Zimbabwe Civil Registration

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Zimbabwe

Civil Registration

How to Find the Records

Online Collections

• 1904-1976 : Zimbabwe Death notices, 1904-1976, index, images, incomplete. At FamilySearch (free). Also at Ancestry.com, images, incomplete, ($).
• 1890-1977 : Zimbabwe Death Registers, 1890-1977; Index to Death Register, 1892-1977, images, incomplete. At FamilySearch (free). Also at Ancestry.com, images, incomplete, ($)

British Records

• British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms, Zimbabwe, index and images, ($)
• British Civil Service Evidence Of Age, Rhodesia, index ($)
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Banns and Marriages, Zimbabwe, index and images, ($)
• British Armed Forces and Overseas Deaths and Burials, Zimbabwe, index and images, ($)

Offices to Contact

Records can be found at national, provincial, and district archives.

Historical Background

Records begin in about 1893. A separate registration for the Indian population covering the years 1858 to 1921 may be available.

Zimbabwe was formerly known as Southern Rhodesia and became independent from Great Britain on April 18, 1980. Even though civil registration was established in 1890 it did not become mandatory until after independence. Birth registration began in 1891 and death registration in 1904. Birth and death registrations did not include African tribal members until 1963. Birth and death certificates are currently registered through district registries in each town or city, but all records are kept at the National Archives in the capital city of Harare, formerly known as Salisbury.

Coverage and Compliance

Civil registration records are a primary source of birth, marriage, and death information for the Caucasian and Asian populations in Southern Africa. Coverage of indigenous population is significantly lower.

See also Zimbabwe Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records for information on records available on FamilySearch.

Information Recorded in the Records

These records generally contain:

Births

• Identification number
• Name
• Date and place of birth
• Race
• Sex
• Parents residence
• Marriage place
• Parent's names and race
• Parent's dates and places of birth
• Residence of informant

Marriages

• Identification number of bride and groom
• Names
• Date and place of marriage
• Race
• Birth date and place
• Marital status
• Occupation
• Residence
• Date of banns or notice of intention.

Deaths

• Identification number
• Name
• Date and place of death
• Sex
• Race
• Age at death
• Birth date
• Marital status
• Occupation
• Pension
• Cause of death
• Birth place
• Residence
• Intended place of burial
• Name of parents (if deceased under the age of ten)
• Place of mother’s residence (if child deceased under the age of one year)
• Name and address of informant

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