South Africa, Free State Dutch Reformed Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1848 to 1956. It consists of an index and images of christenings, marriages and memberships. The collection also includes marriage records from 1921 through 1947 from Lusaka (Zambia). The Dutch Reformed Church records have been maintained in good condition. The records are found in different registration formats, most are written in Dutch while others are in Afrikaans and English. From 1652 to 1862, all church records are in the Dutch Reformed Church's Cape Archives. From 1862 to the present, the records are in individual churches and the church's provincial archives. From 1632 to 1780, the Dutch Reformed Church was the only established church, and it recorded other denominational baptisms. Forty-three percent of the white population in Free State, South Africa are members of the Dutch Reformed Church.

General Information about Free State
Under the Union of South Africa in 1910, South Africa had four provinces: the Transvaal and Orange Free State, previously Boer republics, and Natal and the Cape, once British colonies. In 1994, under South Africa’s new democratic constitution, the country was broken up into nine provinces: Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, North West, and Western Cape. Free State was originally the Orange Free State. To learn more about Dutch Reformed Church Records, see the wiki article, South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records for more information.

Reading These Records
These records are in Afrikaans and English. For help reading them see:
 * Afrikaans Word List
 * Netherlands Language and Languages
 * South Africa Language and Languages

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Christening
 * Full name
 * Date of christening
 * Place of christening
 * Parents' names
 * Date of birth
 * Names of witnesses

Marriage
 * Place of marriage
 * Date of marriage
 * Groom's full name and surname
 * Bride's full name and surname
 * Bride and groom's ages
 * Occupation of groom
 * Occupation of bride
 * Residence at time of marriage
 * Names of witnesses

Membership
 * Name
 * Date of baptism
 * Age
 * Place of residence

Collection Content
For additional details about these records and help using them see South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * Approximate date of the event (birth, marriage, death)

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in South Africa.
 * South Africa Record Finder
 * South Africa Finding Town of Origin

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.

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