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Cook Islands

Colonial Records

European Influence and British Colonization (18th century-20th century)

During the 16th-18th century, the Cook Islands were mapped and given various names by Spanish, Portuguese, and British explorers. They appear to have first been named the Cook Islands (after the British navigator James Cook), by the Russians in the 1820s. Christian missionaries from England were among the first European settlers in the Cook Islands, arriving in 1821. In 1881, the Cook Islands became a British protectorate, and in 1900 most of the islands were annexed by Great Britain. The islands were placed under the boundaries of the British colony of New Zealand in 1901. New Zealand granted the Cook Islands the right to self-govern themselves in 1965.

Record collection	Years covered	Record type	Language	Who is in the records
Cook Islands, Public Records, 1846-1989 at FamilySearch - index & images	1846-1989	Births, marriages, and deaths	English	Cook Islanders
British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Cook Islands at Findmypast - index & images ($)	1881-1890	Births and baptisms	English	Children born to those working within the armed forces, merchant navy, and consular forces, as well as, civilian ship passengers.
Birth registers, 1876-1920, for Arutanga at FamilySearch - images	1876-1920	Births	English	Children born in the Arutanga, Cook Islands
Birth registers, 1883-1916, for Pukapuka at FamilySearch - images	1883-1916	Births	English	Children born in Pukapuka, Cook Islands
Church records, 1902-1931 at FamilySearch - images	1902-1931	Baptisms	English	Christians in Rakahanga, Cook Islands
Church records, 1838-1954, of Rarotonga at FamilySearch - images	1838-1954	Births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths	English	Christians in Rarotonga, Cook Islands
Register of births, marriages and deaths in Rarotonga, 1861-1907 at FamilySearch - images	1861-1907	Births, marriages, and deaths	English	People in Rarotonga, Cook Islands