The
Genealogical Institute of South
Africa,
Department of Home Affairs
The
documents available from the Department of Home Affairs are:
Birth Certificates.
Marriage
Certificates.
Death Certificates.
Approximate
commencing dates for the registration of Births, marriages and deaths in the
various provinces is as follows:
|
Provinces
|
Births
|
Marriages
|
Deaths
|
|
Cape
|
1895
|
1700
|
1895
|
|
KwaZulu
Natal
|
1868
|
1845
|
1888
|
|
Transvaal
|
1901
|
1870
|
1901
|
|
Orange Free State
|
1903
|
1848
|
1903
|
The
facilities, files and records of the Department of Home Affairs are not
accessible or available to private sector genealogists and researchers, and
neither is there an index for perusal by the public,
however the public may submit applications for copies of birth, marriage and
death certificates.
Many
of the earlier records are in the possession of the National
Archives of South Africa Repositories,
and although the issue of certificates can only be done by the Department of
Home Affairs and the records cannot be photocopied, researchers can get
access to marriage and death registers older than 20 years.
Two
types of certificates are available, as follows:
Abridged
certificates give narrow personal information about the person being
researched.
Full certificates
are more useful as they include details such as names of parents, dates and
places, etc.
For
genealogical purposes Full certificates should be obtained.
Within South Africa
official application forms can be completed and handed in at any Department
of Home Affairs office within the town or city where you live or work, and
the completed certificates will be posted to you.
To
apply for certificates from outside South
Africa
one must post a request to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria, or alternatively request these
certificates through a South African Consulate within ones own country.
There
is a charge associated with obtaining copies of these certificates, which
can be obtained when writing or applying for certificates.
Return
to Index.
Master
of the Supreme Court
The
documents available at the Master of the Supreme Court are:
Estate Files that
comprise:
A death notice.
A last will and
testament.
The distribution
account.
Commencing
dates for the estate files kept at the various Master's Offices:
|
Province
|
Commencing
Dates
|
|
Cape
|
1951
Onward
|
|
Grahamstown*
|
1962
Onward
|
|
KwaZulu
Natal
|
1975
Onward
|
|
Transvaal
|
1978
Onward
|
|
Orange Free State
|
1951
Onward
|
* Eastern
Cape Only
The
above dates may change as information is passed on to the Archives for
storage.
Before
the above dates the estate files are kept in the relevant Archives
Repositories.
The
purpose of the Master's Office is to:
Administer the
liquidation and distribution of the estates of deceased persons.
Administer trust
property given under the control of any person by a deceased person.
Administer the
property of minors and persons under curatorship.
Administer derelict
estates.
Regulate the rights
of beneficiaries under mutual wills made by any two or more persons.
There
are four provincial offices and one office presided over by an Assistant
Master at Kimberley, whose area of
jurisdiction is that of the Griqualand West
Local Division of the Supreme Court. The provincial offices are at the seats
of the provincial divisions of the Supreme Court, namely, Pretoria
in the Transvaal; Bloemfontein
in the Orange Free State; Pietermaritzburg in Natal;
and Cape Town in
the Cape Province.
The Master's Office is not only an office of supervision but also an office
of record. In his office, complete information is filed regarding every
estate within his jurisdiction, and, with certain exceptions, any person may
at any time during office hours inspect any document and have a certified
copy made of any document on payment of the relevant fee.
If
the estate has not yet been wound up, the public do not have access to that
file.
It
must be emphasized that not all deceased persons have estate files. Estate
files are not opened for those who owned little or no assets.
These
very important documents give much information about the deceased including
personal details, those of his/her spouse(s), children and other
beneficiaries. Addresses often also give clues to the researcher about where
to find relatives of the deceased, while wills are valuable for the keen
collector of signatures.
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Archives
Repositories
The
documents available at an Archives repository include:
The correspondence
files, registers and other documents of government offices and the offices
of local authorities that are, or were, located in the provinces concerned.
Photographs, Maps
and official publications
Microfilms of
documents housed in the depot concerned.
The Estate Files
before the dates listed under The Master of the Supreme Court, for the
various Provinces.
There
are archives repositories in Pretoria, Cape
Town, Bloemfontein, Durban
and Pietermaritzburg, all of which are responsible for the custody of the
archives and other documents that have a bearing on the province in which
they are situated.
In
addition there is the National Archives in Pretoria
that houses the archives of central government departments and the Transvaal
Archives Repository.
|
Province
|
Records
|
Dates
|
|
Cape Archives
Repository (CAR)
|
Cape Province
estates (MOOC);
Kimberley
and district estates (MOK)
Grahamstown and district estates (MOG).
|
to
1950
to 1956
to 1961
|
|
The
Durban Archives Repository (DAR)
has two
groups
of African Estate files.
The
estate files of the Magistrate and Commissioner Pinetown (2/PTN).
The
estate files of the Commissioner Durban (2/DBN).
|
2/PTN
2/DBN
|
1930-1954
1936-1984
|
|
Pietermaritzburg
Archives Repository (PAR)
|
Estate
Files
|
to
1974
|
|
Free State
Archives Repository (FAR)
|
Free State
estate files up to and including 1950.
|
to
1950
|
|
National
Archives Repository (NAR)
|
Transvaal
Estate Files
|
1873
- 1976
|
Each
Archives Repository has a well stocked library with many books of a
genealogical and historical nature.
In
addition each repository is supplied with microfilm readers which can be
used to read, access and copy specific microfilmed records. Many of the
earlier estate files have been microfilmed and researchers are encouraged
to make copies from the relevant microfilm record.
In
many instances photocopying restrictions apply to earlier estate files to
prevent further damage to them, as result of handling and light from the
photocopying process. To this end researchers are given a blank death
notice form to transcribe the details from the estate file.
The
following photocopying restrictions and where applicable, availability of
microfilm records and costs associated with obtaining these, apply:
|
Repository
|
Photocopying
Restrictions
|
No
Restrictions and costs
|
|
Cape Archives
Respostory
|
MOOC
and MOK
|
MOG
can be copied at R0,20 per A4 folio (Up to 3 death notices are
transcribed per enquiry free of charge).
|
|
Durban
Archives Repository
|
No
restrictions
|
R0,20
per page
|
|
Free State
Archives Repository
|
No
photocopying of estate files prior to 1931
|
(Up
to 4 death notices are transcribed per enquiry free of charge).
All available on microfilm.
|
|
National
Archives
|
No
photocopying of files between 1873-1959.
|
Microfilm
records available for 1873-1940 at a cost of R0,30 per page.
|
|
Pietermaritzburg
Archives Repository
|
No
photocopying of files
|
(Up
to 3 death notices are transcribed per enquiry free of charge).
Microfilm records exist to 1950.
|
The
microfilming of these records was done by the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter Day Saints and are therefore available
at most Family History Centres.
No
money should be sent to any Archives Repository until they have had the
opportunity to check what records are available, if any, and have
determined the costs of the documents and postage. In all instances these
costs will be communicated and once payment has been received, the
relevant copies will be made and be forwarded. This excludes the free of
charge transcribing of death notices.
The
National Archives prefer that private researchers are hired if more than 3
copies are required. For
a list of researchers visit the researchers
page.
The
Archives are also linked to a programme called
STAIRS and one can request a look-up on a particular person or surname,
with a resultant print-out being made of all references to information
contained in any of the repositories for that particular person or
surname. This is particularly helpful to obtain the reference numbers
prior to requesting the relevant information. In some instances this
information can be provided on stiffy disk, if
the requestor supplies the disk:
The
CAR
supplies computer printouts at R0.20 per printout.
The
DAR
supplies printouts at R0.10 per page. Information on disk is not provided
by the DAR.
The FAR cannot
make any printouts from STAIRS and must first e-mail the National Archives
and then print out the result at a cost of R0.30 per page.
The NAR supplies
printouts at R0.20 per page. Information on disk is available at R25.00
per disk, with the disk being provided by the researcher.
In the PAR
printouts cost R0.10 per item/reference.
Researchers
can get access to marriage and death registers older than 20 years from
the relevant Archives Repository, although the issue of certificates can
only be done by the Department
of Home Affairs and
the records cannot be photocopied.
Return
to Index
Church
or Parish Records
The
documents available at Churches include:
Baptisms
Marriages
Burial Records
Church Minute Books
Church
records can provide a wealth of information but are problematical in that
not all churches have central repositories for their records. Several
churches still have their records at parish level.
Church
records are the oldest records that most people ever use preceding the
information available from the Department of the interior.
Records
for the Dutch Reformed Church in SA are extant almost from the founding of
the settlement at the Cape. These records
are also centralized in a few church archives, which makes access very much
easier.
Information
available from Church Records
|
BAPTISMS
|
These
generally give the full names and surname of the child, the birth date
(but not before 1800 AD) and baptism date, the names of both parents
and the names of witnesses. Witnesses are often close relatives that
helps in building up family groups.
|
|
MARRIAGES
|
These
will generally give the full names and surnames of both parties, their
ages, occupations, whether married after banns or special licence
and the names of witnesses, and of the officiant.
If you can get photocopies of the original, these are of great
interest, as you can build up a collection of signatures of ancestors
in instances where it would be impossible to obtain photographs.
|
|
BURIAL
RECORDS
|
Some
churches keep records of burials performed from the church or of
persons buried on church property. These records vary greatly
according to the minister involved. However, they can be a useful
source of information.
|
|
CHURCH
MINUTE BOOKS
|
These
can have very varied information that can aid the genealogist. The
type of information found depends entirely on the situation. This is
therefore a secondary rather than a primary source
|
Return
to Index
Cemeteries
The
records available from cemeteries are:
Tombstone
Inscriptions
Burial Registers
Tombstone
inscriptions provide a wealth of information in that they provide
information such as date and place of birth and death, age of the deceased
at death, place of origin, names of other persons related to the deceased,
besides the names, maiden surname and 'pet names' of the deceased.
The
limitation is that the availability of the information is dependant on the
location of the tombstone and only for as long as the inscription remains
legible.
There
are of course a great many rural or farm cemeteries outside the jurisdiction
of municipalities, considering that South
Africa was,
until relatively recently, primarily a country of farmers.
The National Council of the Genealogical Society is addressing this problem
with their Cemetery Recording Project by which it is hoped to document the
headstone inscriptions of all the cemeteries in South Africa, including remote rural
farm cemeteries.
This
information is indexed by cemetery, and the results are published by the
State Archives Service. Copies are available at all archives' depots and at
various libraries and institutions that deem it necessary to purchase these
volumes.
The
cemetery information is also available on computer to which the following
institutions have access:
The reading rooms of
all the Provincial Archive Depots.
The libraries of the
Universities of Cape Town, Pretoria,
Port Elizabeth, Witwatersrand
and UNISA.
The Cory Library,
Grahamstown.
The HSRC
The South African
Library and the Transvaal
Provincial Library and Museum Service.
New
information is constantly being added, as more cemeteries are processed by
the Archives Service.
The
published indices can supplement your research by providing a quick
reference, to ascertain where a person is buried and thus at which
provincial archive depot his death notice is held; or where or when the
person was born, which could help you in finding his baptismal entry, and so
on.
The
indices are particularly helpful for children who died at a young age and
for whom there is rarely a death notice.
Burial
Registers rarely provide more
information than the person's full names, his date of burial and his age at
death. Burial registers only exist for cemeteries within municipal
boundaries and are of course the property of the town council concerned.
These
registers become invaluable when a person is buried in a grave that doesn't
have a headstone and the register is the only means of identifying where and
when he was buried.
Return
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Military
Records
Military
records can be found at various places and there are several publications
that provide valuable information to the researcher.
SA
Defence Force Archives
Records
Available:
Archives of the
Commandant General, Transvaal
Republic
1881-1899.
Archives of the
Military Governor, Pretoria,
1900-1902 (Records of the British Occupation forces, containing the names of
those who died during the Boer War)
Archives of the
officer charged with gathering information concerning deaths among the
Republican fighting forces and civilians, 1899-1902. Very comprehensive,
giving name of deceased, age, address and place of death.
The
SA Defence Force Archives are not open to the
public, but you may write to obtain information.
Military
Cemeteries
The
Commonwealth War Graves Board have lists of all casualties in SA, their
places of burial, etc. including all South African deaths overseas and all
British killed in SA.
Service
Particulars
The
particulars of all persons who served in the South African Armed Forces from
the time of union in 1910 are available from the SADF Documentation Centre.
You
need permission from the person concerned or from his eldest living relative
to obtain information from these records.
Return to Index
Libraries
and Museums
Libraries
Records
Available include:
Phone Books
History Books
Voters Rolls
Journals
Magazines
Newspapers and much,
much more.
Public
libraries in most centres have sections on
genealogy and deserve a visit from every beginning genealogist early in his
research. Libraries at universities also contain sections of genealogical
interest.
Museums
The
conscientious and methodical researcher will never underestimate the value
and the role of museums in genealogical importance. Museums are a great
source of information to any genealogist, and often specialist museums hold
information pertinent to particular cultures, fashions of the day,
historical themes or eras.
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Family History Centers
of the Church
of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
Since
its foundation in 1894, the first Family History Library in Salt
Lake City,
Utah in the United States, has become the
largest of its kind in the world.
Most
of the main libraries records have been acquired through an extensive
microfilming programme that began in 1938 and
continues to the present.
Over
200 microfilmers are filming original records in
courthouses, churches and other archives in many countries throughout the
world, including South Africa.
These microfilmers send the microfilms to Salt Lake City, where they are preserved in a vault in the
Granite Mountains
nearby. Copies of the microfilms can then be sent to the various family
history centers worldwide.
The
Family History Center Libraries in South
Africa
have copies of the main libraries catalogue and important indexes on
microfiche. They also have reference aids, research papers and other
publications that can help you.
While
previous research can be very helpful the information may be inaccurate or
incomplete. Much of the information has been submitted by library patrons
and has not been verified by the Family History Library, so always evaluate
the information you find very carefully.
The
International Genealogical Index (IGI)
The
IGI is a computerized index of names extracted from various records. The
1989 edition lists the names of over 180 000 000
deceased persons. It is available on microfiche and at newer or larger
libraries on CD ROM.
The
IGI lists such information as the names of the parents or spouse and the
dates and locations of births, christenings, marriages and other events.
Family
Group Records Collection
The
Family Group Records Collection consists of more than 8 000 000
Family Group Record Forms. These contain information on families from all
over the world.
The
Family Group Records Collection is divided into two parts:
The Patron Section
that contains forms sent in by patrons as part of a four-generation programme.
The Archives Section
that contains forms submitted before 1969 to have LDS temple ordinances
performed.
Both
sections are available on microfilm. The film numbers are listed in the
author/title section of the FHLC under Family Group Records Collection. For
the Archive section you can only request 16mm films.
Family
Histories
The
main library has thousands of family histories, most of which are in book
form, however some are microfilm or microfiche copies.
To
find out if the main library has a history that includes your ancestor, look
for your ancestor's name in the surname section of the FHLC catalogue. This
section does not list every name in the libraries' records, but does show
the major families included in each family history.
Family
Registry
The
Family Registry can help you to find others who have already done or are in
the process of doing research on your ancestor. People who are interested in
working with others have submitted the names of individuals or families they
are looking for to the Family Registry. These names are listed on microfiche
at the family history center.
Why
not submit a form and list your details in the Family Registry. There are no
fees for this service.
A
great many other documents such as Census Returns, Birth, Marriage and Death
Registers and the like can be obtained, on loan to your local History
Center, from the main library in Salt Lake City, at a nominal cost.
NOTE:
The Family History Centers are only open between certain hours on certain
days and in some cases on Saturdays. Please check your local center for a
schedule of times.
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Genealogical
Societies
Genealogical
Societies exist in many countries of the world, and South Africa
is no exception.
Members
of the GSSA do not undertake research on behalf of researchers but they will
guide, assist and teach you how to go about researching your own family.
In
addition, the GSSA publishes "Familia,"
their own quarterly journal which contains valuable information of interest
to anyone researching their South African roots.
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Other
Associations and Societies
There
are a number of other associations and societies in South Africa
dealing primarily with specific settler groups or areas:
The
Huguenot Society
The
aim of the Huguenot Society of South Africa is to preserve the Huguenot
heritage in South Africa. It
collects information about the Huguenots, arranges meetings and carries out
genealogical research on the Huguenot and related families.
1820
Settlers (Albany Museum)
The
records available at the 1820 Settlers
Museum
include:
Family files of
mostly settler families, though other surnames are also included. (No
Afrikaans names)
The Allen E Makin
collection of Genealogical information. A private collector, Makin
spent most of his life compiling information on mostly settler families.
Index available.
The Dr C Skead
collection of farm histories. (A large collection of information on mainly Albany, Alexandria and Bathurst
farms.) Index available.
Original copies of
the Grahamstown Journal from 1845 to 1920. Public not allowed to
view, but the Cory library, Rhodes University
holds a complete set of the Graham's Town Journal from 1831 to 1920, all in
hardcopy with the exception of 1853-1857 which is available on microfilm.
After 1920 the
Grahamstown Journal was incorporated in the variously titled Grocott's
Penny/Daily Mail. The latter newspaper is still published in
Grahamstown twice a week, Tuesdays and Fridays as Grocott's
Mail. - The Cory Library also holds the archival hardcopy set of the Grocott's
Mail from its inception in 1872 to date as well as sets of other Grahamstown
and district newspapers.
Other original
document collections at the Museum include estate papers of some families,
letters etc.
Many original
photographs, mainly of settler painted portraits and settler descendants. No
photographing service, but local photographers can be contacted if prints
are required.
The Cory Library
hold the archives (including church registers) of, inter alia,
the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, the Diocese of Grahamstown (Church
of the Province of Southern Africa) and the Eastern Cape Presbyteries of the
Presbyterian Church of Southern Africa.
The Cory Library
also hold registers for some Congregational, Roman Catholic and Baptist
Churches
as well as marriage registers for the Grahamstown Hebrew Congregation.
Small collection of
cemeteries in the Eastern Cape.
The Genealogist is available to carry out research for members of the public for a fee. The genealogist can also consult the registers and other documents in the Cory Library on behalf of the client.
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Genealogical
Institute of South Africa (GISA)
The documents available at
GISA are:
- Published family histories and
genealogies.
- Family files with biographical and
genealogical information about many families.
- Indexes to the estate files in the
four provincial archives and copies of some death notices from the four
provinces.
- All the volumes of Familia:
Quarterly Journal of the Genealogical Society of South Africa.
- Photographs of various individuals
and families.
- Completed family group sheets and
ancestral charts.
- A register of researchers and of
families about which research is being done.
- Funeral notices and epitaphs on
gravestones.
- NG Kerk registers of the four
provinces up to about 1900 on microfilm.
- Some Zimbabwe death notices on
microfilm
- Lutheran Church registers of Cape
Town and district on microfilm.
- The voters' roll of the Republic
of South Africa on Microfiche
- A variety of local and foreign
genealogical publications.
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Index
Go
to addresses
for the above sources.
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African Genealogy Home Page.
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