Palestinians in Chile

Palestine

Diaspora

Palestinians in Chile

Chile

Cultural Groups

Palestinians in Chile

Resources

Cemeteries

• Chile death records at FamilySearch
• See Chile cemeteries page for more resources

Census Records

• See Chile Census page for more resources

Civil Registration

• See Chile Civil Registration page for more resources

Emigration and Immigration

• See Chile Emigration and Immigration for ship manifests, and other immigration resources
• A Century of Palestinian Immigration to Chile: A Successful Integration by Nicole Saffie Guevara and Lorenzo Agar Corbinos at Bethlehem University
• Cities with notable Palestinian communities, including approximate populations:

Santiago - 300,000 Valparaíso - 50,000 Antofagasta - 20,000 La Serena - 10,000 Viña del Mar - 10,000 La Calera - 10,000 Ovalle - 5,000 San Felipe - 5,000 Curicó - 5,000

Offices to Contact

Archivo Nacionale de Chile
Matucana 151
Santiago de Chile
Telephone: +56-2-2997 85 59
Email: arnad@archivonacional.gob.cl
Website

• National Historical Archive Digital collection - Includes documents related to real estate, commerce, and mine registrars
• Collection guides for the National Historical Archive and the National Archive of Administration
• See more information about the archive's immigration records in Chile Emigration and Immigration

Newspapers

• Newspaper collection at MemoriaChilena Biblioteca Nacional de Chile - Digitized historical newspapers from Chile. Newspapers in Chile often published lists of immigrant ship passengers
• Arab American database at Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies - index & images; Arab newspapers, books, magazines, and other publications from North and South America
• Newspaper database at NewspaperArchive - Contains many international newspaper publications ($)

Religious Records

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, most Palestinian immigrants were

• See Chile Church Records for databases of Christian church records in Chile. Most Palestinian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries were Christian and can be found in these records

• Orthodox World - An interactive map showing all Eastern Orthodox churches by country, including South America

Background

Palestinian immigration to Chile began in the late 19th century, primarily driven by economic opportunities and the desire to escape political instability in the Ottoman Empire. The first wave of immigrants, mostly from the Bethlehem area, settled in cities like Santiago and Valparaíso, where they established thriving businesses and integrated into Chilean society. Over time, the Palestinian community in Chile grew significantly, becoming one of the largest Palestinian diasporas outside the Arab world. They have made substantial contributions to Chile’s economy, culture, and social fabric, maintaining a strong sense of identity and community while also embracing their new homeland. See The Palestinians in Chile, an article by the Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question for further reading.

Naming Customs

Arabic names with letters that were difficult to pronounce in Spanish may have changed their pronunciation or been dropped altogether, such as the Arabic letter ghein in the name Ghosn. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren of Palestinian 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.

Arabs in Latin America called "Turco"

A common term used to refer to Arabs in Latin America is "Turco," meaning "Turk" or "Turkish." 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 Arab immigrants may be documented as "Turcos" or "Turco" in records from these time periods.

Repositories

Societies

Dar Al Sabagh Diaspora Studies and Research Centre
Star Street
Haret Al-Tarajmeh
Dar Al-Sabagh 00972 Bethlehem
Facebook

• A research centre that focuses on Chilean Palestinians.
  
  

Levantine Heritage Foundation
Website
Contact Form

• Promotes the research, preservation and education of the heritage, arts and culture of the communities of the Levant region encompassed by the former Ottoman Empire between the 17th and 20th centuries
  
  

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.