There is no official online searchable index or database of marriage records in South Africa. However we have a growing collection of fully transcribed marriage records in our database collections shown below and any member of the public is encouraged to contribute records or images to our gallery.

List of marriage records databases

• Anglican Church Register Finding Aid
• Home Affairs Western Cape Index
• Cullinan Marriages
• Engagement Records
• Free State Marriages
• Grahamstown Cathedral Marriages
• Marriage Records
• Methodist Marriages
• Namaqualand Banns
• Namaqualand Marriages
• St. Andrews Bloemfontein Marriages 1850 – 1938
• St. France’s Simon’s Town Grooms Index
• St. Francis Simons Town Marriages
• St. Francis Simon’s Town Brides Index
• St. Georges Cathedral Cape Town Marriages
• St. Georges Cathedral Military Marriages 1811 – 1829
• St. George’s Simon’s Town Marriages 1928 – 1956
• St. John’s the Evangelist Marriages Cape Town 1853 – 1925
• St. Mark’s District Six Marriages 1925 – 1939
• St. Mary’s Barkly West Marriages
• St. Mary’s Cathedral Johannesburg Marriages 1887 – 1895
• St. Mary’s Port Elizabeth Marriages
• St. Olav’s Marriages Durban 1890 – 1979
• St. Paul’s Rondebosch Marriages 1929 – 1955
• St. Peters Mossel Bay Marriages 1855 – 1879
• St. Philips Marriages 1874 – 1940
• St. Stephen’s Marriages Paarl 1876 – 1909
• Swellendam Anglican Marriages 1850 – 1887
• All Saints Somerset West Marriages

How important is a marriage certificate?

To a genealogist or family historian marriage certificates are not particularly helpful as they generally do not provide details of the bride or grooms parents. If either of the spouses are under age they would need consent from a legal guardian and then a parents name may be listed or there is a parent who signs as witness. Marriage records are held either in the Department of Home Affairs or the National Archives as well original sources of marriage such as the church or building where the event took place. The Methodist Church Archives or the Anglican Church Archives are kept at the William Cullen Library, situated at Wits University. To obtain copies of marriage certificates from the Department of Home Affairs you will need to write to and apply for a certificate which could take a few months and will cost you about R45.00.

When did civil marriage records start?

Below is a table that shows when Civil Registration began in South Africa. This will give you an idea of which records are available through the National Archives and the Department of Home Affairs.

The National Archives in Cape Town holds the  indexes of the old Home Affairs registers  from the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Eastern Cape in their premises.  The ones covering Natal, Free State and the Transvaal are kept in their respective provinces.

Searching for marriages in the Archives is a long and drawn out process as you will need to know:

a) the magisterial district of the church

b) the year in which the event took place

There is also a list on Ancestry24 which will provide you with the contact details of the various Anglican Church Dioceses which will tell you what registers each church holds and what period it covers.

Who you can marry in your family

Have you ever wondered who you can marry in your family ? We have put together a list for you.