South Africa, Eastern Cape, Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

South Africa

Title in the Language of the Record
Suid-Afrika, Oos-Kaap, Boedel Lêers

What is in the Collection?
This collection contains records for the years 1962-2004.

The records include images of copies of primary genealogical records such as death notices, marriage certificates, birth certificates, and wills, from the probate estate files located in the Master of the High Court Offices in Grahamstown. This collection is being published as images become available.

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

For translation help, see Afrikaans Word List

Collection Content
The estate file records in this collection may contain the following information:


 * Name and age of deceased
 * Birthplace and nationality of deceased
 * Names of parents
 * Date and place of death
 * Occupation and marital status of deceased
 * Name of spouse and death date if deceased

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of ancestor
 * Approximate year of death

Search the Collection
To search the collection image by image ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page: ⇒Select the appropriate "Year" ⇒Select the appropriate "File Number" 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.

As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your 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 your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have found the ancestor that you are looking for, the following will help you further your research:


 * Use the ages on the marriage or death records to calculate a birth year for the bride and groom. This will make it easier for you to find the names of the parents for your ancestor.
 * The marriage place may be the birth place for the bride or groom. To find this, calculate the ages to get both of their birth years (bride and groom), and search for the bride and groom’s birthplaces with the birth year that you have found.

Related Websites

 * Africa Websites
 * Africa Historic Maps
 * Cape Master Death Notice Index Project
 * South African Genealogy
 * 1962 Eastern Cape Estate Files Index

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
South Africa

Citing this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image.

Collection citation: Image citation: