Church Records: Baptisms

Baptisms

According to Catholic doctrine, all individuals must be baptized in order to be saved. Because of this universal need for baptism, these records will include the majority of the people living in the parish, regardless of their social or economic status. Christening records may include the following information, depending on the time period when they were created:

• The given names and surnames of the person being baptized
• Date of the baptism
• Date of baptismal entry (usually same as baptism)
• Date and birthplace of the person being baptized
• Whether the child being baptized was legitimate or illegitimate
• Given names, surnames, residences, and birthplaces of the parents and grandparents
• Marital status of the parents
• Names of the godparents and sometimes their relationship to the child
• Residence or birthplaces of the godparents
• Name or signature of the officiating priest
  

The information included in these records usually follows a specific order; however, it is not uncommon to find the same information in a different order depending on the priest. Fortunately, within the same book, the entries tend to be formulaic and very regular, to the point that those who do not have a vast knowledge of the Portuguese language can still quickly find the information for which they are searching.

"Batismo de D. Afonso Henriques por S. Geraldo, arcebispo de Braga" by Simão Álvares (fl. 1638-1657).
This image is in the public domain