Ivory Coast Civil Registration

Online Records
The French Archives Nationales d'Outre Mer has some online civil records.

The FamilySearch online record collection for Ivory Coast has been depublished due to rights issues. The collection may be republished in the future.

Offices to Contact
Copies of much of the civil registration for 1843 - present are in Paris, in the Archives Nationales, Section Outre-Mer.

Archives Nationales d'Outre Mer Address: 29 Chemin du Moulin de Testas, 13090 Aix-en-Provence, France Phone: +33 4 42 93 38 50 Contact: anom.aix@culture.gouv.fr Website: http://www.archivesnationales.culture.gouv.fr/anom/fr/index.html. Select Research.

Civil Status Centres A person seeking "a birth certificate extract, or a person representing them, [translation] "must go in person to the civil status centre where the birth was registered (no applications may be made from a distance)".

Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization Civil registration is under the responsibility of the Ministry of the Interior and Decentralization. This Ministry has under its direct supervision the National Identification Office (ONI), responsible for technical issues related to issuance of identity documents.

Other government departments play a role in civil registration, such as the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Health through the issuance of birth or death certificates, and the National Statistical Office.

Historical Background
Ivory Coast became a French Protectorate in 1843-1844 and a Colony in 1893. In 1895 French West Africa came into existence, and in 1904 it was definitely constituted as a federation consisting of Dahomey, French Guinea, French Sudan, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, and Senegal. In 1919 Upper Volta was created, its territory being taken from Ivory Coast. On September 5, 1932, Upper Volta was abolished and distributed between Ivory Coast, Niger, and French Sudan; but in 1934 Upper Volta was reconstituted as an administrative unit called the Upper Coast. On September 4, 1947, Upper Volta again became a territory in its own right and on January 1, 1948, Ivory Coast's districts of Bobo-Dioulasso, Gaoua, Kondougou, Ougadougou, Kaya, Tenkodogo, and Dédougou were transferred to the reconstituted Upper Volta.

"Created in June 1776 by a royal edict, the Depot of Colonial Public Papers, more commonly known as the DPPC, was responsible for keeping at central government level copies of the most important acts drafted in the colonies, which could guarantee rights of persons and the security of the state. The civil status, held on the spot in duplicate as in metropolitan France (the original for the commune of birth, the copy for the tribunal de grande instance) was thus also preserved as a third copy (triplicate) by this institution. It is this copy that keeps and put on line the National Archives of Overseas. The French establishment in Côte d'Ivoire began in 1842 with the founding of the comptoirs of Assinie and Grand-Bassam. Ivory Coast is a French colony from 1893 to 1946 (AOF) then overseas territory from 1946 to 1958. It becomes an autonomous republic, a member of the Community from 1958 to 1960. It becomes independent August 13, 1960."

Coverage and Compliance
Births, marriages, deaths, for Europeans but not all Africans. Time period: 1843 - present.

Population coverage: Estimated to be as high as 80% of the colonial French population, and 50% of the native population prior to independence. Note: The civil registration in France can be filmed only to 1900. The civil registration in the Ivory Coast may be filmed to 1930.

The World Bank Group has information about birth and death declarations in Côte d’Ivoire (see pages 9-11). "...registration of new birth continues to be relatively low. It is our understanding that it is around 55% nationally (with 79% in urban and 41% in rural areas). This is according to UNICEF data, which was presented to the DGAT officials during the Mission and was not disputed. No specific data was discussed relative to death registration but it was agreed that it was significantly lower."

Births
Information:

For the child:


 * Name of child
 * Date and time of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Sex

For the father and mother:
 * Names
 * Ages
 * Nationalities
 * Professions
 * Domiciles

Marriages
Legal age of marriage is 20 years for males, 18 for females. A marriage certificate is required for inheritance and obtaining social assistance. Reference is also made to the marriage and the name of the spouse in the margin of the birth certificate of each spouse. When needed, consents or authorizations are given in the case of a minority of one or both spouses. If needed, a declaration is included of the contracting parties to take the spouse’s place, and the declaration of their union by the registrar of civil status.

Information:

For bride and groom:
 * Names
 * Occupations
 * Ages
 * Dates and places of birth
 * Residences

For fathers and mothers:
 * Names
 * Professions
 * Residences

For witnesses:


 * Names
 * Professions
 * Residences
 * Status as adults

Deaths
Information:

For the deceased:
 * Date, time and place of death
 * Name
 * Date and place of birth
 * Occupation
 * Residence
 * Cause of death

For parents:
 * Names
 * Occupation
 * Residence

For spouse(s), if the deceased was married; widowed or divorced:
 * Name
 * Occupation
 * Residence

For informant:
 * Name
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Residence
 * If applicable, her or his relationship with the deceased