Peru Church Records

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For information about records for non-Christian religions in Peru, go to the Religious Records page.

Online Church Records[edit | edit source]

Information Recorded in the Records[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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:

  • baptism date
  • the infant's name,
  • parents' names,
  • father's occupation,
  • status of legitimacy,
  • occasionally, names of grandparents,
  • names of witnesses or godparents, who may be relatives,
  • birth date and place,
  • the family's place of residence,
  • death information, as an added note or signified by a cross.

Marriages[edit | edit source]

Marriage registers can give:

  • the marriage date and
  • the names of the bride and groom,
  • indicate whether they were single or widowed and
  • their ages,
  • their birth dates and places
  • residences,
  • occupations,
  • birthplaces, and
  • parents' names (after 1800)
  • the names of previous spouses and their death dates,
  • names of witnesses, who might be relatives.

Burials[edit | edit source]

Burial registers may give:

  • the name of the deceased and
  • the date and place of death or burial.
  • the deceased's age,
  • place of residence, and
  • cause of death
  • the names of survivors, especially a widow or widower,
  • deceased's birth date and place and
  • parents' names

Locating Records[edit | edit source]

Writing to a Catholic Priest for Church Records[edit | edit source]

Baptism, marriage, and death records may be searched by contacting or visiting local parish or diocese archives in Peru. More recent Catholic parish records are kept at the local parish. The diocese keeps the records of parishes that no longer exist. Write your request in Spanish whenever possible. This method is not always reliable. Officials might or might not respond.

Write a brief request in Spanish to the proper church using this address as a guide replacing the information in parentheses:

Reverendo Padre
Parroquia de (name of parish)
(postal code), (city), Amazonas
Peru

Send the following when requesting information:

  • Money for the search fee, usually $10.00
  • Full name and the sex of the ancestor sought
  • Names of the ancestor’s parents, if known
  • Approximate date and place of the event
  • Your relationship to the ancestor
  • 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 Spanish Letter-writing Guide to assist you in writing your letter in Spanish.
Peru has no single repository of church records. The present location of records depends on diocesan and local history. Write your request in Spanish whenever possible. You can make inquiries to:

  • Local parishes. Most church registers are still maintained by the parish. Recent registers are at the parish, and older ones may be at the diocese’s archives.
  • Church archives. Many parish registers are still located at the parish, but some are collected in diocese archives. Church archives are often unable to handle genealogical requests but can determine whether specific records are available.

Parishes will generally answer correspondence in Spanish. If the records have been sent to the diocesan archives, your request may be forwarded to the appropriate offices. To obtain the addresses of parishes, you should consult a church directory. (See Peru Church Directories. See also Peru Archives and Libraries for more information about where various types of records are stored.)

FamilySearch Library[edit | edit source]

The Family History Library has obtained copies of the records from the Archdiocese of Lima that were filmed by UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization). As permission is given, the library will obtain more records at other Peruvian church archives. This will continue for many years.

Reading the Records[edit | edit source]

  • Online interactive slideshow lessons are available to help you learn to read these records:

Search Strategies[edit | edit source]

Effective use of church records includes the following strategy:

  • Search for the relative or ancestor you want to know more about. 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.
  • If you cannot locate a marriage record for the parents, you can estimate their ages and search for their birth records.
  • Repeat the process for both the father and the mother.
  • If earlier generations (parents, grandparents, etc.) do not appear in the records, search neighboring parishes.
  • Search the death registers for information about all family members.
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