South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

South Africa

What is in the Collection?
This Collection includes records from 1801 to 2004, with possibly some records before 1801.


 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

The records in this collection include digital images of parish registers of the Church of the Province of South Africa, also known since 2006 as the "Anglican Church of Southern Africa". The Church includes dioceses in Angola, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Saint Helena, South Africa and Swaziland. Records were acquired from the collection of the William Cullen Library, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and include baptisms, marriages, deaths, and burials.

These records are written in Afrikaans and English. See the section For Help Reading these Records for translation helps.

Sample Images
Click on images for a larger view.

Coverage Table
The collection contains records from the following locations: {| style="width:75%; vertical:33%,"|
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How Do I Search the Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before using this collection it is helpful to know:


 * Name of the person you are looking for
 * Approximate date of the event (birth, marriage, baptism, etc.)

Search the Index
Search by name by visiting the Collection Page: 1. Fill in the search boxes on the Collection Page with the information you have 2. Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page: 1. Select the appropriate "Country" 2. Select the appropriate "Province" 3. Select the appropriate "Diocese, Town and/or Parish" 4. Select the appropriate "Record Type and Years" 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.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

For Help Reading these Records
These records are in Afrikaans and English. For help reading the records, see the following wiki articles:


 * Afrikaans Word List
 * Netherlands Language and Languages
 * South Africa Language and Languages

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * 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.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?

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

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

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:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image citation:

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