South Africa, Register of Slaves - FamilySearch Historical Records

South Africa

What is in This Collection?
This is a collection of slave registers kept in Cape Province, South Africa for the years 1762 through 1838. It contains registers of people taken in South Africa to be deported and sold into the slave trade. Some of the owners are free persons of color, or have notes accompanying their name which explain their relationship to other owners.

The registers are in bound volumes, usually in chronological order, but are incomplete with some sections missing. Other volumes contain birth, marriage, death and other records pertaining to slaves. Entries are handwritten.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Registers and marriage records are presented in handwritten forms. Birth and death records are handwritten narratives.

Register
 * Date of registry
 * Name
 * Gender
 * Age or date of birth
 * Mother's name
 * Country/homeland
 * Occupation
 * Registry of debts
 * Remarks

Birth
 * Mother's name
 * Age of mother
 * Residence
 * Occupation
 * Date of birth
 * Gender of child
 * Name of child
 * Name of owner

Death
 * Gender
 * Name
 * Date of death
 * Name of owner

Marriage
 * Date of marriage
 * Names of bride and groom
 * Gender
 * Age or date of birth
 * Place of registration
 * Name of proprietor
 * Residence
 * By whom and where marriage was performed
 * Date of baptism
 * Whether marriage performed with consent of owner

Other records may include information on manumissions, transfers, and inheritances.

Sample Images
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How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * Approximate date of birth or age

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Try searching by surname only
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in South Africa.
 * South Africa Record Finder
 * South Africa Finding Town of Origin

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.

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