South Africa, Cape Province, Western Cape Archives Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes various records from 1792 to 1992. It has various records from the Western Cape Archives in Cape Town, South Africa. It includes the following: Birth, Marriage and Death Registrations, Probate Estate Files, Slave Records and Immigration Records. This collection is being published as images become available.

The Union of South Africa was established in 1910 by combining four British colonies into four original provinces of the Union: Cape Province, Transvaal Province, Natal Province and Orange Free State Province. In 1994 all of these provinces were dissolved and the current nine new provinces were established. The Cape Province was broken up into three smaller provinces: the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape. Parts of it were also absorbed into the North West.

Reading These Records
These records are in Afrikaans and English. For help reading these records 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:

Marriage
 * Date and place of marriage
 * Name and age of groom
 * Occupation of groom
 * Name and age of bride
 * Birthplace of each
 * Marital status of each
 * Residences of both bride and groom
 * Names of witnesses

Slave
 * Colony where transaction took place
 * Date of sale
 * Name of vendor
 * Name of purchaser
 * Amount paid
 * Number of slaves purchased
 * Sometimes, names and ages of slaves

Census
 * Names of family members
 * Number of males in household
 * Number of females in household

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

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 
 * 1) Select Town
 * 2) Select Record Type, Date Range and Volume 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?

 * Use the age or birth year to begin your search in church or civil 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
 * When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900

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

 * Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Civil Registration records or Church 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 1800
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another
 * Be aware that there may have been some transcription errors

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.