Macapá, Amapá, Brazil Genealogy

Guide to Municipality of Macapá ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, church records, parish registers, and civil registration.

History
Macapá originated from a military detachment fixed in the same place as the ruins of the old Fortress of Santo Antônio, from 1740, which arose as a result of constant requests made by the government of the Province of Grão Pará and Maranhão (to whom the lands of Amapá were legally annexed), João de Abreu Castelo Branco, who since 1738, feeling the state of abandonment in which the Fortress was, asked the Portuguese Crown for urgent measures. In 1740, the Portuguese king D. João responded, who not only authorized the governor of Pará to build a fort on the same site as the ruins of the Santo Antônio fortress, but also sent a project for the construction of a small fort conceived by sergeant- Manuel de Azevedo Fortes and by the chief engineer of the kingdom, Miguel Luís Alves, and Macapá originated from this fort. After D. José I assumed the Portuguese throne, the Marquis of Pombal assumed the royal ministry and then appointed his brother Francisco Xavier de Mendonça Furtado to command the Arms of the Province of Pará, as well as the presidency of the province itself. , enjoying full powers to promote the foundation and colonization of villages in the Northern Amazon. It is at this time that Macapá sees the arrival of settlers from the Azores. On February 2, 1758, Mendonça Furtado installed the Legislative and Judiciary powers of the village, and on February 4, two days later, he elevated the village to the category of village. The emancipation of Macapá aroused the greed of the Dutch, English and French who threatened at all costs to invade the town. After an intense campaign, Mendonça Furtado died, not realizing his dream of seeing Macapá properly fortified. The great fortress was only inaugurated on March 19, 1782, 18 years after the work began. Once the imposing fortress was built, the town began to develop, always enjoying the inherent advantages of its quality as a military center, until the days that preceded the proclamation of Brazil's Independence. Macapá grew up in the shadow of this fortress, a testament to the Luso-Brazilian effort in the conquest, colonization and maintenance of the Amazon and represents the most vigorous affirmation of Portuguese rule in the Territory of Amapá. It played a relevant role in the Berne arbitration award on December 1, 1900. The toponym is of Tupi origin, with a variation of macapaba, which means place of many bacabas, a palm fruit native to the region. Elevated to the category of town with the name of São José de Macapá, in 1758. Elevated to the condition of city with the name of Macapá, in 1856.

Former Names:
 * São José de Macapá

Local Offices
2º Ofício de Notas e Anexos Rua Santos Dumont, 2723 Macapá - AP, 68900-450 Telephone: (096) 3242-4000 Email:cc.passos@terra.com.br Registro de Imóveis "Eloy Nunes" Avenida Ernestino Borges, 923 Macapá - AP, 68908-010 Telephone: (096) 3223-4888 Email:ninonunes@uol.com.br Cartório de Registros Públicos e mais Cargos Anexos Rua Tiradentes, 604 Macapá - AP, 68906-380 Telephone: (096) 3222-0604 Email:cartoriojuca@uol.com.br Sucursal do Cartório do Bailique Vila Progresso, Passarela Noemia Amanajás Macapá - AP, 68913-000 '''Telephone: (096) 3332-1117

Localities
The municipality consists of 5 districts: Macapá, Bailique, Carapanantuba, Fazendinha and São Joaquim do Pacuí.

Other Institutions
Biblioteca Pública Municipal de Macapá Rua Eliezer Levy, 1610 - Centro Telephone:(96) 8121-7710 Biblioteca Pública Estadual Elcy Lacerda Rua São José, 1800 - Central Telephone:(96) 3212-5119 Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional - IPHAN Avenida Henrique Galúcio, Nº 1242 Centro - 68900-115 Telephones: (96) 98414-1573 | (96) 98414-0178 Email: iphan-ap@iphan.gov.br Website: www.portal.iphan.gov.br Prefeitura Municipal de Amapá Av. Fab, 840 – Central Telephone: (96) 8802 - 1190 Website: www.macapa.ap.gov.br