South Africa, Orange Free State, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1832-1989. The province changed names from the Orange Free State to the Free State in 1994. South African probate records often include heirs, locations, property transfers, wills, and other important information. The most useful records in the collection are the death notices which give detailed information. The probate records usually have multiple pages and are included in a probate file, which is identified by a probate number.

When a person died, the nearest relative or other connection should have completed a death notice and sent it to the Master of the High Court within 14 days of the death.

The original probate records from the Master of the Supreme Court in the Orange Free State, South Africa are located in the Master's Office of the Orange Free State Archives, Bloemfontein.

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: • 3

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