South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

South Africa

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1801 to 2004, and possibly some records before 1801. Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

The records in this collection include digital images of parish registers of the Church of the Province of South Africa, also known since 2006 as the "Anglican Church of Southern Africa". The Church includes dioceses in Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Saint Helena, South Africa, and Swaziland. Records were acquired from the collection of the William Cullen Library, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and include baptisms, marriages, deaths, and burials.

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:

Baptism
 * Date and place of baptism
 * Child's name and gender
 * Child's date and place of birth
 * Parents' names and their residence
 * Occupation of father
 * Names of sponsors or witnesses
 * By whom the baptism was performed

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Race of the bride and groom
 * Name and age of groom
 * Groom's birthplace, marital status, and occupation
 * Groom's residence at the time of marriage
 * Name and age of the bride
 * Bride's birthplace, marital status, and occupation
 * Bride's residence at the time of marriage
 * Marriage by license or banns
 * Names of witnesses
 * Name of minister and religious denomination

Burial
 * Date and place of burial
 * Name and age of deceased
 * Residence at time of death
 * Who performed burial ceremony

Coverage Table
The collection contains records from the following locations:

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

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Country
 * 2) Select Province
 * 3) Select Diocese, Town and/or Parish
 * 4) Select Record Type and Years 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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching vital records indexes in the country

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

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, Civil Registration records may be more useful
 * While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
 * Search the indexes and records of local genealogical societies
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another
 * Be aware that there may have been some transcription errors

Record Finder
Consult the South Africa Record Finder to find other records

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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