The institution of familiatura had a double role in the traditional Portuguese society: besides the social and religious control that was exercised by these inquisitional officials, the attainment of this title also ennobled the individuals that achieved it. The article aims to study the presence of the Holy Office’s lay officials in eighteenth century Portuguese America. We tried do understand the significance of this meaningful contingent of familiares, scattered all over the Brazilian colony, proceeding an evaluation of the size of this network of inquisitional officials, particularly in Rio Grande de São Pedro and Colônia do Sacramento.
inquisitorial officers; social promotion; colonial elites; Inquisition
