South Africa Civil Registration

FamilySearch Online Collections

 * Civil registration (marriages), Natal, 1845-1899 - index and images of marriage records for Natal
 * Civil registration (marriages), Transvaal, 1861-1899 - index and images of marriage records for Transvaal
 * Civil registration (marriages), Transvaal, 1861-1903 - images of marriage records for Transvaal
 * Civil registration (marriages), Orange Free State, 1848-1899 - images of marriage records for Orange Free State
 * Civil registration (marriages - blacks), South Africa & Southwest Africa (various locales), 1956-1960 - images of marriage records for South Africa
 * Civil registration (marriages - coloureds), South Africa (various locales), 1902-1923 - images of marriage records for South Africa
 * Civil registration (marriages - Indians and Chinese), South Africa, 1925-1960 - images of marriage records for South Africa
 * Civil registration (marriages - whites, blacks and coloureds), South Africa (various locales), 1956-1973 - images of marriage records for South Africa
 * Civil registration (marriages - whites, coloureds and Indians), South Africa and South West Africa, 1956-1960 - images of marriage records for South Africa and South West Africa
 * Civil registration (marriages), Cape Province, 1696-1899 - images of marriage records for Cape Province
 * Civil registration (death notices), South Africa, South West Africa, Rhodesia, Swaziland, etc., 1869-1939 - indexes and images of death notices for South West Africa
 * Civil registration (deaths - whites, blacks, and coloureds), South Africa (various locales), 1895-1984 - images of death records for South Africa
 * Civil registration (deaths), South Africa and South West Africa, 1955-1966 - images of death records for South Africa
 * Burgher refugee camp death notices (South Africa), 1901-03 - images of mostly death notices (some births) from Burgher (i.e., Boer) 'refugee'/concentration camps at Vereeniging, Klerksdorp, and Irene, 1901-03

Offices to Contact
National Archives and Records Service of South Africa

[http://www.dha.gov.za/ Department of Home Affairs. Republic of South Africa]

South Africa. Department of the Interior. Registrar of Births, Marriages, and Deaths

Master of the Supreme Court

Transvaal (South Africa). Master of the Supreme Court

SEE UNICEF South Africa

Historical Background
The following table lists the approximate commencement dates for registering births, marriages, and deaths:

Births
The legal informants for a birth are parents, guardian, or any other person legally responsible for the child.

Requirements for birth registration:
 * Identification of the child’s father
 * Identification of the child’s mother
 * Forenames and surname of the child

Marriages
Legal age for marriage is 18 years for both sexes.

Exemptions: Girls under 18 years but older than 15 years need parental consent to marry; girls under age 15 need the consent of the Minister of Home Affairs.

Deaths
No specific requirement concerning who should register a death, can be a traditional leader in rural areas.

Requirements for death registration:
 * Medical death certificate
 * Identification card
 * Date of death
 * Age at death
 * Birth certificate for a minor

Births
Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is in charge of registering births.

Contents:

Regarding the child:
 * Name
 * Date of birth
 * Date of registration
 * Place of occurrence
 * Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.)
 * Sex

Regarding the mother of the child:
 * Date of birth or age
 * Marital status
 * Ethnicity
 * Educational attainment
 * Place/country of birth
 * Children born alive to the mother during her entire lifetime
 * Birth order parity
 * Date of last previous live birth
 * Date of marriage

Regarding the father of the child:
 * Date of birth or age
 * Marital status
 * Ethnicity
 * Educational attainment
 * Place/country of birth
 * Acknowledgment of paternity in regard to a child born out of wedlock

Marriages
Marriage records are also very valuable in South African genealogical research. Marriage records provide the following information:


 * Date when the marriage occurred
 * Full names, marital status (single or widowed) and places of birth for both the bride and groom
 * Full names, and places of birth for the parents of the bride and groom

Matrimonial court records
Helpful for pedigree linkage because of additional information given on the registers. Also includes information on marriages not recorded in the parish register, especially when the parish register is missing. They may also give an indication of the actual marriage place which otherwise could not be found without extensive searching.

Marriage records of banns
Time period: 1794 to 1906.

Contents:
 * Permission to have banns called
 * Register of permissions granted
 * Names
 * Ages
 * Residence
 * Written consent of parents
 * Birthplace
 * Religion
 * Marital status
 * Occupation of bridegroom

Location: Cape archives and magistrate’s offices where local matrimonial courts were held.

Percentage in Family History Library: 100%.

Population coverage: 75% of White population.

Death Certificates
Contents: Regarding the deceased:
 * Name
 * Sex
 * Date of birth or age
 * Marital status
 * Place of usual residence
 * Date of death
 * Date of registration
 * Place of occurrence
 * Place of registration
 * Cause of death
 * Certifier
 * Type of place of occurrence (hospital, home, etc.)

Older records may be in Dutch and may include:
 * Name
 * Birth place
 * Names of parents
 * Age
 * Profession
 * Marriage status
 * Date of death
 * Place of death
 * Whether there is a will
 * Whether left moveable or inmoveable property
 * Is the estate above L25
 * Name of children

Reliability: Very good.