R E S E A R C H   G U I D A N C E

Brazil
Research Outline
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Table of Contents
Helps For Using This Research Outline
     References To Other Family History Library Publications
Archives And Libraries
     National Government Archives And Libraries
     State Archives
     Civil And District Civil Registry Offices
     Diocese And Parish Archives
     Libraries And Archives Of Portugal
     Private And Public Libraries
     Historical And Genealogical Societies
     Inventories, Registers, And Catalogs
Biography
Cemeteries
Census
     Bahia State Census
     São Paulo State Census
     Paraná State Census
     Polish Census
     Searching Census Records
     Searching In Big Cities
Church Directories
Church History
     Roman Catholic
     Judaism
     Other Religions
Church Records
     General Historical Background
     Information Recorded In Church Registers
     Records Not At The Family History Library
     Search Strategies
Civil Registration
     Information Recorded In Civil Registers
     Locating Civil Registration Records
     Records At The Family History Library
     Locating Records Not At The Family History Library
     Search Strategies
Court Records
Directories
Emigration And Immigration
     Finding Your Ancestor’s Town Of Origin
     Passenger Lists
     Immigration To Brazil
     Records Of Brazilian Emigrants To The United States
     Other Records Of Departure
Encyclopedias And Dictionaries
Gazetteers
     Finding Place Names In The Family History Library Catalog
     Modern Place Names
     Historical Place Names
Genealogy
     Major Collections And Databases
     Family Histories
     Computer Networks And Bulletin Boards
Heraldry
Historical Geography
     The Captaincies
     States
History
     Local Histories
Jewish Records
Land And Property
Language And Languages
     Language Aids
Maps
     Using Maps
     Finding The Specific Town On The Map
     Finding Maps And Atlases
Military Records
     Military History
Minorities
Names, Personal
     Surnames
     Given Names
Native Races
Nobility
Notarial Records
Occupations
Periodicals
     Obtaining Periodicals
Probate Records
Slavery And Bondage
Social Life And Customs
Societies
Taxation
Other Records Of Brazil
For Further Reading
Comments And Suggestions

CENSUS


A census is a count and description of a population. Censuses have been taken by various governments of Brazil and by some ecclesiastical officials. Census records are not frequently used in Brazilian family history research because better sources such as church records and civil registrations exist.

After compiling statistical information, the original census returns in Brazil were often destroyed. Census records of some areas still exist at regional archives, and some ecclesiastical censuses are found in diocesan archives. Information is given here concerning census records of the following regions and people:

  • Bahia State Census
  • São Paulo State Census
  • Paraná State Census
  • Polish Census


Bahia State Census

The administrative section of the Bahia state archives (Arquivo do Estado), in Salvador, has 10 volumes of census records (população) for 1890. These records are of children who resided in the parishes of Santo Antônio Além do Carmo, Sant’Ana da Ilha de Maré, São Pedro, Itapoã, and Conceição. You will need to visit the state archives in Bahia to search these records. See the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline for the address.


São Paulo State Census

The São Paulo state archives (Arquivo do Estado in São Paulo) has census records (população) covering 1765 to 1840. These records cover all of the state of São Paulo, which was much larger then than it is now. These records are contained in 226 metal boxes and document complete families, with relationships, ages, residences, and in some cases birthplaces of the individuals.

The following information about São Paulo census records comes from pages 154 to 156 of Lyman De Platt’s book Genealogical Historical Guide to Latin America (FHL book 980 D27p; computer number 0008654):

In the archive is a metal box entitled População–- Capital–-Anos 1818–1827––Caixa 36. This box contains seven bundles of census records. Each census record contains basically the same personal information for each person, including given names, ages, nationalities, civil statuses, occupations, and military classifications (for the military census). These bundles comprise:

  • Military census of 1818 for São Paulo’s nine companies. The census list for each company comprises about 50 folios.
  • Parish census of 1818 for the state of São Paulo, in 11 bundles of about 50 folios each.
  • Census of 1822 to 1823 for the state of São Paulo. There are about 650 pages, or 1,300 folios in these three bundles, numbered 2, 3 and 7.
  • Census of 1825 to 1826 for the state of São Paulo. These records are made up of about 475 pages, or 950 folios in bundles numbered 4 and 5.
  • Census of 1827 for the state of São Paulo, located in bundle 6, which consists of about 200 pages.

The São Paulo state archives also has other census records of its former region from 1765 to 1858. The information included in these censuses is similar to that in the records described above. These records have not been filmed by the Family History Library and are currently available only through the state archive in São Paulo. Following is a list of these records, listed by localities and years:

Locality Year of Census
Apiaí 1776–1846
Arêas 1817–1825, 1828–1830, 1832–1846
Atibaia-Nazaré 1765–1820, 1822–1826, 1828–1850
Bragança 1798–1816, 1818–1822, 1824–1847
Campinas 1797–1836
Cananéia 1765–1856
Capital (São Paulo) 1765–1798, 1801–1805,1807–1811, 1813–1827, 1829–1846
Cotia 1765–1847
Cunha 1789–1836
Faxina 1775–1846
Franca 1824–1848
Guaratinguetá 1765–1798, 1800–1836
Guarulhos 1765–1798, 1802–1842
Iguape-Xiririca 1765–1825, 1828–1872
Itanhaem 1765–1846
Itapetininga 1769–1799, 1801–1850
Itú 1765–1778, 1782–1847
Jacareí 1765–1829
Jacareí-Paraibuna-Sta Branca-Jundiaí 1767–1783, 1785–1842, 1830–1850
Juquirí 1767–1808, 1810–1846
Lorena 1789–1825, 1828–1850
Moji das Cruzes 1765–1777, 1779–1799, 1801–1820, 1822–1850
Moji Guaçú 1765–1846
Moji Mirim 1765–1787, 1789–1799, 1801–1818, 1820–1830, 1832–1850
Parnaíba 1765–1780
Parnaíba-S. Roque 1781–1818, 1820–1825, 1827–1858
Pindamonhangaba 1766–1846
Piracicaba 1822–1828, 1832–1850
Porto Feliz 1797–1811, 1813–1825, 1827–1843
Santo Amaro 1765–1802, 1804–1847
Santos 1765–1799, 1801–1822, 1824–1846
São Bernardo 1776–1846
São José dos Campos 1803–1818, 1820–1847
São Luiz Paraitinga 1775–1843
São Sebastião 1765–1850
São Vicente 1765–1846
Sorocaba-Faxina-Itapetininga 1765–1776
Sorocaba 1777–1783, 1785–1810, 1812–1829, 1835–1846
Taubaté 1765–1786, 1789–1799, 1801–1810, 1812–1820, 1822–1836
Ubatuba 1765–1850
Vila Bela 1806–1855


Paraná State Census

Census records for the state of Paraná are housed in the Arquivo do Estado in São Paulo. These records have not been filmed by the Family History Library. They include the following records:

Locality Year of Census
Antonina 1798–1826, 1828–1835
Castro 1789–1820, 1822–1846
Curitiba 1765–1798, 1800–1806, 1809–1822, 1824–1846
Guaratuba 1775–1844
Lages 1776–1818
Paranaguá 1767–1799, 1801–1850
Príncipe 1806–1818, 1822–1850


Polish Census

References to Polish census records for the southern part of Brazil may be found in:

Arquivos Para a História do Brasil Meridional (Archives of the History of Southern Brazil). Curitiba, Brazil: (Papelaria Requião Ltda.), 1971. (FHL book 981.6 B4b no. 14; computer number 0017504.)

Information about Italian and Polish immigrants in southern Brazil can also be found in the Arquivo dos Padres da Congregação de São Vicente de Paulo (Archive of the Priests of the São Vincente de Paulo Parish) in Curitiba, Paraná.


Searching Census Records

When searching census records it is important to remember the following:


Searching in Big Cities

Finding your ancestor’s family in the census records of a large city and learning the street where the family resided will also enable you to search other records such as church records and civil registrations.

If possible, determine your ancestor’s address for the time period of the census you are searching. Sources that sometimes give street addresses for cities in Brazil include:

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