Lebanese in Brazil

Lebanon

Diaspora

Lebanese in Brazil

Brazil

Cultural Groups

Lebanese in Brazil

Resources

Cemeteries

• See Brazil cemeteries page for more resources

Census Records

• See Brazil Census page for more resources

Civil Registration

• See Brazil Civil Registration page for more resources. Lebanese births, marriages, and deaths would be included in these registers.

Compiled Genealogies

• Latin America Collection at USEK Library - A project of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik in Lebanon to partner with multiple institutions to compile a database of newspapers, magazines, old books, photographs, and documents produced by Lebanese and Syrian communities in Latin America. "Brazil Lebanese" e-resources search results.

Emigration and Immigration

• 1870-1920 Lebanese Immigrants to Brazil at Consulado Geral do Líbano - index; A database created by the Consulate General of Lebanon in Rio de Janeiro with the names of the original Lebanese immigrants to Brazil during the late 19th and early 20th centuries
• 1882-1973 Pesquisa nos Livros de Matrículas da Hospederia de Imigrantes at Sáo Paulo Governo Do Estado - index to database of the Immigrant Hostel in Sáo Paulo
• Immigration Records at the Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo - index & images; The digital archive holds a wealth of immigration records for São Paulo, including registration books at the immigrant hostel, letters of invitation guaranteeing assistance to immigrants joining family in Brazil, maps, and ship passenger lists
• See Brazil Emigration and Immigration for more ship manifests and other immigration resources

Newspapers

• 1886-1987 Newspapers at the Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo- index & images; Publications of immigrant communities in Brazil
• Arab American database at Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies - index & images; Arab newspapers, books, magazines, and other publications
• Newspaper database at NewspaperArchive - Contains many international newspaper publications ($)

Religious Records

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most Lebanese immigrants were Maronite and Melkite Catholics (65%), Eastern Orthodox (20%), Shia and Sunni Muslims (10%), and Druze (5%).

• See Brazil Church Records for databases of Christian church records in Brazil. Many Lebanese immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were Christian and can be found in these records.
• Maronite Eparchy of Brazil - Website for the Maronite churches in Brazil serving the Lebanese community, including contact information, a list of parishes, and census information
• Orthodox World - An interactive map showing all Eastern Orthodox churches by country, including South America
• History of the Maronites - An article about the history of the Maronite church with a section on Lebanese Maronite history
• FAMBRAS (Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil) - A federation for the Muslim communities in Brazil, engaging in humanitarian, educational, and community projects

Offices to Contact

Mesquita Brasil
R. Barão de Jaguara, 632
Cambuci, São Paulo - SP
01520-040, Brazil
Telephone:+55 11 3208-6789
Email:secretaria@mesquitabrasil.com.br
Website
Facebook
Wikipedia

• The Mesquita Brasil is the oldest Mosque in Brasil and was founded in 1929

Lar Druzos Brasileiros
R. Conselheiro Moreira de Barros, 569
Santana, São Paulo - SP
02018-012, Brazil
Facebook

• Lar Druzos Basileiros is the Druze event center in São Paulo

Background

• 1870-1920s Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese and Syrian immigrants left their native lands during the decline of the Ottoman Empire and settled in Latin America and the US in search of economic opportunity. Some of the main countries in Latin America to receive these immigrants were Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Honduras, Venezuela, and Chile. By trade, most of these immigrants became peddlers, shopkeepers, and factory owners.

• 1975-1990s The Lebanese Civil War led to another 32,000 Lebanese immigrants joining the pre-established communities in Latin America to seek refuge and better opportunities abroad. Currently, Brazil has the world's largest Lebanese community estimated to be around 6 million people with approximately 7-10 million individuals with a Lebanese ancestor.
• How the Lebanese conquered Brazil at Executive; Article from a Lebanese magazine reporting on national development and the Lebanese Diaspora

Naming Customs

Arabic names with letters that were difficult to pronounce in Spanish/Portuguese may have changed their pronunciation or been dropped altogether, such as the Arabic letter ghein in the name Ghosn. Another example of a common name change could occur when an Arabic and Spanish or Portuguese name have a similar meaning, such as changing the Arabic "Hadid" to the Portuguese "Ferreira," since the roots of both names refer to iron. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Lebanese immigrants to Latin America may sometimes use a hyphen with their surname to acknowledge both Middle Eastern and Latin family names, but some Arabic names may have been lost altogether through the generations.

Not "Lebanese" or "Syrian," but "Turks"

A common term used to refer to Lebanese and Syrian immigrants in South America is "Turco," meaning "Turk" or "Turkish" in Portuguese. Although this term is not accurate, the association probably stems from the documents brought by immigrants coming from the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. it is worth noting that Lebanese or Syrian immigrants may be documented as "Turcos" or "Turco" in records from these time periods.

Repositories

Archives

NC State Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
Campus Box 8013
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC 27695-8103
Telephone: 919-515-5058
Website

• The archive contains photos, letters, documents, and newspaper articles about the history and culture of the Lebanese Diaspora

Immigration Museum of the State of São Paulo
São Paulo, Brazil
Telephone: +55 11 2692-1866
Website

• The digital archive holds a wealth of records documenting the lives of immigrants in São Paulo

Societies

Colégio Brasileiro de Genealogia
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Website
Facebook

• A genealogy society in Brazil that offers many genealogical resources and networks for Brazilians and foreign families, including exclusive access to marriage records that took place in Rio de Janeiro from the 17th-20th centuries.