Modern Place Names

For some research purposes such as correspondence it is useful to learn modern jurisdictions for the area where your ancestor lived. This may also be helpful when finding the ancestral town on modern maps. In addition to the above gazetteer, the following modern gazetteers may be found at large libraries and archives and in the Family History Library:

Cadastro de Cartórios do Registro Civil 1981. (Survey of the Civil Registry Offices). Rio de Janeiro: Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística, 1982. (FHL book 981 J54; film 1667140 item 1; computer number 0571689.)

Guia postal (geográfico) da República dos Estados Unidos do Brasil (Geographical Postal guide of the Republic of Brazil). Rio de Janeiro: Diretoria Geral dos Correios, 1930–1931. 2 vols (FHL book 981 E8d; film 1102988 items 2–3; computer number 0019252.)

Dicionário geográfico brasileiro (Brazilian Geographical Dictionary). Porto Alegre, Brazil: Editora Globo, 1966, 1970. (FHL book 981 E5; computer number 0026306.)

Historical Place Names

Because names and boundaries of some places have changed or no longer exist, you may need to use gazetteers, maps, or local history sources that describe places as they were known earlier. For example, there are four places in Brazil with the name João Pessoa. One of these towns was known as Porto, in the state of Piauí, prior to 1930. Between 1930 and 1944 it was known as Marruás, but it is now known as João Pessoa. A gazetteer will help you sort this information.

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