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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. | 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). | 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). | ||
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For birth, death, and marriage records after 1885, see the “[[Chile Civil Registration|Civil Registration”]] section of this outline. | For birth, death, and marriage records after 1885, see the “[[Chile Civil Registration|Civil Registration”]] section of this outline. | ||
== | ==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 information recorded in church records varied over time. The later records generally give more complete information than the earlier ones. | ||
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If you can’t find a death or burial church record dated after 1900, check the civil registration death records. | If you can’t find a death or burial church record dated after 1900, check the civil registration death 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. | 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. | ||
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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 Family History Library Catalog every two or three years for the records you need. | 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 Family History Library Catalog every two or three years for the records you need. | ||
=== Locating Records Not at the Family History Library === | === Locating Records Not at the Family History Library === | ||
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Baptism, marriage, and death or burial records not available at the Family History Library may be searched by contacting or visiting local parishes. Chile has no single repository of church records. If you will be contacting them by mail, write your request in Spanish whenever possible. You can use the Spanish Letter-Writing Guide to compose a letter in Spanish. | Baptism, marriage, and death or burial records not available at the Family History Library may be searched by contacting or visiting local parishes. Chile has no single repository of church records. If you will be contacting them by mail, write your request in Spanish whenever possible. You can use the Spanish Letter-Writing Guide to compose a letter in Spanish. | ||
When requesting information, send the following: | When requesting information, send the following: | ||
* 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. | |||
If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records that may have been filed in other archives or in civil registration offices. | If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicate records that may have been filed in other archives or in civil registration offices. | ||
== | ==Search Strategies== | ||
Effective use of church records includes the following 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 | When you find his or her birth record, search for the birth records of his or her brothers and sisters. | ||
* Search for the marriage record of the parents. | |||
The marriage record will often lead to the birth records of the parents. | The marriage record will often lead to the birth records of the parents. | ||
* If you cannot locate a marriage record for the parents, you can estimate their ages in order to search for their birth records. | |||
* If earlier generations are not in the record, search neighboring parishes. | |||
* Search the death registers for information about all family members. | |||
[[Category:Chile]] | [[Category:Chile]] | ||