1

RESEARCH OUTLINE

Peru

CONTENTSUsing this Research Outline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1The Family History Library Catalog . . . . . . . . . . 2Internet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Records Selection Table: Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Map of Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Archives and Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Biography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Cemeteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Census . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Church Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Church History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Church Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Civil Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Court Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Directories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Emigration and Immigration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Encyclopedias and Dictionaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Gazetteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Genealogy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Heraldry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Historical Geography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Land and Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Language and Languages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Military Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Minorities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Names, Personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Native Races . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Naturalization and Citizenship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Nobility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35Notarial Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Periodicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Social Life and Customs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Taxation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Other Records of Peru . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39For Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39Comments and Suggestions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

This outline can help you find information aboutpeople who lived in Peru. It gives information aboutrecords of genealogical value for Peru and helps youdecide which types of records to search.

USING THIS RESEARCH OUTLINE

The following steps will help you use this outline tofind records about your ancestor:

1. Choose the information you would like to learnabout one of your ancestors, such as a birth dateor a maiden name.

2. Look at the Records Selection Table in thisoutline. It lists the kinds of information you maywant and the best types of records for finding thatinformation.

3. Find the section in this outline for each type ofrecord (listed in columns 2 and 3 of the RecordsSelection Table). The sections are in alphabeticalorder and give more information about the typesof records and how to find them.

References to the Family History LibraryCatalog

The Family History Library Catalog (30966) is alisting of all the records available at the FamilyHistory Library. The catalog is available at theFamily History Library and at each family historycenter. Staff members can help you learn to use thecatalog.

This outline gives instructions for finding informationin the catalog. In the Census section of this outline,for example, you may find the following statement:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

2

For more information about census records, lookin the Locality section of the Family HistoryLibrary Catalog under:

PERU - CENSUSPERU, [DEPARTMENT] - CENSUSPERU, [DEPARTMENT], [DISTRICT] -

CENSUS

This tells you to look in the catalog under:

PERU; then the subject CENSUS. A department in PERU; then the subject

CENSUS. A district in a department in PERU; then the

subject CENSUS.

This outline includes many references to specificrecords. The references include call numbers listedin parentheses. The call number is preceded byFHL, the abbreviation for Family History Libraryand is used to find a record held by the FamilyHistory Library. Each book, film, fiche, or map isassigned a call number.

For additional information on using the catalog, seeUsing the Family History Library Catalog (30966).

References to Other Family History LibraryPublications

The Family History Library has many otherpublications that may be helpful in your research.Some of these publications are referred to in thisoutline. Their titles are in italics and their itemnumbers are in parentheses. They are available atthe Family History Library and the Salt Lake CityDistribution Center at:

Salt Lake Distribution Services1999 West 1700 SouthSalt Lake City, UT 84104-4233Tel. 1-800-537-5971Fax 1-800-240-3685Internet: http://www.familysearch.org/

THE FAMILY HISTORY LIBRARYCATALOG

The key to finding a record in the Family HistoryLibrarys collection is the Family History LibraryCatalog. The catalog describes each of the

librarys records and lists the call numbers. Thecatalog is available on microfiche and on compactdisc as part of FamilySearch, a computerprogram available at the Family History Libraryand at family history centers worldwide. It mayalso be found under Custom Search on thefollowing Internet site:

http://www.familysearch.org/

The Family History Library Catalog on microficheis divided into four sections:

Locality Subject Surname Author/Title

The Family History Library Catalog on compactdisc has four types of searches:

Locality Search Film Number Search Surname Search Computer Number Search

To find the call numbers of the records described inthis outline, you will most often use the Localitysection on microfiche or the Locality Search oncompact disc. The section headings in this outline,such as Church Records are the same as thesubjects used in the microfiche edition of theFamily History Library Catalog and the topics usedin the compact disc edition.

The catalog generally uses the language the recordsare written in to describe the records. Thedescription includes a brief summary in English ofthe content.

The Locality section lists records according tothe area they cover. Records relating to the entirecountry, such as emigration and immigrationrecords, are listed under Peru. Most records arelisted under a specific province or city or parish, asfollows:

PERU, [PROVINCE], [CITY]

For example, in the Locality section look for:

The place where an ancestor lived such as:

PERU, ANCASH, YUNGAY

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

3

The record type you wantcensus, probates, orchurch records, for example. In Peru, townsmay be listed twice in the catalog. For example,church and civil records may be filed in thecatalog as follows:

PERU, ANCASH, YUNGAY - CHURCHRECORDS

PERU, ANCASH, YUNGAY - CIVILREGISTRATION

The catalog is based on the province structureinstituted in 1793. For additional informationabout localities in Peru, see the Gazetteers,Historical Geography, History, and Mapssections of this outline.

If you need more information on using theFamily History Library Catalog, a short videoprogram (53191), written instructions, andlibrarians are available to help you.

INTERNET

The Internet, computer bulletin boards, newsgroups, and commercial on-line services helpfamily history researchers:

Locate other researchers. Post queries. Send and receive e-mail. Search large databases. Search directories. Search library catalogs. Join in computer chat and lecture sessions.

Researching by computer can be very rewarding, butit also has its limitations.

Finding Resources on the Internet

It takes time and practice to learn how to navigate theInternet. Local genealogical societies often havecomputer interest groups or members who are familiarwith computer genealogical research. Following aresome general Internet sites that will lead you to otherinteresting Internet resources for Peru:

Cyndis List of Hispanic Genealogical Sites is acatalog of genealogical sites on the Internet by topicand country. It includes references to other Internetsites, mailing lists, people and families, newsgroups, publications, record transcriptions,societies, villages, and colonies.

http://www.cyndislist.com/hispanic.htm

The LDS Church Genealogical Homepage givesyou access to the Family History Library Catalog,Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index,SourceGuide, a list of family history centerlocations worldwide, family history related websites, and lists of researchers interested in similargenealogical topics. You can also learn about andorder Family History Library publications.

http://www.familysearch.org/

Other useful sites on specific topics such as censusrecords and directories are discussed in this outlineunder those sections.

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=af/search_AF.asp&clear_form=truehttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=truehttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asphttp://www.cyndislist.com/hispanic.htm

4

RECORDS SELECTION TABLE: PERU

The table below can help you decide which records to search.

1. In column 1, find the category closest to your research goal.2. In column 2, find the types of records that are most likely to have the information you need.3. In column 3, find additional record types that may be useful.4. Turn to the section of this outline that corresponds to the record type you chose. The section explains what

the records might tell you, how to search them, and how to find the records in the Locality Search of theFamily History Library Catalog. Some records are not at the Family History Library.

Note: The terms used in columns 2 and 3 are the same as the topic headings used in this outline and in theLocality section of the Family History Library Catalog. Also, records containing previous researchgenealogy, biography, history, periodicals, and societiescould provide information for nearly all researchgoals, but these have not been listed unless they are especially helpful.

1. If you need: 2. Look first in: 3. Then search:

Age Civil Registration, Church Records Census, Emigration andImmigration, Land Records

Birth dates and places Civil Registration, Church Records Census, Emigration andImmigration, Land Records

City or parish of foreign birth Civil Registration, Church Records Emigration and Immigration,Military, Schools

Customs History, Minorities Social Life and CustomsDeath Civil Registration, Church Records Cemeteries, NewspapersDivorce (recent) Court Records Civil RegistrationEthnicity Civil Registration, Church Records Emigration and Immigration,

SocietiesHistorical background Gazetteers, Periodicals HistoryImmigration date Emigration and Immigration,

Naturalization and CitizenshipCensus, Biography

Living relatives Court Records, Directories Newspapers, BiographyMaiden names Civil Registration, Church Records Cemeteries, Military RecordsMarriage Civil Registration, Church Records CensusMunicipal origins and boundaries Gazetteer, Maps HistoryOccupation Civil Registration, Church Records Census, DirectoriesParents, children, and other familymembers

Civil Registration, Church Records Emigration and Immigration,Census, Notarial Records

Physical description Emigration and Immigration Military RecordsPlace-finding aids Gazetteers, Maps HistoryPlace of residence Civil Registration, Church Records Census, Biography, GenealogyPrevious research Genealogy, Periodicals BiographyReligion Church Records CensusSocial activities Social Life and Customs Biography, History

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

5

Lima

AREQUIPA

Map of Peru: Departments, 1980s

6

ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES

Archives collect and preserve original documents ofchurches, governments, and other organizations.Libraries generally collect published sources such asbooks, maps, and microfilm. This section describes themajor repositories of genealogical and historicalrecords and resources for Peru. When one of theseinstitutions is referred to elsewhere in this outline,return to this section to obtain the address.

If you plan to visit one of these repositories, contactthe organization and ask for information about theircollection, hours, services, and fees. Some of thatinformation may also be found on the Internet. Somearchives have catalogs, inventories, and guides orperiodicals that describe their records and how to usethem. If possible, study these guides before you go tothe archives so you can use your time moreeffectively. In many archives and libraries you willneed a letter of recommendation and properidentification (libreto electoral or passport).

For addresses of archives and libraries, you canconsult the following:

International Directory of Archives/Annuaireinternational des archives. London: K.G. Saur,1992. (FHL book 020.5 Ar25 v. 38.)

World Guide to Libraries. 10th ed. Mnchen: K.G. Saur, 1991. (FHL book 027.025 W893.)

Archivum: International Directory of Archives.Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1975.(FHL book 020.5 Ar25 Vol. 2223, 38.)

There are many repositories with genealogicalinformation for Peruvian research:

Archives in Spain National government archives and libraries Church archives Departmental archives Municipal archives Other archives and libraries

Although the original records you need may be in anarchive or library in Peru or Spain, the Family HistoryLibrary may have a microfilm copy of them.

Archives in Spain

Records of international interest about the Europeandiscovery, exploration, and colonization of Peru are invarious archives in Spain.

Archivo General de IndiasAvda. de la Constitucin 341004 Seville, SpainTel: 954-500-530, 954-500-528Fax: 954-219-485http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.html

Archivo General Militar de SegoviaPlaza Reina Victoria Eugenia40071 Segovia, SpainTel: 921-460-758Fax: 921-460-757

Archivo General de SimancasMiravete 847130 Valladolid, SpainTel: 983-590-003, 983-590-750Fax: 983-590-311http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGS/index.html

Archivo Central Militar del Servicio HistricoMilitar

C/Mrtires de Alcal 928071 Madrid, SpainTel: 915-470-300Fax: 915-594-371

Archivo Histrico NacionalC/Serrano 11528006 Madrid, SpainTel: 915-618-001, 915-618-005Fax: 915-631-199http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AHN/index.html

A summary of the records preserved at the ArchivoGeneral de Indias is found in:

Pea y Cmara, Jos Mara de la. Archivo Generalde Indias de Sevilla: Gua de Visitante (TheSeville General Archive of the Indies: VisitorsGuide). Madrid: Direccin General deArchivos y Bibliotecas, 1958. (FHL book 946A2s; film 0896895.)

Additional descriptions of the records at the ArchivoGeneral de Indias and other Spanish and LatinAmerican archives that house documents of theSpanish American colonial period, are found in:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.aspBYU FHLComment on TextSocial Sciences/Education Reference CD 1 .A18 vol.33

http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.htmlhttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.htmlhttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGS/index.htmlhttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGS/index.htmlhttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AHN/index.htmlhttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AHN/index.htmlBYU FHLComment on TextThis film is available at the BYU FHL.

BYU FHLHighlight

http://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.html

7

Documentacin y Archivos de la ColonizacinEspaola (Documentation and Archives of theSpanish Colonization). Madrid: Ministerio deCultura, 1980. (FHL book 946 A3d.)

Guides to the many archives in Spain can be obtainedfrom each archive.

National Government Archives and Libraries

The Peruvian government collects records relating toPeruvian history, culture, and people. The NationalArchives of Peru (Archivo General de la Nacin) islocated at:

Archivo General de la NacinPalacio de JusticiaJirn Manuel Cuadros s/nCasilla No. 3124Cercado de LimaLima 1, PERUTel: (11)-427-5930Fax: (11)-428-2829

The National Archives publishes information on itsactivities and the activities of the Department ofHistorical Archives in its Revista. It has also publishedthe Catlogo del Archivo General de la Nacin(Catalog of the National Archives of Peru). Beforeyou visit or use the records of an archive, you need tostudy the publications so can use your time moreeffectively. A guide to the archives and libraries inPeru is:

Revista del Archivo General de la Nacin. (Journalof the General Archive of the Nation). Lima:Imprenta Gil, 1971. (FHL book 985 B2r.)

The National Archives has experienced fires,earthquakes, and other catastrophes that havedestroyed or damaged much of its collection. In 1881,during the War of the Pacific, Chilean troops occupiedthe archives and caused considerable damage.

The Archives has not been thoroughly cataloged, andthere are still many unclassified items that are not yetsorted or stored in their proper sections. Smallersections of the Historical Section (Seccin Histrica),such as Upper Administration (Gobierno Superior )and Native Property and Claims (Propiedad yDerecho Indgena) can be accessed through a cardcatalog. Rural and urban property titles and thenotarial records for Lima and Callao have been

indexed. (See the Notarial Records section of thisoutline for more information.)

The General Archive of the Ministry of ForeignRelations (Archivo General del Ministerio deRelaciones Exteriores) has records relating to the post-independence period. It is located at:

Archivo General del Ministerio de RelacionesExteriores

Palacio de Torre Tagle363 UcayaliLima, PERUTel: 51-14-27-6750; -3860

This archive has some filing cabinets with colonialrecords. For information on the records in the Ministryof Foreign Relations, see:

Lohmann Villena, Gillermo. La Seccinmanuscritos de la Biblioteca del Ministerio deRelaciones Exteriores del Per. in Handbookof Latin American Studies, 1940 (Cambridge,Mass., 1941: 518520).

The Historical Archive of the Ministry of Property andCommerce (Archivo Histrico del Ministerio deHacienda y Comercio) became the Division of theMinistry of Property (Seccin Ministerio de Hacienda)within the National Archives in 1970, but is stillhoused separately in the Palacio de Justicia:

Archivo Histrico del Ministerio de Hacienda yComercio

Palacio de JusticiaJirn Manuel Cuadros s/nCercado de LimaLima 1, PERTel: 51-14-40-7120

This archive has two series of records: one dealingwith the colonial period and the other dealing with therepublican period. The manuscripts of the colonialseries are organized into two main groups: theMiscellaneous Collection (Coleccin Miscelnea) andthe St. Mary Collection (Coleccin Santamara),which can be accessed through a card catalog.Additional information on the organization and historyof the colonial series can be found in:

Schwab, Federico. El Archivo Histrico delMinisterio de Hacienda y Comercio del Per,in Revista de historia de Amrica, 21 (1946:2944).

BYU FHLComment on TextF2233 .S45 1979 v.2

http://agn.perucultural.org.pe/http://agn.perucultural.org.pe/BYU FHLComment on TextCD 4020 .A32

http://agn.perucultural.org.pe/http://agn.perucultural.org.pe/http://agn.perucultural.org.pe/http://www.rree.gob.pe/portal/mre.nsf/Interior?OpenAgent&C1D2A33F5F99856805256BAD00705EFE|2http://www.rree.gob.pe/portal/mre.nsf/Interior?OpenAgent&C1D2A33F5F99856805256BAD00705EFE|2http://lcweb2.loc.gov/hlas/BYU FHLComment on TextPeriodical F 1401 .R44

8

The National Library (Biblioteca Nacional) containsnine rooms where material for various subjects arestored. The collection of the Hall of Research (Sala deInvestigaciones) is very diverse and can be accessedthrough two card catalogs, one arranged by subjectand the other chronologically. A fire in 1943destroyed a large part of the manuscript collection, butfollowing the catastrophe the surviving documentswere thoroughly cataloged. Following is the address ofthe National Library:

Biblioteca NacionalAvenida Abancay s/n, cdra. 4Cercado de LimaLima 1, PERTel: 51-14-28-7690, 51-14-28-7696Fax: 51-14-427-7311Email: jefatura@binape.gob.pehttp://www.bnp.gob.pe/portalbnp/

The National Library has several large collections thatare of particular interest to family historians. It is oneof the main repositories for primary documentsrelating to the military,. It has one of the mostthorough collections of imprints dating from theindependence and republican periods, and hasextensive collections of pamphlets and memorias.Other documents of interest are land grants(encomiendas), judicial records (judiciales),succession rights (mayorazgos), chaplaincy records(capellanas), chieftainship records (cacicazgos),immovable property of Lima (propiedad inmvil deLima), dowries (dotes), parish registers (registrosparroquiales), town council minutes (actas decabildo), and books of the orders and decrees (librosde cdulas y proviciones). The National Library alsohas registers of the notaries (escribanos) of Lima,Arequipa, and Cuzco.

To enter the Hall of Research a researcher is requiredto present two photographs and a letter ofrecommendation, attend a class on using the libraryscollections, and pay a fee.

Other national level repositories also contain recordsof genealogical value:

Archivo Histrico Militar del PerCentro de Estudios Histricos Militares del PerPaseo Coln 150Cercado de LimaLima 1, PER Tel: 51-14-23-0415Fax: 51-14-23-0415

Archivo Histrico de la MarinaMuseo Naval, Ministerio de MarinaLima, PER

Archivo General de la Corte Superior de Justiciade LimaPalacio de JusticiaJirn Manuel Cuadros s/nCercado de LimaLima 1, PERTel: 51-14-28-4437

Archivo de la Oficina Nacional de Estadstica y Censo - ONECLima, PER

Archivo de la Corte Suprema de la RepblicaPalacio de JusticiaJirn Manuel Cuadros s/nCercado de LimaLima 1, PERTel: 51-14-28-3690

Archivo del Ministerio de Trabajo y Asuntos IndgenasAvenida Salavery s/nLima, PERTel: 51-14-32-2510

Some helpful guides to the archives of Peru are:

Gmez Canedo, Lino. Los archivos de la historiade Amrica: perodo colonial espaol (TheArchives of the History of America: ColonialSpanish Period). Mxico, D.F.: InstitutoPanamericano de Geografa e Historia, 1961.(FHL book 980 A3.)

Porras Barrenechea, Ral. FuenteshistricasPeruanas (Historical Sources of Peru). Lima,Peru : Instituto Ral Porras Barrenechea, 1963.(FHL book 985 H2pb.)

Research Guide to Andean History: Bolivia, Chile,Ecuador, and Peru. Durham, N.C.: DukeUniversity Press, 1981. (FHL book 980 H27r.)This includes bibliographical references and anindex. Peru is listed on pages 206334.

Church Archives

The Catholic Church has gathered the early churchrecords from the dioceses into a centralized archive.Lima parish records from before 1900 are centralized

http://www.bnp.gob.pe/portalbnp/http://www.bnp.gob.pe/portalbnp/http://www.bnp.gob.pe/portalbnp/http://www.bnp.gob.pe/portalbnp/http://www.bnp.gob.pe/portalbnp/http://www.pj.gob.pe/BYU FHLComment on TextCD 3681 .G6 vol.2

BYU FHLComment on TextF 3431 .P67

BYU FHLComment on TextF3321.X1 R74

9

in the Archive of the Archbishopric of Lima (ArchivoArzobispal de Lima). The address for this archive is:

Archivo Arzobispal de LimaAv. Sucre 1200Pueblo LibreLima 21, PERTel: 51-14-60-6998Fax: 51-14-27-4397Email: lagaguti@pol.com.pe

The Archive of the Archbishop of Lima hasdocumentation since 1543 on visitations (visitas), holyworks (obras pias), tithing (diezmos), property, anddivorce. Few guides, indexes, or inventories have beenpublished, but in the archive there are several that canbe used on site. For information about the archive, see:

Vargas Ugarte,Rubn, S.J. El Archivo Arzobispalde Lima, in Handbook of Latin AmericanStudies, 1936. (Cambridge, Mass.: 1937),44348.

Only a few of the records of the Archive of theArchbishop of Lima have been indexed, and most ofthe indexes remain unpublished. Parish records,particularly baptisms, are the most likely to beindexed. Additionally, there are eight volumes ofindexes of marriage documents (expedientesmatrimoniales).

More recent Catholic parish records are kept at thelocal parish. The diocese keeps the records of parishesthat no longer exist. You may write to local parishesand church archives for information. To obtain 20thcentury documents, you must visit the parish officesand pay a fee.

See the Church Directories, Church History, andChurch Records sections of this outline for moreinformation.

Department Archives

In Peru, a department is a governmental jurisdiction,similar to a county. Each department has its ownhistorical archive separate from those of the nationalgovernment. They serve as repositories for recordspertaining to their particular area. Records ofgenealogical value at department archives includenotarial records; birth, marriage, and death records;census records; some church records; and so forth.

Department archives are located in the department citycapitals and are open to the public, with properidentification (libreto electoral or passport) and lettersof recommendation. Addresses of the departmentarchives are:

Archivo Histrico Departamental de ArequipaCalle Quesada No. 102YanahuaraArequipa, PERTel: 51-54-22-1908

Archivo Departamental de AyacuchoAv. Independencia s/nCentro Cultural Simn Bolvar2056 Ayacucho, PER

Archivo Histrico Departmental de CajamarcaJr. Beln s/n, Conjunto Monumental BelnApartado 1883320 Cajamarca, PER

Archivo Histrico Departmental de CuzcoAv. Tullumayo 440 or Avenida de Cultura 760Cuzco, PER

Archivo Histrico Departamental de HunucoJr. 2 de Mayo No. 680Apartado 278Hunuco, PER

Archivo Histrico Departamental de JunnAv. Sebastin Lorente 1810Huancayo, PERTel: 51-64-23-3679

Archivo Histrico Departamental de LambayequeAv. Victor Raul Hay de la Torre 272 Ub.Chiclayo/Villareal, PERTel: 51-74-28-2390

Archivo Histrico Departamental de la LibertadMiquel Estete No 540Trujillo, La Libertad, PER

Archivo Histrico Departamental de MoquequaTarapaca No. 320Mariscal Nieto s/n Moquequa, PER

Archivo Histrico Departamental de PiuraJr. Huancavelica 867Piura, PERTel: 51-74-71-5255

http://www.arzobispadodelima.org/content/category/18/87/165/http://lcweb2.loc.gov/hlas/http://www.arzobispadodelima.org/content/category/18/87/165/

10

Archivo Histrico Departamental de PunoMuseo Municipal DreyerConde de Lemos 289Apartado 640Puno, PER

Archivo Histrico Departamental de TacnaAv. Boloqnesi No. 1737Tacna, PERTel: 51-54-71-5255

Municipal Archives

All records created by local governments in Peru,including birth, death, and marriage records, are keptin municipal offices. These offices are comparable tocounty courthouses and town halls in the UnitedStates. Copies of the municipal records are available tothe public. For more information about these officesand their records, see the Civil Registration sectionof this outline.

These archives also house the Libros de Cabildos(minute books), which contain information about localadministration, founding of towns, commercial life,markets, sanitation, administration of justice, andsocial relations. The municipal records of the town ofHuamanga are housed in the National Library.

You can get information about the records kept at aparticular municipality by writing to the municipaloffice. See the Family History Librarys SpanishLetter-Writing Guide (36245) for instructions on howto write for genealogical information.

Other Archives and Libraries

Other types of repositories may also contain importantgenealogical records. Contact these libraries and askabout their collection, hours, services, and fees. Properidentification (libreto electoral or passport) and a letterof recommendation may be required. Theserepositories include:

Historical and genealogical societies. Public and academic libraries. Public archives, private archives, business

archives, and museums. University archives and libraries.

The oldest continuing university in the Americas is theMajor National University of San Marcos(Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos):

Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos S/n Ciudad UniversitariaLima, PER

Inventories, Registers, Catalogs

Some archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, orperiodicals that describe their records and how to usethem. If possible, study these guides before you visitor use the records of an archive so that you can useyour time more effectively. These types of records arelisted in the Family History Library Catalog under:

PERU - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS

PERU, [DEPARTMENT] - ARCHIVES ANDLIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS,CATALOGS

BIOGRAPHY

A biography is a history of a persons life. In abiography you may find the individuals birth,marriage, and death information, and the names of hisor her parents, children, or other family members. Usethe information carefully because there may beinaccuracies.

Some brief biographies have been gathered andpublished in collective biographies, such asbiographical encyclopedias or dictionaries. Often,these feature biographies of specific groups of people,such as musicians or church officials.

Only a few biographical sources are available for Peru,and those include only the most notable citizens.

Two significant biographical sources are:

Diccionario enciclopdico del Per (EncyclopedicDiccionary of Peru). 3 vols. Lima: ed. JuanMeja Baca, 1966. (FHL book 985 A5de; film1162476 items 13.) This includes informationon a variety of Peruvian subjects, includingbiographies of prominent Peruvians.

Estremadoyro Robles, Camila. Diccionariohistrico biogrfico: Peruanos ilustres(Historical, Biographical Dictionary of FamousPeruvians). Lima: Librera-Bazar Eureka,1989. (FHL book 985 D36e.)

http://www.lib.byu.edu/fslab/pdf/researchoutlines/LatinAmerica/LatinAmerica.pdfhttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.bnp.gob.pe/http://www.unmsm.edu.pe/http://www.unmsm.edu.pe/BYU FHLComment on TextSocial Sciences/Education Reference F 3404 .D5 vol.1-3

11

Additional biographies of people from Peru are foundin more general biographical collections such as:

Archivo biogrfico de Espaa, Portugal eIberoamrica/Arquivo biogrfico de Espanha,Portugal e Ibero-Amrica (BiographicalArchive of Spain, Portugal, and LatinAmerica). 1144 microfiche. New York: K.G.Saur, 19. (FHL fiche 6002170172.)

Archivo biogrfico de Espaa, Portugal eIberoamrica: Nueva Serie (BiographicalArchive of Spain, Portugal, and Latin America:New Series). 984 microfiche. Mnchen: K.G.Saur, 1993. (FHL fiche 6131531558.)

Collective biographies at the Family History Libraryare listed in the Locality section of the FamilyHistory Library Catalog under:

PERU - BIOGRAPHY PERU, [DEPARTMENT] - BIOGRAPHYPERU, [DEPARTMENT], [DISTRICT] -

BIOGRAPHY

The National Library also has some biographies in itscollection.

CEMETERIES

There are two major types of cemetery records:

Monumental inscriptions, including informationrecorded on gravestones, tombstones, and niches.

Burial records, including grave books and therecords of cemetery officials (sextons records),public (municipal) cemeteries, parishes, and burialgrounds.

Cemetery records might give information that wouldnot be found in the civil or parish records. They mightinclude the name of the deceased, age, date of death orburial, birth year or date of birth, and sometimesmarriage information. They might also provide cluesabout military service, religion, occupation, and placeof residence at time of death.

The sources of cemetery records include:

The present sexton or minister. He may have theburial registers and the records of the burial plots.

A local library, historical society, or localhistorian. Any of these may have the records youneed or can help you locate obscure family plotsand relocated cemeteries.

To find tombstone or sexton records, you need toknow where an individual was buried. The personmay have been buried in a church, community, orprivate cemetery, usually near the place where he orshe lived or died. You can find clues to burial placesin funeral notices, church records, and deathcertificates.

In general, it is better to start with sexton records thanwith tombstones or niches. The record kept by thesexton often has more information about the deceasedperson and his or her family and will also give thelocation of the tomb. It is usually faster than searchingfor the grave itself. Because relatives may be buried inadjoining plots, its best to examine the original recordrather than to rely on alphabetized transcripts.

Most people in the cities of Peru were buried inniches. The Catholic Church had exclusivejurisdiction over burials until 1808, when the earliestcivil records began. Most civil cemetery records didnot begin until after the establishment of civilregistration in 1857. In 1825, the practice of buryingin churches and on church grounds was outlawed.

Funeral homes and mortuaries will know thecemeteries of an area. The civil registrar can alsoprovide information on private burial grounds andcemeteries.

There are two very large cemeteries located across thestreet from one another in the center of Lima andmanaged by a joint administrative office. To request afree search of the index for both cemeteries, contact:

El ngelLima 1, PER

CENSUS

A census is a count and description of the population,taken by government or ecclesiastical officials. Censusrecords include both government and church censuses(padrones). Censuses were taken by the governmentfor population studies, taxation, and military purposes;and by the churches for taxation in behalf of the parishpoor.

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.aspBYU FHLComment on TextMicrofiche CT 1344 .A73 1986

BYU FHLHighlight

BYU FHLComment on TextThis fiche is available at the BYU FHL.

http://www.bnp.gob.pe/

12

Census records are not often used in Peruvian researchbecause other sources, such as church records and civilregistration, provide better information. Where churchparish records have been destroyed, the census canhelp you establish your lineage.

In Peru, the original census returns were oftendestroyed or were only statistical. There are manychurch censuses in the Archive of the Archbishop ofLima, in other bishops archives, and in departmenthistorical archives. The General Archive of the Indies(Archivo General de Indias) in Seville, Spain, hasduplicate copies of many colonial census records.

Census records can provide important information,such as family relationships and age, where all orportions of other records are missing. Generally, youwill find more complete family information in morerecent censuses.

Information about census records can be found in:

Fuentes principales de registros genealgicos enPer (Principal Sources of GenealogicalRecords in Peru). Salt Lake City, Utah: TheGenealogical Society, 1977. (FHL book 929.1G286gs ser. H no.14; fiche 6030519.)

Platt, Lyman D. Latin American Census Records.Salt Lake City, Utah: Instituto Genealgico eHistrico Latinoamericano, 1987. (FHL book980 X23p.)

CHURCH DIRECTORIES

A church directory lists church officials, dioceses, andparishes. These directories are useful because:

They list of all the parishes in a diocese, so youcan determine if your ancestors village had aparish church. Many directories list all villagesbelonging to a parish.

They sometimes provide the earliest dates ofexisting parish records.

They may include historical information abouteach parish.

They may group parishes by parishes (curatos) orvicarages ( vicaras) and deaneries (decanatos).

Directories beginning in 1969 provide thecomplete address of each parish, dioceseheadquarters, and diocese archives whereadditional records may be kept. The 1993 directoryalso includes the phone and fax numbers of theparishes.

Church directories exist for the Archdiocese of Limafor 191113, 1916, 1918, 1935, and 1937. For Peru,there are directories for 1947, 1949, 1951, 1954, 1959,1964, 1969, 1974, and 1993. The Family HistoryLibrary has copies of directories for 1949, 1969, 1974,and 1993:

Anuario eclesistico del Per 1949 (EcclesiasticalYearbook of Peru). Lima: Impr. Santa Mara,1949. (FHL book 985 K24i 1949.)

Anuario eclesistico del Per 1969 (EcclesiasticalYearbook of Peru). Lima: Secretariado delEpiscopado Nacional, 1969. (FHL book 985K24i 1969.)

Anuario eclesistico del Per (EcclesiasticalYearbook of Peru). Lima: Secretariado delEpiscopado Peruano, 1974. (FHL book 985K24i, fiche 6030554.)

Directorio eclesistico del Per, 1993(Ecclesiastical Directory of Peru). Lima:Conferencia Episcopal Peruana, 1993. (FHLbook numbers 985 K24d.)

Rodrguez, Jesus Jordn. Pueblos y parroquias deel Per. Lima: Imprenta Pasaje Piura, 1950.(FHL book number 958K24r; film number1162495, item 4.)

Since the latest directory was published in 1993, someinformation, such as the priests name, may be out ofdate. The addresses and parish histories may be stillvalid. For more recent information, write to:

Conferencia Episcopal PeruanaRio de Janeiro 488Lima 11, PER

Church directories are listed in the Family HistoryLibrary Catalog under:

PERU - CHURCH DIRECTORIES

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.htmlBYU FHLComment on TextReligion/Family History ReferenceCS 95 .P54x 1992

BYU FHLComment on TextBX 1484 .A6

http://www.iglesiacatolica.org.pe/

13

CHURCH HISTORY

Research procedures and genealogical sources aredifferent for each religion. It is helpful to understandthe historical events that led to the creation of recordsin which your family is listed. This outline will onlyrefer to the Roman Catholic Church because otherchurches have only recently been introduced to Peru.

The Roman Catholic faith was brought to Peru at thetime of the Spanish conquest in about 1532. From1532 to the Constitution of 1920, Catholicism was theonly religion accepted in Peru. The Constitution of1920 provided freedom of religion, but since 1929,only Catholicism has been taught in state or privateschools. By 1972, there were 784 Catholic parishes inPeru.

Peru has been included in the Apostolic Vicarage(Vicariatos Apostolicos) of Ecuador since 1952. The1974 directory lists the present boundaries as thecountry of Peru.

The Catholic Church in Peru was divided in 1974 into7 provinces, 14 dioceses, 14 prelaturas, 9 vicariatosapostlicos and 1 vicara castrense ( militaryvicariate). The archdioceses are located in Lima,Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cuzco, Huancayo, Piura, andTrujillo.

A good history of the Catholic Church in Peru is:

Vargas Ugarte, Rubn. Historia de la iglesia en elPer (History of the Church in Peru). 5 vols.Lima : Imprenta Santa Mara, 1953. (FHL book985 K2v.)

Jurisdictional History

In order to find the church records you need, you mustbe able to find which jurisdiction your ancestor wouldhave been in. The Catholic Church has expanded andcreated new jurisdictional entities as follows:

1536 Diocese of Cuzco1541 Diocese of Lima1546 Archdiocese of Lima, with bishops in the

Dioceses of Cuzco, Quito (Ecuador),Castilla del Oro (Panam), Len deNicaragua, and Popayn (Colombia).

1577 Dioceses of Trujillo and Arequipa1609 Diocese of Huamanga (Ayacucho)1804 Diocese of Maynas

1838 The diocese of Maynas was moved toChachapoyas.

1861 Diocese of Puno1865 Diocese of Hunuco1901 Diocese of Cajamarca1909 Apostolic Prefectures of San Francisco del

Ucayali (now San Ramn) and San Lendel Amazonas (now Iquitos)

1921 Prefecture of San Gabriel del Maran1936 The prefecture of San Gabriel del Maran

was elevated to vicarage.1940 Diocese of Piura1943 The dioceses of Cuzco, Trujillo, and

Arequipa were elevated to archbishopricsand made ecclesiastical provinces.

1945 Prefecture of San Jos de Amazonas1946 Prefecture of San Francisco Javier del

Maran1946 Diocese of Ica1948 Prelate of Moyobamba1954 Dioceses of Huancayo, Huancavelica, and

Tacna1955 The prefecture of San Jos de Amazonas

was elevated to vicarage.1956 Diocese of Chiclayo

The vicarage of Ucayali was divided intothe vicarages of Requena and Pucallpa.

1957 Prelates of Yauyos, Juli, and Caravel1958 Dioceses of Huacho and Abancay

Prelates of Huari, Tarma, and Ayaviri1959 Prelate of Sicuani1961 Prelate of Huamachuco1962 Prelates of Chuquibamba and Chimbote1963 Prelate of Chota1967 Diocese of Callao1968 Prelate of Chquibambilla1997 The dioceses of Lurn, Chosica, and

Carabayllo were created from theArchdiocese of Lima.

As of 1993, the Catholic Church had sevenarchdioceses, one military archdiocese, eight dioceses,and eight apostolic vicarages.

CHURCH RECORDS

Church records (registros eclesiasticos) are excellentsources for accurate information on names, dates, andplaces of births, marriages, and deaths. Virtually everyperson who lived in Peru was recorded in a churchrecord, with the exception of the Indians of the easternrain forests.

14

Records of births, marriages, and deaths arecommonly called vital records. Church records arevital records made by church officials or priests inparish registers or church books.

Church records are crucial for early research aboutPeru because civil authorities did not begin registeringvital statistics until 1886. Church records are often theonly source of family information before that date.Church records continued to be kept after theintroduction of civil registration. For birth, death, andmarriage records after 1886, see the CivilRegistration section of this outline.

General Historical Background

The Catholic churches in Peru were among the first tokeep vital records. The practice of recording births,marriages, and deaths was already established amongthe churches in Spain, so the same statistics were keptin Peru from the beginning of Spanish rule. Theearliest parish record is from 1538, just after theConquest. In 1563 the Council of Trent issued amandate requiring Roman Catholic parishes to keeprecords of christenings and marriages. The churches inPeru did not fully comply with these regulations untilthe mid 1600s.

Unfortunately, many of the very early records havenot been preserved, causing gaps in parish records.Wars and calamities have destroyed other records. Tobetter understand the events that affected recordkeeping in Peru, the following are important dates:

154565 The Council of Trent required parishes tokeep birth and marriage registers, a practicealready common in Spain.

1764 The churches were ordered to keep theirchurch books in an orderly andconscientious manner.

1786 A uniform system of record keeping wasintroduced.

1800 Many parishes began keeping parishregisters, although they were not requireduntil 1815.

1881 Indexes of the church records wereofficially started. Some parishes, however,have indexes of earlier church books.

Information Recorded in Church Registers

Church registers include records of births andchristenings, marriages, and deaths and burials. Inaddition, church records may include account books,confirmations, and lists of members (padrones).

Baptisms (Bautismos): Children were generallychristened within a few days of birth. Christeningregisters usually give the infants and parents names,status of legitimacy, names of witnesses orgodparents, and the christening date. You may alsofind the childs birth date, ethnic background, fathersoccupation, and familys place of residence. Marriageand death information are sometimes added as notes.Registers in larger cities may also give the street nameor familys address.

Earlier registers typically give only the parents andgodparents names and the date of christening. Later,the age or birth date was given in addition to thechristening date.

You should obtain copies of both church records andcivil registration, when possible, since they do notnecessarily provide the same information. Forexample, baptismal registers sometimes provide thenames of the fathers of illegitimate children when thecivil registration does not.

Marriages (Matrimonios): Marriage registers give thedate of the marriage and the names of the bride andgroom. They also give the names of witnesses andindicate if either the bride or the groom was widowed.They often include other information about the brideand groom, such as ages, residences, occupations,names of parents, and birthplaces. In cases of secondand later marriages, they may include the names ofprevious spouses and their death dates. Often a note ismade whether a parent or other party gave permissionfor the marriage.

Marriage registers may also give the three dates onwhich the marriage intentions were announced. Theseannouncements, called banns, gave opportunity foranyone to come forward who knew any reasons whythe couple should not be married.

Couples were usually married in the home parish ofthe bride. Men typically married in their mid-20s andwomen married younger.

15

Marriage Information (Bandos, Informacinmatrimonial, Expedientes matrimoniales, Pliegosmatrimoniales): The marriage information documentis separate from the marriage record and can consist ofseveral parts. These parts include:

An introduction that states the intent of marriageand the date of the banns.

Personal information on the bride and groom. Thismay include the names of the couple, age, if theyare widowed, place of residence, place of birth, andnames of parents and grandparents.

If this is a second marriage for the bride or groom,the name of the deceased spouse and the date ofdeath.

If the bride or groom is from another parish,documents showing good standing in that parish.These can include baptismal records and when thebanns were published.

If there was an impediment to marriage, adispensation (exemption from restriction ofmarriage). For example, if the bride and groomwere related by blood or marriage within the fourthdegree, a dispensation was required from thebishop in order for the couple to marry. In suchcases, genealogical graphs and interestingbiographical information about the families willalso be included.

The testimonies of two to four witnesses about thegood standing of the bride and groom. This mayinclude the witnesss personal information as wellas how long he or she has known the bride orgroom. Often, the witnesses may be relatives of thebride or groom. This document is sometimes threeor four pages long.

A note at the end of the documents listing the dateof marriage or if the marriage did not take place.

Burials (Entierros): Burials were recorded in thechurch record of the parish where the person wasburied. The burial usually took place within a day ofthe death, in the parish where the person died.

Early death registers recorded the name of thedeceased person, his or her parents or spouse, and thedate and cause of death. Later records may alsoinclude the place of death or burial; the deceased

persons age, place of residence, and date and place ofbirth; and sometimes the names of survivors.

Confirmations (Confirmaciones): This record ismade at the time of the confirmation by the bishop orhis representative. It gives the date of the record, thename of the confirmed youth, the godparent(s)(padrinos), and signature of the bishop. This is adiocesan record, but a copy may be kept in the parish.Confirmations are sometimes included with thebaptismal records in the parish books.

Locating Church Records

Church records were kept at the local parish. Parishrefers to a local congregation that may have includedmany villages within its boundaries, under thejurisdiction of a priest.

To find church records, you must know:

Your ancestors religion. The town where your ancestor lived. The parish that your ancestors town belonged to.

Your ancestor may have lived in a village thatbelonged to a parish in a nearby larger town. (Forhelp identifying the parish, see the Gazetteers andMaps sections of this outline.)

The town where the church building was located isconsidered the headquarters of the parish. Althoughthe church building was often named for a saint, theFamily History Library Catalog refers to a parish bythe name of the town where the parish church waslocated. In large cities, where there may be manyparishes for each religion, the Family History LibraryCatalog uses the parish name (such as SagradoCorazn de Jess) to distinguish the records ofdifferent parishes.

Small villages that did not have their own churchbelonged to a parish located in a different town. Overtime, some villages or chapelries may have belongedto several parishes as jurisdictions changed. Peoplewho lived in villages between two parishes may havehad events recorded in both parishes. Search therecords of nearby parishes when doing research aboutancestors who lived in a small town.

Records at the Family History Library

The Family History Library has microfilm copies ofmany church records from Peru. This collectioncontinues to grow as new records are microfilmed.

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

16

Most of these records are from the coastal area ofPeru, but some are also available from the Andes.

You can determine whether the Family HistoryLibrary has records for your ancestors locality bychecking the Locality section of the Family HistoryLibrary Catalog. However, if the record was neverkept, has been destroyed, has not been microfilmed, oris restricted from public access by the laws of thecountry, the Family History Library does not have acopy.

In the Family History Library Catalog, look under thename of the town where the parish was, notnecessarily the town where your ancestor lived. Lookin the Family History Library Catalog under:

PERU, [DEPARTMENT], [DISTRICT] -CHURCH RECORDS

New records are continually added to Family HistoryLibrary collection from numerous sources. Dont giveup if records are not available yet. Check the FamilyHistory Library Catalog again from time to time forthe records you need.

Records Not at the Family History Library

Original baptism, marriage, and burial records may befound by contacting or visiting local parishes ordiocese archives in Peru.

Peru has no single repository of church records. Thepresent location of records depends on diocesan andlocal history. Write your request in Spanish wheneverpossible. You can make inquiries to:

Local parishes. Most church registers are stillmaintained by the parish. Recent registers are at theparish, and older ones may be at the diocesesarchives.

Church archives. Many parish registers are stilllocated at the parish, but some are collected indiocese archives. Church archives are often unableto handle genealogical requests but can determinewhether specific records are available.

Parishes will generally answer correspondence inSpanish. If the records have been sent to the diocesanarchives, your request may be forwarded to theappropriate offices. To obtain the addresses ofparishes, you should consult a church directory. (Seethe Church Directories section of this outline. See

also the Archives and Libraries section for moreinformation about where various types of records arestored.)

The Family History Library has obtained copies of therecords from the Archdiocese of Lima that werefilmed by UNESCO (United Nations Education,Scientific, and Cultural Organization). As permissionis given, the library will obtain more records at otherPeruvian church archives. This will continue for manyyears.

Information about how to write for genealogicalinformation to local parishes in Peru is given inSpanish Letter-Writing Guide (36245). When writingto an archive for civil records include:

The full name and gender of the person sought. The names of the parents, if known. The approximate date and place of the event you

are requesting information about. Your relationship to the person. The reason for the request (family history, medical,

and so on). A request for a photocopy of the complete original

record. A request for information about how to best send

the search fee, if any. An International Reply Coupon, available from

your local post office.

If your request is unsuccessful, search for duplicaterecords that may have been filed in other archives orin civil registration offices.

Search Strategies

Effective use of church records includes the followingstrategy:

Search for the relative or ancestor you want toknow more about. When you find his or her birthrecord, search for the birth records of his or herbrothers and sisters.

Search for the marriage record of the parents. Themarriage record will often lead to the birth recordsof the parents.

If you cannot locate a marriage record for theparents, you can estimate their ages and search fortheir birth records.

http://www.lib.byu.edu/fslab/pdf/researchoutlines/LatinAmerica/LatinAmerica.pdfhttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

17

Repeat the process for both the father and themother.

If earlier generations are not in the record, searchneighboring parishes.

Search the death registers for information about allfamily members.

CIVIL REGISTRATION

Civil registration refers to the vital records made bythe government. These include birth, marriage, anddeath records. Civil registration records (Actas delRegistro Civil) are an excellent source for accurateinformation on names, and dates and places of births,marriages, and deaths.

In most of the municipalities of Peru, civil authoritiesbegan registering births in 1886, marriages in 1886,and deaths in 1857. The 1892 Peruvian Civil Lawmade civil registration mandatory. In the Limamunicipal archives, there are death registers for18571867, and birth, marriage, and death registers ofPeruvians born abroad for 18861911. By 1895, thearchives included almost all individuals who lived inPeru. Records of naturalization, adoption, andlegitimacy and recognition of children are included inthe early birth records. From 1936, these records areincluded as part of the Personal Register.

Because civil registration covers the entire populationand generally provides more information than churchrecords, civil registration records are one of the mostimportant sources for genealogical research in Peru.Due to political situations, civil registration for somemunicipalities may have begun after 1886. Civilregistration records may also be the only source ofinformation about non-Catholic people.

For birth, death, and marriage records before 1886, seethe Church Records section of this outline.

General Historical Background

In 1857 the government of Peru passed a law thatrequired civil registration, but it was soondiscontinued, except for the requirement to keep deathrecords. In 1892, the government again recognized theneed for accurate vital records. Civil registrationrequired the people to report all births, marriages, anddeaths to a civil registrar in each municipality.

Civil registration began in 1886 in almost all of Peru.Today, Perus borders include areas that were not partof Peru in 1886. For these areas, the beginning of civilregistration varies. For example, the department ofTacna, which was part of Chile from 1880 to 1929,began registration in 1884 for births and 1885 formarriages and deaths.

Duplicates of municipal vital records are at theSupreme Court of Justice of the Republic (CorteSuperior de Justicia de la Repblica) in Lima.

Information Recorded in Civil Registers

The most important civil records for genealogicalresearch are birth, marriage, and death registers. Thereare also registers of captives for 19051926. These areregisters of births to Peruvian families in thedepartment of Tacna and the province of Tarapaca(Chile), which were under the jurisdiction of theChilean government.

From 1936 to the present, personal civil registersinclude naturalization, adoption, legitimization ofchildren, declaration of mental competence,declarations of deaths not otherwise registered,marriage annulments, and divorces.

Births, marriages, and deaths were written in the civilregistration records as they occurred and thus arearranged chronologically. Some records are indexed tohelp you find your ancestor.

Births (Nacimientos): Birth registers give thedocument number, registration date, name, gender,and date and place of birth. Early birth records alsoinclude naturalization papers, adoptions,legitimizations of children, and acknowledgments ofpaternity. Separate books were kept for naturalizationfrom 19121936.

Birth records may include family information, such asthe parents ages, birthplaces, residences, nationalities,marital status, professions, and the number of otherchildren born to the mother. The records may also givesimilar information about the informant, who may be arelative, and the grandparents.

Corrections to a birth record were usually added as amarginal note.

Marriages (Casamientos): Peruvian law requiresmarriages to be recorded in civil records prior to achurch marriage. Marriage registers give the marriage

18

date and the couples names, ages, places of residence,and, sometimes, places of birth. These records alsoinclude the names of the parents and witnesses andinformation about the witnesses.

Marriage information (Informacin matrimonial) inPeru from 1900 to the present includes certificates ofbirth, baptism, good conduct, marriageability, and amedical certificate and residence.

Early civil marriage records may give moreinformation than church records. Early entries usuallyincluded the names and ages of the bride and groomand the marriage date and place. Later entries includethe couples occupations, civil status, residences, andbirthplaces. Some records also have the names of theparents and grandparents.

Most couples were also married in a church wedding.If possible, search both the civil registration andchurch records of marriage. If you believe a marriagetook place but cannot find a civil record of themarriage, search the church marriage informationrecords or banns.

Deaths (Defunciones): Death records are especiallyhelpful because in addition to death and burialinformation, they provide important information abouta persons birth, spouse, and parents. Civil deathrecords often exist for individuals for whom there areno birth or marriage records. Death records wereusually registered within a few days of the death, inthe town or city where the person died.

Early death records give the name, date, and place ofdeath. Later death registers usually include thedeceaseds age or date of birth (and sometimes thebirthplace), residence or street address, occupation,cause of death, and burial information. These recordsalso include the name of the informant (who is often arelative), spouse, and parents. The information indeath records about the deceaseds birth and parentsmay be inaccurate since the informant may not havehad complete information.

Locating Civil Registration Records

Civil registration records are kept at the local civilregistration office (Oficina del Registro Civil) in eachmunicipality. You must determine the town whereyour ancestor lived before you can find the records.

A civil registration district may include several townsor be a small section of a large city. You may need to

use gazetteers and other geographic references toidentify the place your ancestor lived and the civilregistration office that served it (see the Gazetteerssection of this outline). In addition to the town, youneed to know an approximate year in which the birth,marriage, divorce, or death occurred.

The specific holdings of the Family History Libraryare listed in the Family History Library Catalog. Tofind civil registration records in the Family HistoryLibrary, search in the Locality section of thelibrarys catalog under:

PERU - CIVIL REGISTRATIONPERU, [DEPARTMENT] - CIVIL

REGISTRATIONPERU, [DEPARTMENT], [DISTRICT] - CIVIL

REGISTRATION

The librarys collection continues to grow as newrecords are microfilmed and added to the collectionfrom numerous sources. Dont give up if records arenot yet available. Check the catalog later for therecords you need.

Locating Records Not at the Family HistoryLibrary

Birth, marriage, divorce, and death records may befound by contacting or visiting local civil registrationoffices in Peru. Peru also has duplicates of civilregistration records in the Supreme Court of Justice(Corte Superior de Justicia) in Lima. Civil registrationrecords in Peru are available by writing to themunicipality or province where the record wascreated. After deciding who has jurisdiction over therecords for the time period you need, write a briefrequest to the municipal civil registration office. Whenwriting to an archive for civil records include:

The full name and gender of the person sought. The names of the parents, if known. The approximate date and place of the event you

are requesting information about. Your relationship to the person. The reason for the request (family history, medical,

and so on). A request for a photocopy of the complete original

record. A request for information about how to best send

the search fee, if any. An International Reply Coupon, available from

your local post office.

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.pj.gob.pe/CorteSuperior/default.asp?sede=20

19

Civil officials will usually answer correspondence inSpanish. If your request is unsuccessful, write forduplicate records that may have been sent to theSupreme Court of Justice of the Republic (CorteSuperior de Justicia de la Repblica). The address isincluded in the Archives and Libraries section ofthis guide.

If you visit the civil registration office to request adocument, they will perform a search for a fee. Eachmunicipality charges its own price. Contact the civilregistration office to learn the cost of searches and ofcopies of certificates.

COURT RECORDS

The highest court of Peru is the Supreme Court ofJustice of the Republic (Corte Superior de Justicia dela Repblica) in Lima. Under it are the 23 SuperiorCourts (Cortes Superiores), located in the seats ofdepartments. Each of the 140 provinces has a Court ofFirst Instance located in the provincial seat. The 1,302small towns each have a Justice of the Peace Court.All of these are courts of record.

Although records of genealogical value can be foundin court records, you should first search church andcivil records. Not many court records from Peru havebeen microfilmed.

Inquisition Records

Inquisition records were created in the 16th and 17thcenturies when non-Catholics, including many of theminority and immigrant groups, were being tried asheretics. The records of persons tried by theInquisition are found in the National HistoricalArchive (Archivo Histrico Nacional) of Madrid andin the National Archives (Archivo Nacional de laNacin) of Lima. Following are some inquisitionrecords available on microfilm at the Family HistoryLibrary:

Procesos de F, 15641804 (Proceedings of Faith,15641804). Madrid: Centro Nacional deMicrofilm, 1977. (FHL films 122401629.)

Pleitos civiles relativos a Lima (Civil LitigationRelating to Lima). Madrid: Archivo HistricoNacional, 1982. (FHL films 141825165.)

Lohmann Villena, Gillermo. InformacionesGenealgicas de Peruanos seguidos ante elSanto Oficio (Genealogical Information ofPeruvians Appearing before the Holy Office).Lima: n.p., 1957. (FHL book 929.1 W893 F16;film 0873987 item 3.)

Medina Zavala, Jos Toribio. Historia del Tribunalde la Inquisicin de Lima, 15691820 (Historyof the Tribunal of the Inquisition of Lima,15691820). 2 vols. Santiago: Fondo HistricoBibliogrfico, 1956. (FHL book 985 K21t; film0896618.)

See also the Minorities section of this outline.

DIRECTORIES

Directories are alphabetical lists of names andaddresses. These often list all the adult residents ortradesmen of a city or area. Telephone books are atype of directory.

The Family History Library has a telephone directoryon microfilm for Lima from 1949 (1224503 item 2)and the 1990 and 1991 directories (3 vols., FHL book985.21/L1 E4p).

The most helpful directories for genealogical researchare city directories of local residents and businesses.These are generally published annually and mayinclude an individuals name, address, occupation, hisor her spouses name, and other helpful facts. Anindividuals address can be very helpful whensearching in a large city with several parishes.Directories sometimes have city maps and mayinclude addresses of churches, cemeteries, civilregistration offices, and other important locations.

Directories are listed in the Locality section of theFamily History Library Catalog under:

PERU, [DEPARTMENT]- DIRECTORIES PERU, [DEPARTMENT], [DISTRICT] -

DIRECTORIES

Directories for Peru can also be found on the Internetat:

http://www.infobel.com/en/world/

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.aspBYU FHLComment on TextBX 1740 .P5 M4 1956 vol.1-2

http://www.infobel.com/en/world/

20

EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

Emigration and immigration sources list the names ofpeople leaving (emigration) or coming into(immigration) Peru. These sources are usuallypassenger lists, permissions to emigrate, records ofpassports issued, or lists of prisoners deported. Theinformation in these records may include theemigrants names, ages, occupations, destinations, andplaces of origin or birthplaces.

In addition to their usefulness in determining where animmigrant lived prior to leaving his or her nativecountry, these records can help in constructing familygroups. If you dont find your ancestor, you may findemigration information on neighbors of your ancestor.People who lived near each other often settled togetherin the country they emigrated to.

People emigrated from Peru to the United States,Canada, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia,Mexico, Australia, and other countries. Theemigration to the United States began in the mid-1850s and much earlier to South American countries.Most of the early emigrants to the United States ofAmerica settled in California. Emigration wasminimal, however, until after the 1940s, when manyPeruvians left for the west coast of the United States,Canadian British Columbia, and other countries.

Finding the Emigrants Town of Origin

Once you have traced your family back to yourimmigrant ancestor, you must determine the city ortown the ancestor was from. Peru has no nationwideindex to birth, marriage, or death records. Vitalrecords were kept locally with duplicates sent to theSuperior Court of Justice of the Republic (CorteSuperior de Justicia de la Repblica).

There are several sources that may help you find yourancestors place of origin. You may be able to learnthe town your ancestor came from by talking to olderfamily members. Members of your family or a librarymay have documents that name the city or town, suchas:

Birth, marriage, and death certificates Obituaries Journals Photographs Letters Family Bibles

Church certificates or records Naturalization applications and petitions Passenger lists Passports Family heirlooms

A good book on Peruvian immigration is:

Arona, Juan de. La Inmigracin en el Per(Immigration in Peru). Lima: Biblioteca Pblicade la Cmara de Diputados, 1971. (FHL book985 W2a.)

Additional information about finding the origins ofimmigrant ancestors is given in Tracing YourImmigrant Origins (34111).

Emigration from Spain

Before 1775, most of the emigrants from Spain camefrom the regions of Castilla, Andaluca, orExtremadura. The people from Catalua, Aragn,Galicia, and Vascongadas were excluded from theAmericas by the Court of the Indies (Consejo deIndias). After 1775, Carlos III of Spain gavepermission to all Spaniards to colonize any part ofSpanish America. Emigrants from Spain left recordsdocumenting their migration in the port of departure aswell as in the country they moved to.

People desiring to emigrate from Spain or thosemigrating within the colonies in South America wererequired to register at the time of departure. Some ofthese records include:

Permissions to emigrate Probates of relatives who stayed Church records (annotations) Passports Court records

These records are not available for research at theFamily History Library but may be found at thenational archives of the departure country.

Colonial Period (14921821)

Various Spanish archives have records that may showthe emigrants origin. The principle archives are theGeneral Archives of the Indies (Archivo General deIndias) in Seville, Spain; the Military Archives ofSegovia; and the General Archive of Simancas. Forfurther information on military archives, see the

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/RG/frameset_rg.asp?Dest=G1&Aid=&Gid=&Lid=&Sid=&Did=&Juris1=&Event=&Year=&Gloss=&Sub=&Tab=&Entry=&Guide=Tracing_Immigrant_Origins.ASPhttp://www.mcu.es/archivos/MC/AGI/index.html

21

Military Records and Archives and Librariessections of this outline.

You may want to look for your ancestors records inthe following sections of the General Archives of theIndies:

Informaciones de Mritos y Servicios de losDescubridores/Conquistadores (Information onMerits and Services of the Discoverers andConquerors): This includes documents of the shipsand passengers who sailed to the colonies duringthe early 1500's.

Casa de Contratacin de las Indias (House ofContracts of the Indies): This is an excellentdocumentation of passenger lists for ships sailing tothe American colonies between 1509 and 1701, aswell as petitions and licenses for permission toemigrate during the period 1534 to 1790.

For early emigration, you should search the followingbook, which indexes documents of the ships andpassengers who sailed to the colonies during the early1500s:

Catlogo de Pasajeros a las Indias durante losSiglos XVI, XVII, y XVIII (Catalog of Passengersto the Indies during the 16th, 17th, and 18thCenturies). Seville: s.n., 1940 . (FHL book 946W2sa; films 02775770277578.)

The Mid-1800s

Ship arrivals and passenger lists provide the bestdocumentation of immigrants who came to SouthAmerica after the middle of the 19th century. Theserecords are housed in the national archives of each ofthe countries in South America. (For informationabout archives, see the Archives and Librariessection of this outline.)

Other important sources of information for yourimmigrant ancestors are the emigration records thatmay exist from the departure port city.

During the early period, most Spanish emigrants leftthrough the ports of Seville, Cdiz, San Lucar deBarrameda, and Mlaga in southern Spain. Theserecords were housed in the cities of Cdiz and Seville.Later the ports of San Sebastin, Bilbao, Santander,and La Corua in northern Spain were added asdeparture cities not only for Spaniards but also forother Europeans. These emigrants most always

traveled first to Islas Canarias (the Canary Islands),where they resided for a short time, before continuingtravel to the Americas. Currently these records arehoused in the General Archive of the Indies in Seville.

The records of departures from these ports are calledpassenger lists. The information contained in theselists varies over time but usually includes theemigrants name, age, occupation, and destination.The lists may also include the names of other familymembers, and the emigrants last town of residence orbirthplace.

Emigration to America slowed drastically between17901825 due to wars of independence in the LatinAmerican colonies. Beginning in 1840, an increasednumber of people immigrated to Latin Americaseeking religious, economical, or political freedom.The first major group of immigrants were Chineselaborers who came between 18501875 to work on theguano deposits of the Chincha Islands and on therailroads.

Emigration from Japan

Many Japanese immigrant laborers arrived in Peru atthe end of the 19th century and early 20th century.Japanese trade with Peru expanded after World WarII. The following records, located in Japan, containinformation about these Japanese immigrants:

Peru-koku e honpojin dekasegi ikken (JapaneseAway-from-Home Workers in Peru). Tokyo:Kokusai Maikuo Shashin Kogyosha, [n.d.].(FHL film 1591703 item 31591708 item 2.)

Peru imin kankei zakken (Japanese Emigration toPeru). Tokyo: Kokusai Maikuo ShashinKogyosha, [n.d.]. (FHL films12640411264042, 126404445, 1250049, and1250051.) This contains assorted papers onJapanese emigration to Peru that were handled18991921.

Nihonjin Peru iju no kiroku (The JapaneseImmigrants to Peru). Tokyo: Shadan HojinRaten Amerika Kyokai, 1969. (FHL book 985W2n.)

Imin unsosen kankei zakken (Papers on JapaneseEmigration). Tokyo: Kokusai Maikuro ShashinKogyosha, [n.d.]. (FHL films 1250044,12640471264049, and 1250066.)

BYU FHLComment on TextCS 944 .R66 1980 (v.5.pt.1,2)

22

Emigration from Other Areas

Most people who emigrated from Europe left throughthe ports of Hamburg, LeHavre, Liverpool, Naples,Rotterdam, or Trieste. The records of Hamburg andsome other European ports have been microfilmed andare available in the collection of the Family HistoryLibrary. See Hamburg Passenger Lists, 18501934(34047).

Other emigration and immigration records for Peruinclude:

Emigracin china para el Per, 1854-1876(Chinese Emigration to Peru, 18541876).Arequipa: Onvento del la Merced, 1990. (FHLfilm 1563431 item 7.) This book includes therecords of the Chinese immigrants who camefrom Macao.

Reseas de pasaportes de varios consulados,1921-1939 (Muster of the Passports of VariousConsulates, 19211939). Bogot: ArchivoGeneral de Colombia, 1987. (FHL film1511647 item 7.)

Yugoslavos en el Per (Yugoslavs in Peru). Lima:Editorial La Equidad, 1985. (FHL book 985 F2m.)

See also the Minorities section of this outline.

Immigration to Peru

The main port of entry for most immigrants to Peruwas Callao, near Lima. Unfortunately, no passengerlists of immigrants arriving in Callao have beenmicrofilmed. Such records may exist in the archives ofPeru.

Records at the Family History Library

The Family History Library has some microfilmcopies of records and related books. The film or callnumbers of these records are listed in the localitysection of the Family History Library Catalog:

PERU - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATIONSPAIN - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION

See also records under the heading Colonization:

PERU - COLONIZATION

ENCYCLOPEDIAS ANDDICTIONARIES

Encyclopedias provide information on all branches ofknowledge or treat a specific topic comprehensively,usually in articles arranged alphabetically. They oftencontain information of great interest for genealogicalresearch, including articles about towns and places,prominent people, minorities, and religions. They canalso give information about diverse topics such asrecord-keeping practices, laws, customs, commerce,costumes, occupations, and archaic terminology. Thefollowing encyclopedias and encyclopedic referencebooks may be particularly helpful in your research:

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Latin America andthe Caribbean. Cambridge, England:Cambridge University Press, 1992. (FHL book980 A5c.)

Schaefer, Christina K. Genealogical Encyclopediaof the Colonial Americas: A Complete Digest ofthe Records of All the Countries of the WesternHemisphere. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co.,Inc., 1998. (FHL book 929.11812 D26s.)

Diccinario Enciclopdico del Per (EncyclopedicDictionary of Peru). 3 vols. Lima: Juan MejaBaca, 1966. (FHL book 985 A5de.)

Encyclopedias are listed in the Family History LibraryCatalog under:

PERU - ENCYCLOPEDIAS ANDDICTIONARIES

For information on language dictionaries, see theLanguage and Languages section of this outline.

GAZETTEERS

A gazetteer is a dictionary of place-names. Gazetteersdescribe haciendas (large ranches), towns and villages,districts, provinces, departments, population, rivers,mountains, and other geographical features. Theyusually include only the names of places that existed atthe time the gazetteer was published. The place-namesare generally listed in alphabetical order, similar to adictionary.

Gazetteers may also provide additional informationabout towns, such as:

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.lib.byu.edu/fslab/pdf/researchoutlines/Europe/GermansToAmerica.pdfhttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.aspBYU FHLComment on TextF 3619 .Y84 M47 1985

BYU FHLComment on TextSocial Sciences/Education Reference F 1406 .C36 1992

BYU FHLComment on TextReligion/Family History Reference E 18 .S32 1998

23

Religious denominations Schools, colleges, and universities Major manufacturing works, canals, docks, and

railroad stations Distances

You can use a gazetteer to locate the places whereyour family lived and to determine the civiljurisdictions over those places. There are many placesin Peru with the same or similar names. For example,there are several jurisdictions with the localityAcobamba:

Acobamba, province of Sihuas, department ofAncash

Acobamba, province of Acobamba, department ofHuancavelica

Acobamba, province of Tarma, department of Junin Santo Domingo de Acobamba, province of

Huancayo, department of Junin

You will need to use a gazetteer to identify thespecific town where your ancestor lived, the district,province, and department it was in, and thejurisdictions where records about it were created andkept.

Gazetteers are also helpful for determining thedepartment, province, and district jurisdictions used inthe Family History Library Catalog.

Finding Place Names in the Family HistoryLibrary Catalog

Place names in the Family History Library Catalog arelisted under the modern names and the names ofdepartments and provinces as they existed in 1922. Tofind the department and province that a town is filedunder in the Family History Library Catalog, you canuse the see references on the first Family HistoryLibrary Locality Catalog microfiche of eachdepartment. If you are using the catalog on compactdisc, use the Locality Search. The computer will findplaces with that name.

Because of the many changes in place names, theFamily History Library uses one gazetteer as thestandard guide for listing places in the Family HistoryLibrary Catalog. Regardless of the names a place mayhave had at various times, all Peruvian places arelisted in the Family History Library Catalog by thename they are listed under in:

Steglich, Grman. Diccionario geogrfico del Per(Geographical Dictionary of Peru). 3 vols.Lima: Torres Aguirre, 1922. (FHL book985.E5s; film 0845239.)

Other supporting sources are:

Demarcacin Poltica del Per (PoliticalBoundaries of Peru). Lima: Instituto GeogrficoNacional, 1983. (FHL book 985 E5d.)

Demarcacin Poltica del Per porDepartamentos, Provincias y Distritos (PoliticalBoundaries of Peru by Departments, Provinces,and Districts). Lima: Instituto Nacional dePlanificacin, 1984. (FHL book 985 E5dp; film1224501 item 5.)

Per: Directorio Nacional de MunicipalidadesProvinciales y Distritales (Peru: NationalDirectory of Provincial and DistrictMunicipalities). Lima: Instituto Nacional deEstadstica e Informacin, 1999.

Historical Place Names

Because names and boundaries of some places havechanged or no longer exist, you may need to usesources that describe places as they were knownearlier. Some of the historical national gazetteers thatidentify places in Peru are:

lisky, Marvin. Historical Dictionary of Peru.Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1979. (FHLbook 985 H26a.)

Peru: Official Standard Names Approved by theU.S. Board of Geographical Names.Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency,1955. (FHL book 985 E5p; film 1102987 item1.)

Diccinario enciclopdico del Per ilustrado(Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Peru). 3vols. Lima: Editorial Mijia Baca, 1966. (FHLbook 985 A5de; film 1162476 items 13.)

Gazetteers are listed in the Family History LibraryCatalog under:

PERU - GAZETTEERSPERU, [DEPARTMENT] - GAZETTEERSPERU - DESCRIPTION AND TRAVEL

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHL/frameset_library.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asphttp://www.familysearch.org/eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.aspBYU FHLHighlight

BYU FHLComment on TextThis film is available at the BYU FHL.

BYU FHLComment on TextSocial Sciences/Education Reference F 3404 .A39

BYU FHLComment on TextMap Bookshelves G 105 .U53x P47 1955

BYU FHLComment on TextSocial Sciences/Education ReferenceF 3404 .D5 vol.1-3

24

GENEALOGY

The term genealogy is used in this outline and in theFamily History Library Catalog to describe a varietyof records containing family information gathered byindividuals, researchers, societies, or archives. Theserecords may include pedigree charts, compiledinformation on families, correspondence, ancestorlists, research exchange files, record abstracts, andcollections of original or copied documents. These canbe excellent sources of information that can save youvaluable time. Because they are compiled from othersources of information, they must be carefullyevaluated for accuracy.

Additional sources of genealogy for noble families inPeru are described in the Nobility section of thisoutline.

Major Collections and Databases

The Family History Library has several sources thatcontain previous research or can lead you to otherresearchers who are interested in sharing familyinformation. These sources include:

International Genealogical Index. The indexprovides names and vital information for manydeceased persons who lived in Peru. This valuableresearch tool lists birth, christening, and marriagedates. The index for Peru includes names extractedfrom parish registers by volunteers and namessubmitted by other researchers.

The International Genealogical Index is availableon microfiche and on compact disc as part ofFamilySearch.

Ancestral File. This file, part of FamilySearch,contains family history information linked in familygroups and pedigrees that has been contributedsince 1979. As of 1999, the file contains the namesof millions of persons, including hundreds ofPeruvian families. Ancestral File can print pedigreecharts, family group records, and individualsummary sheets for any person in the file.

Family Group Records Collection. More than 8million family group record forms have beenmicrofilmed in the Family Group RecordsCollection, but very few are from South America.There are two major sections: the Archive Sectionand the Patrons Section. The film numbers for both

sections are listed in the Author/Title section ofthe Family History Library Catalog under FamilyGroup Records Collection.

Social Security Death Index. The Social SecurityDeath Index lists all the people in the United Stateswho held social security numbers and who diedbetween 1962 and 1996. The index can lead toother social security records that may provide yourancestors birthplace in Peru.

Share Your Information with Others. Your familyhistory can become a source of enjoyment for you andyour family. You can submit your family historyinformation to the Pedigree Resource File (see theInternet site www.familysearch.org for instructions). You may want to compile your findings into a familyhistory and share it with family members, the FamilyHistory Library, and other archives.

Family Histories

A few Peruvian families have produced histories ornewsletters that include genealogical information,biographies, photographs, and other excellentinformation. These usually include several generationsof the family.

The Family History Library has few publishedPeruvian family histories. Copies at the FamilyHistory Library are listed in the surname section of theFamily History Library Catalog. Not every namefound in a family history will be listed in the FamilyHistory Library Catalog. Only the major surnamesdiscussed in the family history are included in thecatalog.

There are also unpublished family histories found inprivate collections. These include a variety ofunpublished records pertaining to specific families,usually Peruvian nobility or prominent families. Suchmaterials are generally inaccessible for research unlessyou can establish contact with the person who ownsthe materials.

Many Peruvian family histories