A Beginner's Guide to South African Genealogy

[@fikilebodila6322]

Thanks Mathew i would try, though struggling to find them, have been struggling the whole week, learning from your presentation.

[@charliepots4734]

Matthew, thanks very much for putting this together. What a great job!! - Thanks

[@sharonbateson1266]

Thanks very much. Great help.

[@charliepots4734]

Hi Matthew - Has the Transvaal Civil Deaths been uploaded? I'm trying to find a death notice and estate file for a family member who died in 1970 in Pretoria or Benoni area. I've tried on FamilySearch but was unsuccessful.

[@MatthewBode]

Hi Charl, what was their name? Did you have their estate reference from the National Archives' website?

[@godisloveireland]

Hi matthew. Hope you are well. I have found my great grandmothers brother arthur edmund robertson died 11 apr 1904 port elizabeth. He was married to lilian esther jacobsohn and had son ernest alexander robertson 1903 or 1904. Cant find ernest's birth or his parents marriage(1896-1904 date range). I think she was born 1879 capetown. They were living in willowmore in 1904. Any suggestions?

[@MatthewBode]

Hi John, Arthur and Lilian's marriage record is accessible online at the following link: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C919-5Z2X

[@gazzo3271]

Hi Matthew. I see your 2end great grandfather had no mention of his birth in Germany. I Also have a 2end great grandfather from Germany. Word of mouth plus his death certificate not death notice says Germany. With the lack of German files online what is the next step to trace back? tia

[@MatthewBode]

Hi Garry, Have you found your 2nd great-grandfather listed in any Hamburg passenger lists? I'd advise consulting those, as the lists often mention last place of residence in Germany, which could well be where he was born, or very close to where he was born.

[@gazzo3271]

@@MatthewBode hi there. No luck. Been searching...feels like FOREVER. No luck on passenger list. My maternal German I found eventually after months of searching due to anglicized names. Anyway this bloke I cannot find any trace, when you have free time. Please help me...August Martens dies 1921 Durban. You will find his profile on familysearch. please let me know what you find or any theory you can see. Many thanks

[@gazzo3271]

@@MatthewBode fs Id: G96W-6K4

[@waynecronje8712]

Hi Matthew. I’m in search of a Genealogist to help with the research of family ancestry. Do you know of anyone that may be able to assist?

[@MatthewBode]

Hi Wayne, You could hire Heather MacAlister ([e-mail]) to research your family tree for you. She is a professional with a speciality in South African research and her fees are quite reasonable.

[@deeh9495]

Hi Matthew, familysearch.org has helped me to find my great grandparents marriage certificate. What does it mean when the race is identified as European or coloured?

[@MatthewBode]

Hi Dee, In a South African context, racial designations on civil records should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. For instance, many, many individuals designated as "white" or "European" during apartheid era South Africa had recent non-white ancestry, as their designations were based on appearance alone rather than lineage. If your great-grandparents were classified as coloured, it's possible that they were visibly non-white and therefore classified as such, or it could the case that they appeared white but had a close relative attend the wedding who did not, and the minister designated their race according to appearance of their relative! Moreover, racial designations were often based on more than just appearance; home language and friends/associated were also taken into consideration.