South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers (Cape Town Archives) - FamilySearch Historical Records

South Africa South Africa

Title in the Language of the Record
Suid-Afrika, Kaap Provinsie Nederduitse Hervormde Kerk Rekords

What is in the Collection?
This collection dates from 1660 through 1970.

The Dutch Reform Church records have been maintained in good condition. Baptisms and marriages are found in different registration formats; most are written in Dutch, though others are in Afrikaans, Dutch, or English. Deaths records are not found among these registers.

When South Africa was settled by the Dutch in the 16th and 17th centuries, they transplanted their Dutch Reformed theology into the African continent. The Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa was formally established in 1652 and became the only official church in South Africa until 1778, when freedom of public worship was given to other churches. The history of the Dutch Reform Church has been very much bound up with the politics of the Afrikaner community of South Africa. The baptism and marriage records are recorded in bound registers, which are kept at the local churches archive in care of the registrar. Since 1928 the registrar sends the registries to be archived at the Central Archive of the Dutch Reformed Church in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa consists of three separate churches: the Nederduitse Gereformeede Kerk (the largest and usually called the Dutch Reform Church; the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk (largely restricted to the Transvaal); and the Gereformeede Kerk in Suid Afrika (the Doppers). During the 17th and 18th Centuries the Dutch Reform Church (Nederduitse Gereformeede Kerk) was the only officially recognized Church denomination in South Africa and many white residents of the Cape belonged to it. In later years other churches denominations were created in Cape, leaving a decline in the membership of the Dutch Reform Church.

For a list of records by localities and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

For translation help, see Dutch Genealogical Word List and Afrikaans Word List

Collection Content
For details about the contents of these records, their history, and help using them see the wiki article: South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)

How Do I Search the Collection?
Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

To search the collection image by image ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒Select the appropriate "Country" ⇒Select the appropriate "Province" ⇒Select the appropriate "Municipality or Town" ⇒Select the appropriate "Record Type and Years" which will take you to the images.

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


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Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki 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.

Related Web Sites

 * Africa Websites
 * Africa Historic Maps
 * South African Family History and Genealogy
 * The Genealogical Institute of South Africa

South African Research Training:
 * Part 1: Beginning South Africa Research
 * Part 2: South Africa National Archives
 * Part 3: South Africa FamilySearch Collections Online

Related Wiki Articles

 * Afrikaans Word List
 * South Africa, Cape Province, Civil Deaths (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * South Africa

Citing this Collection
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