Portugal, Viana do Castelo, Miscellaneous Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes civil registration records dating from 1636 to 1962 and housed at the Arquivo Distrital de Viana do Castelo, Portugal. Some types of civil registration records in this collection include passport registers, testaments, guardianships and inventories of minors and adults for inheritance distribution.

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. Images for this collection are available at the Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers, and to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Images can be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you.

Reading These Records
These records are in Portuguese. For help reading these records see the following guides:


 * Portuguese Genealogical Word List
 * Portuguese Letter-writing Guide
 * Learning Center Resources:

Collection Content
Wills may contain the following information:


 * Names of Testator (the person who has died)
 * Executor (the person carrying out the will)
 * Heirs (the people who will receive the money or property of the Testator)
 * Heirs's birth dates, and places of residence
 * Testator’s birth date
 * Testator’s place of residence
 * Date and place where will was filed
 * Spouse’s name and birth date
 * Names of witnesses

Guardianships may contain the following information:


 * Names of guardian and ward

Passports may contain the following information:


 * Name, nationality, and gender of holder
 * Birth date of holder

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Municipality
 * 2) Select Record Type and Years to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference; see the section Citing This Collection for assistance. Save or print a copy of the image
 * Use the information to find more. For instance, use the age listed in the record to estimate a year of birth, if that is yet undetermined
 * Compile information for every person who has the same surname as your ancestor; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual
 * Use the residence and names of the parents to locate church records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent

I Can’t Find The Person I’m Looking For, What Now?
New information is constantly being indexed, microfilmed or updated. Periodically check back and see if your ancestor’s records have been added. You can see if the area you’ve been looking in has been recently updated by going to Historical Records Collections and notice the asterisk for recently added or updated records.
 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Portugal’s emigration rate is one of the highest in the world. Check Portugal Emigration and Immigration for more information
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition, local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military unties, counties, parishes, etc.)

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Portugal.
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation: "Portugal, Viana do Castelo, Registros Vários, 1636-1962." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 20 April 2017. Arquivo Distrital do Viana do Castelo (Viana do Castelo District Archives, Viana do Castelo).