Good information Linda. A couple of tips: Once you get to the search page, "bookmark" it and then you can go right back to it in the future, bypassing the Arquivo Regional da Madeira opening pages. You can broaden your search for a particular surname by just typing in that last name without a first name; i.e., Pitta. You will receive all records pertaining to Pitta. If you are not certain about the first name of an individual, i.e., you don't know whether it's João, José, or Joaquim Pitta, use the percent symbol to expand your search: Jo% Pitta. You will receive all Pitta records with the first name containing the "jo" combination. Bob -------------- Original message -------------- From: MINERROOTS@aol.com > How to do marriage searches on Aquivo-Madeira.org > > Copy this page first so you have it in front of you. > > Go to www.arquivo-madeira.org > > The main page will appear Arquivo Regional da Madeira > On the left hand column is a section Servicos de Comunicacao > Click on Bases de dados which is listed in that section. > A new page will appear with 3 pictures on it Pesquisa nas bases de dados. > Click on the word Pesquisar to the right of the yellow picture. > A new page will appear that has places to "fill in" > Marido means husband > Mulher means wife > Ano means year > Paroquia means parish. If you click on the small arrow to the right of > Paroquia a "pull down" menu will appear in which you can click on the parish you > would like to do your search in. Then press Procurar and see what comes up. > > The names you enter into the Marido and Mulher boxes have to be the correct > spelling or you will get no information. This is where you need "diacritics" > or the accents used in names. To do this you will need to have the number lock > which is on your keyboard(not the computer screen)pressed. When you press > the number lock a small light will come on - on your keyboard(not on the > computer screen) By using the number lock you can make the accents needed when > typing > names such as João, António, Gonçalves, José. > > ã = Press the ALT key while typing the numbers 0227 > ç = ALT 0231 > é = ALT 0233 > ó = ALT 0243 > á = ALT 0225 > If you play with the year box and/or the parish box, it will bring up all the > marriages for that year and parish. Also note the way names are spelt, this > is the way you will have to type them in if you want to search. i.e. Ana, > Catarina, Beatriz, Inácio > > If confused, please ask...the dumbest question ever asked is the one that > isn't asked. > Linda > > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx >