Birth, Baptism, Marriage Records

[Patricia Gray]

I will be traveling to Tereira at which time I will want to look up
records of my grandparents. I believe the best places to look would be
in the local parishes. I've tried to look up parishes in Serreta in
1895 and Doze Ribeiras in 1890, but I can't seem to find them. I also
wouldn't know if the churches are still there, or new ones have
replaced them.

Any help and information would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Pat Gray

[Cheri Mello]

Hi Pat G,

Yes, the churches are still there in Doze Ribeiras and Serreta, but the records from the 1890s are NOT there. They are in the archives in Ponta Delgada. The Azorean government scanned the records and put them online for all to use.

I'm on a computer. If you are on a phone, it might be different. Go to:

1) tombo.pt (Click the British flag in the upper right if you need to navigate in English).

2) In the left navigation pane, scroll down to Azores and click it.

3) Still in the left navigation pane, scroll down to Terceira and click it.

4) Click on Angra do Herosimo

5) Click on either Doze Ribeiras or Serreta.

5) Click on the baptism book that contains your 1890s baptism.

I'd spend my time seeing the cave (Algar do Carvão), seeing a bullfight in the Praça, eating ice cream from Quinta dos Açores, checking out the botanical garden (Duque da Tereira?), Monte Brasil and the fort of Sao Joao Batista, that yellow/gold monument to hike up to (is that in the botanical garden?), tourada a corda (bull on a rope), there's lots of things to see and do.

Enjoy,

Cheri Mello
Listowner, Azores-Gen
Researching: São Miguel island: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada

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[Patricia Gray]

I tried going on Tombo.pt, but got lost. I'll try again using your
instructions.

Thanks Cheri. This has been a big help.

Pat

> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/azores/CAKUUw_GitiabGQ0Z8hRBg4F8HE6YfSOMmzBtVN-jfrOG82X5Vg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Philippe GARNIER]

Hi Patricia,

Try this, easier :

https://www.culturacores.azores.gov.pt/ig/registos/Default.aspx

Philippe GARNIER

Paria - France

https://philippegarnier112.wixsite.com/familiasilhaterceira

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/azores/CAPkXZKDuctQmdgt307mZJyMVjT6n18FgY2EZTwfpF9Sg7Dhheg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Patricia Gray]

Philippe:

Thank you.

Pat

> To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/azores/CAH_FA1goFpeLEdcPQPmzW51m7BAMsYkXiZS4MChPN7AqMZW2Mg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Bill Seidler]

Hi Pat.

I found these records at the CCA using the link Philippe posted.  The Tombo site Cheri posted connects to the same records.  Either way you need to search the pages manually since they are not indexed.

Here is your grandfather:

João, born on 24 Jun 1890 and baptized the same day at Igreja de São Jorge, Doze Ribeiras.  Parents Florencio Pacheco Cardoso and Maria da Purificação who were native to and married in this same parish.

Paternal grandparents were José Pacheco Cardoso and Josefa Rosa.  Maternal grandparents were José Machado Coelho and Rosa Joaquina.  Godparents were José Machado Coelho, married; and Rosa da Conceição, also married.
https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/TER-AH-DOZERIBEIRAS-B-1890-1899/TER-AH-DOZERIBEIRAS-B-1890-1899_item1/index.html?page=17 (left side; first line on previous page)

Here is your grandmother: 

Maria, born 21 Apr 1895 and baptized on 1 May 1895 at Igreja N.S. das Milagres, Serreta.  Parents were Manuel Cota Cardoso and Maria Rosa, both native to and married in this same parish.

Paternal grandparents were José Cota Machado and Francisca Rosa.  Maternal grandparents were José Machado Dinis and Maria Rosa.  Godparents were José Cota Machado, married; and Maria das Milagres, single.  

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/TER-AH-SERRETA-B-1890-1899/TER-AH-SERRETA-B-1890-1899_item1/index.html?page=92 (starts lower right and continues on next page)

If you need certified copies of these for any official reason, such as applying for Portuguese citizenship,  You will need to go to the archives when you visit Terceira.  They will pull the book and make a copy to be notarized.  I went there with someone just last week and notarized copies cost 20 euros each.  For those not visiting Terceira, I am not sure if this can be arranged by email.  The archives hold the records dated up to early 1911 when the Civil Registry started.  Records after that are kept at the Civil Registry which is in a different part of Angra.

Bill Seidler

[Philippe GARNIER]

Hi Patricia,

Who are your greatparents. Perhaps I have in my bank of data.

Best regards

Philippe GARNIER

Paris - France

https://philippegarnier112.wixsite.com/familiasilhaterceira/copie-de-familias-da-ilha-terceira

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/azores/c76ec911-8326-41c7-8165-24957148056cn%40googlegroups.com.

[Patricia Gray]

Bill:

Thank you so much for this additional information. Some of the
information I had and this confirms it is correct. Some of this is new
and for that, I truly appreciate it.

I've gone on CCA, unfortunately I don't know how to read Portuguese. I
look for familiar names and dates and print it out in hopes of getting
it translated. My sister has friends that can read Portuguese. It is a
time consuming project, but so worth it.

Thank you again.

Pat

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[Patricia Gray]

I will also be going to Madeira Island. Where will I be able to find
those records?

[Cheri Mello]

Pat G,

Us non-native speakers don't "read" Portuguese either. We've learned the format and how to pick out the keywords and phrases. There's a guide on the Azores GenWeb that lists the key words and phrase and has a word by word translation so you can understand the format:

https://www.azoresgenweb.org/Research_Aids/finding_roots_9.html

Just like the United States has our National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), the Azores has their archives (Arquivo) and Madeira has an arquivo too. It's in Funchal. Same keywords and format for "reading" the Madeiran records too.

Cheri Mello
Listowner, Azores-Gen
Researching: São Miguel island: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/azores/CAPkXZKBeK6r9hOoLUOZef8uQMU3ohxZF%3Du_wyTwB5FGrDzdsHQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Bill Seidler]

Hi again Pat,

There is an index online for the Madeira archives at https://abm.madeira.gov.pt/acesso-aos-documentos/arquivos/.  You can look up baptisms, marriages, and passports.  Once you find that a record exists you can access scans of the books on Tombo.pt to search for the record in the case of baptisms and marriages.  That is the same Tombo.pt referred to you by Cheri.

That being said, are you sure you have ancestry from Madeira?  I reached back to your 2022 Post on this site about Manuel Baptista and saw your current tree on Ancestry.com that shows him born in Madeira..  There was a Manuel Baptista born in Madeira in 1862 but if he went to Hawaii it is somehow missing from the Madeira Passport index.  No one by his name or his father's name got a passport to Hawaii during the relevant time period.

On the other hand, this Manuel Baptista was also born in 1862, but in Vila Franca do Campo on São Miguel Island. (#15 on bottom right continuing on next on page which has most of the record).  This is the same Island as his future wife, Mara Cunha.

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-VF-SAOMIGUEL-B-1860-1864/SMG-VF-SAOMIGUEL-B-1860-1864_item1/index.html?page=175 This is the same Island as his future wife, Mara Cunha who also went to Hawaii.  In 2022 I posted for you her baptism and passaporte scans.

This Manuel arrived in Honolulu on the ship City of Parish on 13 Jun 1884.  He was with his Parents, Mariano and Julia, and his siblings Jacinta, Emilia, Maria, and Anna.  The obituary for him you have attached to your tree on Ancestry says he was native of the Azores (not Madeira) and that he is survived by three sisters: Anna Souza, Emma Marshall, and Jesse Pimentel.  I think these names correspond to Anna, Emilia (Emma), and Jacinta (Jesse) from his obituary.  His sister Maria may have died before him so she wasn't listed.  A picture of the ship manifest (last page only) is attached.  It is available on familysearch.org.

Feel free to write me at bsei.azo...@gmail.com if you have any questions.  

Bill Seidler

[Patricia Gray]

Bill:

My DNA shows ancestry from Madeira and none from Sao Miguel. My
sister's DNA shows ancestry from both Madeira and Sao Miguel. I'm
going to have to go over my aunt's notes to see where I came up with
that information. What you're telling me makes much more sense. I'm
going to have to do some more digging.

I do have the documents you mentioned, but not reading Portuguese, I
wasn't able to understand much of it. I'll try again to reread them to
see if I can decipher any of the information.

Thanks-Pat

On Sun, Aug 17, 2025 at 5:36 PM Bill Seidler

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[Cheri Mello]

Pat G,

The ethnicity estimates can be misleading. Which company told you Madeira? What was the percentage? Hawaii had immigrants from both Sao Miguel and Madeira (as the ship stopped in Funchal and then Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel then went around the horn to Hawaii). People whose ancestors went to HI may be told that they have DNA from the wrong region. It just depends.

To learn how to "read" Portuguese (it's really how to bumble your way through), use this guide below. 

https://www.azoresgenweb.org/Research_Aids/finding_roots_9.html

[Donna Hinson]

I agree with Cheri.  The ethnicity reports can be misleading.  I've been tracking my ethnicity reports on both Ancestry & FTDNA spanning from 2018 to 2025.  They vary from year to year.  My American paternal side is the same way although my Portuguese side is always much larger.  I've researched my paternal side thoroughly including spousal lines and pretty much know which countries most lines were likely from.  But even so, I have to assume that some were a mix due to intermarriage way beyond the time I've been able to find records.  IMO, I don't think the genetics can really be that detailed on ethnicity...not yet and not at such a low cost for tests.  But, it's another tool to help find our ancestors.  What I find difficult on Portuguese research are the surname changes!

Here's what Ancestry posted in 2021 for my Portuguese side and included the percent range (in bold):
Portugal 42% (Estimate but can range from 41% to 54%) - Azores - Eastern Group - Eastern Sao Miguel - Southeast Sao Miguel

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[Patricia Gray]

Cheri-

It was Ancestry. I want to send it to My Heritage to see how similar they are.

Pat

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 18, 2025, at 9:24 AM, Cheri Mello <gfsc...@gmail.com> wrote:



[Cheri Mello]

Pat G,

My Heritage no longer accepts transfers. You have to test directly. They do have sales from time to time. Right now is one of those times and I think it's $33 USD:

https://www.myheritage.com/dna

Cheri Mello
Listowner, Azores-Gen
Researching: São Miguel island: Vila Franca, Ponta Garca, Ribeira Quente, Ribeira das Tainhas, Achada

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/azores/AA3A782F-53AB-45C8-9227-75BCE4C57E70%40gmail.com.

[Bill Seidler]

I apologize that I linked to the wrong Manuel baptism in my previous post.  This is the correct one:

https://culturacores.azores.gov.pt/biblioteca_digital/SMG-VF-SAOPEDRO-B-1860-1864/SMG-VF-SAOPEDRO-B-1860-1864_item1/index.html?page=37 (#7 starts bottom right).  

The information I posted is correct, I just had a paste error for the link.

Bill Seidler