South Africa, Civil Marriage Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
These records include an index with images of marriage records from the Natal Province of South Africa covering the years 1845-1955.

Civil marriage certificates for Natal Province are sent to the Registrar General in Pretoria. Records are usually filed by date of registration and include registrations of whites, coloureds and Indians.

When searching the index, researchers should be aware that in some instances individuals only have a single name versus having both a given name and surname. Original records are conserved at the National Archives, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa.

Reading These Records
These records are in Afrikaans and English. For help reading these records see the following guides:
 * 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 of marriage
 * Full name of bride and groom
 * Ages of bride and groom
 * Occupation
 * Residence at the time of marriage
 * Name of Judge
 * Names of witnesses

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Ancestors name
 * Approximate year of birth
 * Place of birth

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 in the citizen to find an approximate 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, been recruited 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
 * Keep in mind that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * 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
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
 * 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.


 * Collection Citation: "South Africa, Natal Province, Civil Marriages, 1845-1955." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. National Archives and Records Service of South Africa, Pretoria.

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