Zimbabwe, Death Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Zimbabwe

What Is in This Collection?
The collection includes:
 * Zimbabwe Death Notices from 1904-1976
 * Zimbabwe Death Registers from 1890 to 1977
 * Zimbabwe Index to Death Registers from 1892-1977.

These records are written in English and obtained from the National Archives at Harare and Salisbury, Zimbabwe. Birth and death certificates are currently registered through district registries in each town or city, but all records are kept at the National Archives in the capital city of Harare, formerly known as Salisbury.

Learn more about the National Archives at | archives.gov.zw.

Zimbabwe was formerly known as Southern Rhodesia and became independent from Great Britain on April 18, 1980. Even though civil registration was established in 1890 it did not become mandatory until after independence. Birth registration began in 1891 and death registration in 1904. Birth and death registrations did not include African tribal members until 1963.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Death notices usually contain the following information:


 * Full name, age and gender of deceased
 * Race, marital status, and residence
 * Occupation
 * Date and place of death
 * Cause of death
 * Duration of last illness
 * Intended burial place
 * Birthplace of deceased
 * Names of parents
 * Name of surviving spouse, if married
 * Number of children and whether they are major or minor
 * Medical attendant's name and residence
 * Informant and their qualifications
 * Informant's residence
 * Property left by the deceased

Sample Image
Click on image for a larger view.

How to Read the Records
The Zimbabwe Death Registers are printed indexes of the names of deceased. Each entry may have the following abbreviations:
 * DR - Death Register
 * W - Will
 * ADM - Administration

"D.R." is followed by the volume number/page number. It appears those records that are labeled ADM are probably administrations which are separate from the death registers and they contain wills and living Trust records.

After locating the entry for an individual by surname in an index, the death record can be found in the “Death registers” by using the reference information provided in the index.

How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person you are looking for
 * Approximate location and year of death

Search the Index
Zimbabwe Death notices, 1904-1976

View the Images
View images in Zimbabwe Death notices, 1904-1976 by visiting the Browse Page. br>

1. Select the appropriate “District” 2. Select the appropriate “Record Type and Years” to view the images

View images in Zimbabwe Death Registers, 1890-1977; Index to Death Register, 1892-1977 by visiting the Browse Page. br>

1. Select the appropriate “Record Type” 2. Select the appropriate “Year Range and Volume or Certificate Number” 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.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

I Found Who I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use names of parents, if identified, that would help you find birth records.
 * Use spouse's name, if identified, to find a marriage record.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same area.
 * Use the death or burial date to find other records that may provide more information on your ancestor. These include obituaries, grave markers, sexton’s records, or a civil or religious death records.
 * Pay attention to any notes about your ancestor such as occupation or marriage status. This information can be used to locate other records.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * If a death or burial record cannot be found for your ancestor in the locality where it is believed they died, try searching the records of nearby localities.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Look for probate records for the region and time period in which your ancestor supposedly died. These records may give clues about when he or she passed away.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. There also may be variations in the spelling of names. Try variations while browsing through images.

Known Issues with These Collections
Zimbabwe Death Notices, 1904-1976 known issues:

For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Zimbabwe Death Registers, 1890-1977; Index to Death Register, 1892-1977 known issues:

For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Citing This Collection
Citing sources correctly makes it easier to refer to information which has already been found, so proper citations are key to keeping track of research. Correct citations also allow others to check completed research by helping them find and examine records for themselves.

Below are the proper citations to use for this whole collection as well as for individual records and images within it:

Collection citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image citation:

Collection Citation:

Image Citation:

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