1901 "Cecília Benevides de Carvalho Meireles was born in Rio de Janeiro on the 7^th November, 1901, the daughter of Carlos Alberto de Carvalho Meireles, employee of Banco do Brasil, and Matilde Benevides, municipal teacher."

Her father died three months before her birth, and her mother when she was three years old. At this time, she remained under the guardianship of her maternal grandmother who was of Azorian origin and her only surviving relative.

1910 "as soon as 1910, at the finish of elementary school at Escola Estácio de Sá, she received, from the hands of Olavo Bilac, District School Inspector and very well known poet, a gold medal made especially in her honour."