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Getting Started with South Africa Research

New! Join a Genealogy Research Community for South Africa on Facebook or Skype

• A Research Guide for Beginners of South African research by Rosemary Dixon-Smith
• Tracing Your South Africa Roots (Information on how to research your genealogy and family history in South Africa)
• South African genealogy research procedures and sources blog
• South Africa, Cape Province Dutch Reformed Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa, Orange Free State, Estate Files (FamilySearch Historical Records)

Jurisdictions in South Africa

South Africa is divided into 9 provinces.

Research Tools

South Africa Wills

177 Wills listed in the On-Line Catalogue for the National Archives in London, where the "Cape of Good Hope" is shown as place of residence or former residence.  Wills dated from 1713 to 1857. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline ($).

Nasionale Pers are in the planning stages of digitising their Media (Newspapers and other publications printed by them. Includes Die Burger, Volksblad, Natal Witness, Huisgenoot etc.)  A media statement will be released when more information is known.

Ancestry24 ($) which is part of Naspers and Media24 provides a comprehensive website for anyone starting their family history in South Africa. This is a subscription site but their Family Tree Builder is free as well as contacting Tree Owners, Forum Boards and Learning Centre.

There is a fantastic new website for people who are tracing their ancestors in South Africa who emigrated from the British Isles. Although it covers mainly those who came in 1820, it is an on-going project with new names being added all the time. More information.

• All records collections for South Africa available on FamilySearch.org.

• Afrikaans Word List
• Records in the Family History Library Catalog, click on View Related Places (upper right corner) to see other jurisdictions or enter the town name on the http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitysearch&columns=*,0,0 catalog place search page

Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:

• South Africa, Cape Province Dutch Reofrmed Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa Parish Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa Methodist Church Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa, Orange Free State, Estate Files (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa, Potchefstroom Reformed Church Archives (FamilySearch Historical Records)
• South Africa, Cape Province, Cape Town Archive Records (FamilySearch Historical Records))

History of South Africa

Listen to the tutorial at FamilySearch Learning Center on"The South African Empire" by Dr. Anne Samson.

History of South Africa

Jewish Records

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• Researching South Africa Jewish Genealogy

Useful Websites

• British Concentration Camps
• Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902 Records
• Vital Records--Obtaining Death Certificates,  Marriage Certificates, Birth Certificates
• Ancestry24
• Colonial Office Transcripts
• South African Passenger Lists
• 1820 Settlers 
• South African Settlers
• Gravestones in South Africa
• National Archives of South Africa

More web sites

Help Wanted

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