South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers (Cape Town Archives) - FamilySearch Historical Records

South Africa

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South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers, 1660-1970 CID1478678 {{{CID2}}} {{{CID3}}} {{{CID4}}} {{{CID5}}} {{{CID6}}} {{{CID7}}} {{{CID8}}} {{{CID9}}}
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South Africa
Flag of South Africa
Location of South Africa
Record Description
Record Type:	Church Registers
Collection years:	1660-1970
Languages:	Afrikaans, Dutch, English
Title in the Language:	Suid-Afrika, Kaap Provinsie Nederduitse Hervormde Kerk Rekords, 1660-1970
FamilySearch Resources
South Africa Record Finder
South Africa Finding Town of Origin
South Africa Church Records
South Africa Civil Registration
South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records
Related Websites
South African Genealogy
Cyndi's List - South Africa
Find a Grave - South Africa
GenealogyInTime Magazine
Cape Master Death Notice Index
Genealogical Society of SA - Graves
Genealogical Society of SA - Funeral Programs
Archive
State Archives, Cape Province

What is in This Collection?

This collection dates from 1660 through 1970 and includes records of baptisms, marriages, and membership records for South Africa. The collection also includes marriage records for Karas, Namibia from 1936 through 1960. The Dutch Reformed Church records have been well maintained and are in good condition. Baptisms and marriages are found in different registration formats, usually in bound registers, which are kept at the local church archives in the care of the registrar. Since 1928 the registrar sends the registries to be archived at the Central Archive of the Dutch Reformed Church in Cape Town, South Africa.

When South Africa was settled by the Dutch in the 16th and 17th centuries, they transplanted their Dutch Reformed theology into the African continent. The Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa was formally established in 1652 and became the only official church in South Africa until 1778 when freedom of public worship was given to other churches. The history of the Dutch Reformed Church has been very much bound up with the politics of the Afrikaner community of South Africa.

The Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa consists of three separate churches: the Nederduitse Gereformeede Kerk (the largest and usually called the Dutch Reform Church; the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk (largely restricted to the Transvaal); and the Gereformeede Kerk in Suid Afrika (the Doppers). During the 17th and 18th Centuries, the Dutch Reformed Church (Nederduitse Gereformeede Kerk) was the only officially recognized Church denomination in South Africa and many white residents of the Cape belonged to it. In later years other church denominations were created in Cape, leading to a decline in the membership of the Dutch Reformed Church.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

Index and Image Visibility

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Reading These Records

These records are in Afrikaans and English. For help reading them see:

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

To Browse This Collection

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers (Cape Town Archives), 1660-1970.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

Baptism:

• Name
• Date of baptism
• Place of baptism
• Date of birth
• Names of parents

Marriage:

• Names
• Date and place of marriage
• Ages
• Country of birth
• Marital status
• Occupation
• Residence
• Names of persons giving consent

Collection Content

For additional details about these records and help using them see South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records - FamilySearch Historical Records.

Sample Images

• 

  1816 Baptism Record

• 

  1902 Marriage Record

• 

  1862-3 Membership Record

Coverage Table

The collection includes records from the following municipalities in Namibia and South Africa:

Country Province Municipality Record Type Year Range Namibia Karas Keetmanshoop Marriage 1936-1960 South Africa Cape of Good Hope Cape Town Baptism 1695-1948 Marriage 1839-1952 Memberships 1757-1929 Ceres Baptism 1903-1926 Paarl Baptism 1849-1865 Richmond Baptism 1844-1865 Stellenbosch Baptism 1688-1908 Marriage 1700-1944 Memberships 1732-1857 Tulbagh Marriage 1899-1911 Transvaal Brixton Marriage 1931-1951 Jeppe Marriage 1942-1952 Johannesburg-Wes Baptism 1931-1948 Memberships 1931-1943 Turffontein Marriage 1931-1956 How Do I Search This Collection? Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know: Name of the person you are looking for Approximate date of birth or marriage Search the Index Search by name on the Collection Details Page. Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know Click Search to show possible matches View the Images View images in this collection by visiting the Collection Browse Page: Select Country Select Province Select Municipality or Town Select 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. Keep track of your research in a research log. What Do I Do Next? 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 Other FamilySearch Collections These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research. FamilySearch Catalog South Africa, Cape Province, Cape Town, church records, 1665-1695 South Africa, Cape Province, Cape Town, marriage registers, 1906-1968 FamilySearch Historical Records South Africa Vital Records Index - FamilySearch Historical Records South Africa, Civil Death Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records South Africa, Civil Marriage Records - FamilySearch Historical Records Known Issues Click here for a list of known issues with this collection. 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: The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Cite This Collection. Record Citation: When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information. Image Citation: When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen.