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| 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 [[Use_Appropriate_Forms#Prepare_a_Research_Log |research log]]. | | 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 [[Use_Appropriate_Forms#Prepare_a_Research_Log |research log]]. |
| == What Do I Do Next? == | | == What Do I Do Next? == |
| === I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now? === | | === I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now? === |
| *Add any new information to your records | | *Add any new information to your records |
| *Use any information available to find an approximate birth year to begin your search in church or civil records | | *If available, check the image for additional information |
| *Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have moved or lived nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify
| | *Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family |
| *Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual. Keep track of your research in a [[Use_Appropriate_Forms#Prepare_a_Research_Log | research log]]. This compiled list can help you identify possible relations that can be further verified by researching [https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/South_Africa_Vital_Records_Index vital records indexes] in the country. This research log will also help you keep track of records that were not useful, and those you may want to revisit later in your search | | === I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now? === |
| *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. [[South Africa Church Records|Church Records]] often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900
| | *The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name |
| ===I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?=== | | *Try searching by surname only |
| *Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Civil Registration records or Church Records may be more useful | | *Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century |
| *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
| | === Research Helps === |
| *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 | | |
| *Search the indexes and records of [[South Africa Societies|local genealogical societies]]. Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after the late 1800s | |
| *Be aware that there may have been some transcription errors. There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another
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| === Record Finder === | |
| Consult the [[South Africa Record Finder]] to find other records
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| == Citing 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. | | 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. |