Cook Islands, Public Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Cook Islands

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains an index to birth, marriage, and death records. The original records are held by the Cook Islands Ministry of Justice.

Jurisdictions: Records are generally kept on the local level in the Cook Islands. The individual islands which keep records are: • 4

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The information in these records may include the following:

Notice of Adoption
 * Given Name
 * Gender
 * Age
 * Event Date
 * Name of adopting Parents
 * Place child was from

Marriage
 * Name of bride and groom
 * Occupation
 * Date of event
 * Place of event
 * Name of parents
 * Mothers maiden name

Death
 * Name
 * Death date
 * Death place
 * Gender
 * Parents name
 * Name of spouse

Birth
 * Given name
 * Date of birth
 * Birth place
 * Parents name

Probate
 * Name of spouse
 * Name of children
 * Name of siblings
 * Place of residents

Land Records
 * Name
 * Family relationships
 * Order of onwership

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person
 * A general date range for the record

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select Record Category
 * 2) Select County
 * 3) Select Record Type, Year Range, and Volume Number or Letter to view the images

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Copy down all the information from the index entry
 * Cite the record. See below for help citing this collection
 * Continue to search the index for family members

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variants of given names and surnames. An individual might have been listed under a nickname, middle name, or abbreviation of their given name in a record
 * Vary the search terms. Either expand the date range or search by only the surname or given name to return a broader list of results
 * Search the records of other islands

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the Cook Islands:
 * Cook Islands Record Finder
 * Cook Islands Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:"Cook Islands, Public Records, 1846-1989." Database with images. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 25 February 2019. Citing Land and Survey Office, Avarua and the Justice Department, Rarotonga.