South Africa, Pietermaritzburg Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records for the years 1846-1950 and are in both English and Afrikaans. South Africa, Pietermaritzburg Estate Files, received from the Master of the Supreme Court in Pietermaritzburg, contains items pertaining to the administration of an estate. Records include a variety of record types including death notices, distribution accounts, and succession duty accounts. Original records are located in the Natal Archives Depot in Pietermaritzburg.

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:

Death
 * Name of the deceased
 * Birthplace
 * Parents’ names
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Residential address
 * Marital status
 * Place of marriage
 * Death date
 * Death place
 * Name of children

Wills
 * Name of the deceased
 * Names of family members
 * Distribution of property

Distribution Accounts
 * Names of people or companies paid from the estate
 * Names of relatives paid from the estate
 * An accounting of any expenditures

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Given name and surname of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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 in your research for 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.

África do Sul, Pietermaritzburg, Arquivos de Propriedade (Registros Históricos do FamilySearch)