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''For information about records for non-Christian religions in Chile, go to the [[Chile Religious Records|Religious Records]] page.''
''For information about records for non-Christian religions in Chile, go to the [[Chile Religious Records|Religious Records]] page.''
==Definition==
=Online Resources and Websites=
Church records (registros parroquiales) are excellent sources for accurate information on names, dates, and places of births, marriages, and deaths. Virtually every person who lived in Chile before 1885 was recorded in a church record.
 
Records of births, marriages, and deaths are commonly called “vital records.” Church records are vital records made by church priests. They are often referred to as parish registers or church books. They include records of christenings, sometimes including a birth date; marriages; deaths; and burials. Church records may also include account books, confirmation records, and lists of members (padrones).
 
Church records are crucial for pre-1900 research in Chile. Civil registration started in January 1885, but was not comprehensive until 1900. Church records are often the only sources of family information before this date. Church records continued to be kept after the introduction of civil registration.
 
For birth, death, and marriage records after 1885, see [[Chile Civil Registration]].
 
== Information Recorded in Church Registers  ==
 
The information recorded in church records varied over time. The later records generally give more complete information than the earlier ones.
 
The most important church records for genealogical research are baptisms, marriages, marriage information, and death or burial registers. Other helpful church records include confirmations and church censuses (padrones). Most of these records were recorded in Spanish, but a few of the older Catholic records may be written in Latin or a mix of Spanish and Latin.
 
=== Baptisms (bautismos)  ===
 
Children were generally baptized within a few days of birth. Baptismal records usually give the place and date of baptism, infant’s name and parents’ names, status of legitimacy, names of godparents, and sometimes grandparents’ names. You may also find the child’s age, ethnic background, and the family’s place of residence. If the child died within a few days of baptism, death information was sometimes added as a note to the baptismal record. &nbsp;At times a note added in the margin will state who the child later married.<br>
 
=== Marriages (matrimonios)  ===
 
Marriage registers give the date and place of marriage and the names of the bride and groom. &nbsp;They also indicate whether they were single or widowed and give the names of witnesses. They often include other information about the bride and groom, such as their ages, residences, occupations, names of parents, and sometimes birthplaces. In cases of second and subsequent marriages, they may include the names and death dates of previous spouses. Often a note is made whether a parent or other party gave permission for the marriage. In addition to the marriage date, marriage registers sometimes also give the dates on which the marriage intentions were announced. These announcements, called banns, were made on three separate occasions and gave opportunity for anyone to come forward who knew any reason why the couple should not be married.
 
Couples were generally married in the home parish of the bride. Girls married young, usually between 15 and 20, and men married in their 20s.
 
The marriage information (información matrimonial, pliegos matrimoniales, or expedientes matrimoniales) document is separate from the marriage record and can consist of several parts. It includes an introduction that states the intent of marriage and sometimes the date of the banns.
 
The marriage information includes personal information about the bride and groom. This may include the following: name of bride and groom, age, whether they are single or widowed, place of residence, sometimes place of birth, name of parents, and sometimes grandparents. If this is a second marriage for one of them, the document will give the name of the deceased spouse and how long he or she has been deceased. If either the bride or groom is from another parish, documents will be included showing good standing in that parish. These may include baptismal records and when the banns were published in another parish.
 
The records may also show a dispensation (an exemption from restriction of marriage) for the fourth degree of blood relationship, indicating that the bride and groom were related. If this is the case genealogical graphs and interesting biographical information about the families involved may be included.
 
Following this information, two to four witnesses are presented who testify of the good standing of the bride and groom. This may include the witness’s personal information as well as how long the witness has known the bride or groom. The witnesses may be related to the bride or groom. This document is sometimes three or four pages long.
 
Generally, there is a note at the end of the marriage information documents listing the date of marriage or a note if they did not get married.<br>
 
=== Deaths, Burials (defunciones, entierros)  ===
 
Burials were recorded in the church record of the parish where the person was buried. The burial usually took place within a few days of the death.
 
Death registers give the name of the deceased and the date and place of death or burial. Often, the age, place of residence, marital status, cause of death, and names of survivors of the deceased are given. At times the priest will note if the deceased testated, meaning he or she recorded a will. Occasionally, if the deceased is a minor, the date and place of birth and parents’ names are given.
 
Early death registers failed to record much of this information and are not as complete as later death records. In some death records the women are recorded by their maiden name, giving the name of their surviving spouse or stating that they were widows and mentioning the name of the deceased spouse.
 
If you can’t find a death or burial church record dated after 1900, check the civil registration death records.
 
=== Extract Forms  ===
 
The following extract forms were created by Dr. George Ryskamp, JD, AG. These particular forms are designed to be used for Spanish research; however, they can help in other research areas, such as Italy, France, Portugal, etc. Click on the type of record form you would like to use and print it for your own files.
 
[[Media:Baptism_template.pdf|Birth/Baptism Extract Form]]
 
[[Media:Marriage_Template.pdf|Marriage Extract Form]]
 
[[Media:Death_Template.pdf|Death/Burial Extract Form]]
 
These forms are designed to help you quickly analyze and organize your documents. They can become a personal index for your family records.
 
== Locating Church Records ==
 
Church records were kept at the local parish of the church. The term parish refers to the jurisdiction of a church priest. Parishes are local congregations that may have included many local villages within their boundaries. In order to know which parish registers to search, you must know your ancestor’s religion and the town where he or she lived. It will also be helpful to know the parish to which your ancestor belonged in case there were several parishes in one large locality.
 
The town where the church building was located is considered the headquarters of the parish. Although the church building was often named for a saint (such as San Gabriel), the FamilySearch Catalog refers to a parish by the name of the town where the parish church was located. In large cities, where there may be many parishes for one locality, the FamilySearch Catalog uses the parish saint name to distinguish the records of different parishes.
 
Small towns that did not have their own church building were designated to a particular parish. &nbsp;Some parishes had affiliated chapels (capillas foráneas). Over time, some villages or chapels may have belonged to several parishes as jurisdictions changed.
 
Parish boundary maps can be extremely helpful when determining which parish church records to search. They can help you identify neighboring parishes if you need to search through the various parishes in a given region. Some church directories include boundary maps.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Church records can be found at the local parish archive, copies of older records may be found at the archdiocese archive, and some old records can be found at the National Archive.
 
===Online Records===
'''Ancestry.com''' records can be searched free of charge at a [[Family History Centers|'''Family history Center''']] near you.
'''Ancestry.com''' records can be searched free of charge at a [[Family History Centers|'''Family history Center''']] near you.
*{{RecordSearch|1520549| Chile Baptisms, 1585-1932 (Chile bautismos, 1585-1932)}}, FamilySearch, index, incomplete, dates vary.  
*{{RecordSearch|1520549| Chile Baptisms, 1585-1932 (Chile bautismos, 1585-1932)}}, FamilySearch, index, incomplete, dates vary.  
Line 94: Line 27:
*{{RecordSearch|3405096|Chile, Catholic Church Records, 1710-1928}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index and images
*{{RecordSearch|3405096|Chile, Catholic Church Records, 1710-1928}} at [https://familysearch.org/search FamilySearch] — index and images
**Also available at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9810 '''Ancestry.com'''], index, ($).
**Also available at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9810 '''Ancestry.com'''], index, ($).
=Historical Background=
<ref> Wikipedia contributors, "Peru", in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,'' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bahamas, accessed 6 March 2020. </ref><br>


=== Records at the Family History Library  ===
=Information Recorded in the Records=
Different denominations, different time periods, and practices of different record keepers will effect how much information can be found in the records. This outline will show the types of details which '''might''' be found (best case scenario);
==Baptisms==
In Catholic and Anglican records, children were usually baptized a few days after birth, and therefore, the baptism record proves date of birth. Other religions, such as Baptists, baptized at other points in the member's life. Baptism registers might give:
{|
|-
|style="width:25%; padding-right:10px"|
*baptism date
*the infant's name
*parents' names
*father's occupation
|style="width:38%; padding-right:10px"|
*status of legitimacy
*occasionally, names of grandparents
*names of witnesses or godparents, who may be relatives
|style="width:34%"|
*birth date and place
*the family's place of residence
*death information, as an added note or signified by a cross
|}


The Family History Library has microfilm copies of most Chilean church records prior to 1930. The specific holdings of the Family History Library are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog. You can determine whether the library has records for your ancestor’s locality by checking the “Locality” section of the FamilySearch Catalog. &nbsp;However, if a record has been destroyed, was never kept, has not been microfilmed, or is restricted from public access by the laws of the country, the Family History Library does not have a copy.  
==Marriages==
Marriage registers can give:
{|
|-
|style="width:33%; padding-right:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*the marriage date
*the names of the bride and groom
*indicate whether the bride and groom were single or widowed
*their ages
|style="width:27%; padding-right:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*birth dates and places for the bride and groom
*their residences
*their occupations
|style="width:40%; padding-right:10px; vertical-align:top"|
*birthplaces of the bride and groom
*parents' names (after 1800)
*the names of previous spouses and their death dates
*names of witnesses, who might be relatives.
|}


In the FamilySearch Catalog, look under the name of the town where the church was, not necessarily the town where your ancestor lived.
==Burials==
 
Burial registers may give:
Look in the FamilySearch Catalog under:
{|
 
|-
CHILE, [PROVINCE], [TOWN] - CHURCH RECORDS
|style="width:35%; padding-right:10px; vertical-align:top"|
 
*the name of the deceased
New records may be added to the Family History Library collection from numerous sources. Don’t give up if records are not yet available. Check the FamilySearch Catalog every two or three years for the records you need.
*the date and place of death or burial
 
*the deceased's age
===Writing to a Catholic Priest for Church Records ===
*place of residence
Baptism, marriage, and death records may be searched by contacting or visiting the local parish.  More recent Catholic parish records are kept at the local parish.  '''''This method is not always reliable.  Officials might or might not respond.'''''
|style="width:40%; padding-right:10px; vertical-align:top"|
 
*cause of death
Write a brief request in Spanish to the proper church using this address as a guide replacing the information in parentheses:<br>
*the names of survivors, especially a widow or widower
 
*deceased's birth date and place
:'''Reverendo Padre'''
*parents' names, or at least the father's name
:'''Parroquia de (name of parish) '''
|style="width:25%; padding-right:10px; vertical-align:top"|
:'''([http://chile.postcode.info/ postal code]), (city), (region)'''
|}
:'''Chile'''<br><br>
<br>
 
*[http://chile.postcode.info/ '''Find the Chile postal code here.''']
 
'''Send the following when requesting information:'''<br>
 
*An inquiry as to how to best send the service fee, if any.
*Full name and gender of the person sought.
*Names of the parents, if known.
*Approximate date and place of the event you are requesting information about.
*Your relationship to the person.
*Reason for the request (family history, medical, and so on).
*Request for a photocopy of the complete original record.
 
'''Write your request in Spanish whenever possible. Use the translated questions and phrases in this [https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/a/aa/LWGSpanish.pdf Spanish Letter-writing Guide] to assist you in writing your letter in Spanish. '''
<br>
<br>


==Reading the Records==
=How to Find Records=
 
==Digital  Copies of Church Records in the FamilySearch Catalog ==
*You do not have to be fluent in Spanish to read your documents. Genealogical records usually contain a limited vocabulary. Use the [[Spanish Genealogical Word List|'''Spanish Genealogical Word List''']] to translate the important points in the document.  Handwriting skills are taught in the [https://script.byu.edu/Pages/Spanish/en/welcome.aspx '''BYU Spanish Script Tutorial'''].
Watch for digitized copies of church records to be added to the collection of the FamilySearch Library. Some records might have viewing restrictions, and can only be viewed at a [https://familysearch.org/locations/ '''Family History Center'''] near you, and/or by members of supporting organizations. To find records:  
 
:::a. Click on the [COUNTRY LINK '''records of COUNTRY'''].
*Online interactive slideshow lessons are available to help you learn to read these records:  
:::b. Click on '''Places within COUNTRY''' and a list of towns will appear.
 
:::c. Click on your town if it appears, or the location which you believe was the parish which served your town or village. 
:*{{LearningCenter2|203|'''Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 1'''}} — Spanish alphabet
:::d. Click on the '''"Church records"''' topic. Click on the blue links to specific record titles.
:*{{LearningCenter2|206|'''Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 2'''}} — Names, dates, and key genealogical words
:::e. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. [[File:FHL icons.png|75px]].  The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records.
:*{{LearningCenter2|207|'''Reading Spanish Handwritten Records, Lesson 3'''}} — Read Spanish records: birth, baptism, marriage, and death records
 
== Search Strategies  ==
 
Effective use of church records includes the following strategies:  
 
*Search for the relative or ancestor you selected.


When you find his or her birth record, search for the birth records of his or her brothers and sisters.  
==Writing for Records==
<span style="color:darkviolet"> You will probably need to write to or email the national archives, the diocese, or local parish priests to find records. See the [[Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy|'''Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy''']] for help with composing letters.</span><br>
= '''Catholic Church Records''' =
==Writing to a Local Parish==
To locate the mailing address or e-mail address for a local parish, consult:
*[https://www.catholicdirectory.com/search_results?q=&location_value=bahamas&country_sn=BS&location_type=country&stateSearch=&swlat=20.9082735&nelat=27.263412&swlng=-80.4775603&nelng=-72.70975390000001&lat=25.03428&lng=-77.39627999999999&faddress=The+Bahamas&place_id=ChIJPQ9Isjua1ogR5XnHaoO0PhM#/ '''The Catholic Directory''']


*Search for the marriage record of the parents.
== Historical Background ==


The marriage record will often lead to the birth records of the parents.  
='''The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Records'''=
==Online Records==
Information is available to current members only for deceased members and immediate family members who are still living. [https://www.familysearch.org/en/ '''Sign in to FamilySearch and then select Family Tree in the drop-down menu.''']


*If you cannot locate a marriage record for the parents, you can estimate their ages in order to search for their birth records.
==Historical Background==
*If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.
<ref> The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Facts and Statistics: Honduras, https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/facts-and-statistics/country/honduras, accessed 20 February 2020.</ref>
*Search the death registers for information about all family members.


{{H-langs|en=Chile Church Records|es=Registros eclesiásticos de Chile}}
=References=
<references/>




[[Category:Chile Church Records]] [[Category:Church_records_in_Chile]]
[[Category:Chile Church Records]] [[Category:Church_records_in_Chile]]
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