The first known bearer of the name was Hermann Potgieter, a resident of Essen in the year 1463. Barring South Africa this last name occurs in 40 countries. A major accessory for Internet genie junkies are CD-Roms which list anything from voters’ rolls and cemeteries to whole books. We use cookies to collect information from your browser to personalize content and perform site analytics. The most common South African surnames come from Nguni clans, which consist of the Zulu, Xhosa, and Ndebele clans. A timeline and a comprehensive outline of the anomalies unique to SA research can also be found at Researching in South Africa. “I am based in Australia, but am able to obtain primary documents electronically. This sentiment is echoed by many who feel more effort should be made to sponsor an interest which serves as both a lesson in humility and an important empowerment tool. Would you like to use this article in your publication or on your website? Abel (6) 8. Go to Van Rensburg Genealogy – which complements the Huguenot Foundation of South Africa website – to see Van Rensburg’s own “gemengde” line of descent and French Huguenot lineage and farms. The Afrikaners slowly developed their own language and culture when they came into contact with Africans and Asians. Huguenot Foundation of South Africa website, South African British Immigrants (ZA-IB) newsgroup, other RootsWeb South African (ZA) newsgroup, Southern Africa Jewish Genealogy: Websites, A period of mourning struggle heroes has fallen – Zola Skweyiya, Young Kroonstad train tragedy heroes nominated for National Order, Remembering Hugh Masekela, South African legend: 1939-2018, South African app connects job seekers with employment opportunities, Google celebrates the life and work of Alan Paton, Remembering Keorapetse Kgositsile 1938-2018. Ancestors Research helps many clients with challenging and problematic South African Family Trees and history’s as well as difficulties in tracing their family trees and providing genealogy research for those people who cannot do it themselves or simply don’t have the time. Abell (2) 9. Go to the site, select “mailing lists”, then select “South Africa” under “countries”. This, and most other mailing lists, have searchable archives. Navigating around the site and mastering the search engine takes a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be there for days. “The Internet has made available information and resources to people which previously would have taken months”, Van Rensburg says. Besides individual case studies, lists of slaves and their countries of origin at the Slave Lodge and on estates like Groot Constantia are given. Many agree that the best starting block for South African research is Ancestry24.com, developed by Cape Town commercial family history researcher Heather MacAlister, who also runs the Cape Town Rootsweb newsgroup. The other RootsWeb South African (ZA) newsgroup is run by Conrod Mercer, based in Krugersdorp. On my Stamouers website, you can access the research by Prof Robert C-H Shell’s slave transactions from the early Cape.”. I maintain the list. Name list of male Huguenots who settled at the Cape of Good Hope, and of whose surname is still continued in South Africa: A number of Huguenot surnames did not survive in South Africa; these include surnames such as Amiel, Aubanelle, Belusé, De Péronne, De Savoye, Dumont, Mouy, Potier, Prévost, Verdeau, etc. Tel +27-12-991-1772 (H), +27-11-350-5291 (W), +27-11-350-2001 (Fax) Below you will find. Kamedien also runs RootsWeb.com’s SA History newsgroup, which is geared towards historical backgrounds. If you’re unsure of where a person died, use the SAB section and try a variety of spelling permutations. A. A'Bear (22) 2. Another person with his finger on the pulse of slavery is Mogamat Kamedien, who runs Slavery @ the Cape, a site which is expanding at a rapid rate as new data is added from University of Western Cape researchers and writer/historians like Nigel Worden. Welcome to Ancestor.co.za, one of the largest online sources of original South African genealogy information. Visit our Privacy Policy for more info. South Africa, Miscellaneous Court Records Index, 1652-2004, 2008-2011: 213,803: South Africa, Slaves and Free Blacks Records Index, 1658-1835: 22,128: View all South Africa Convict, Criminal, Land & Wills (6) Data Collections; Sorted by South Africa Reference, Dictionaries & Almanacs. More databases will be added soon. Jelani Origin: Swahili Meaning: Full of strength. The exact origins of the word ‘Africa’ are contentious, but there is much about its history that is known. Though not as active on the web as on paper, exploration of Jewish roots in South Africa has a starting point at Southern Africa Jewish Genealogy: Websites and Anne Lemkuhl’s Lemkuhl Family Home Page and German South African Resource Page provide great leads for German ancestors. In addition to BMD (baptism, marriage and death) information, the LDS also has a variety of books on microfiche, obtainable from centres in your area – gratis. Short explanations of commonly used abbreviations and of column headings, An overview of how the database has grown, and A short German poem on the topic of genealogy. Names are of huge significance in the continent and that is why some cultures go as far as having naming ceremonies where families officially name their children in the presence of other people. Adebisi Notable bearers of this name include the Dutch actor Bartho Braat (b. 20 Jamaican Last Names That’ll Make You Wanna Visit Kingston. Not a week passes without at least one new list of BMDs (baptism, marriage and death transcriptions) from her, Nolene Lossau or Sha Redfern, who took up the challenge with transcriptions from other areas. The surname Potgieter was first found in Westphalia, where the name originated. To me, this list is about making friends as well.”. His site also has a membership area which includes a newsletter, and the interactive dynamic family tree (DFT) on his original site, Paul TT’s Genealogy Home Page, demonstrates just how intermarried the whole shebang of 4 000 settlers were. Sorely in need of a mailing list to consolidate information for more lowly researchers, intermarriage in this area is also vaguely explored on Andre van Rensburg’s Van Rensburg Genealogy. 117. It is mysteries like this which make some researchers turn their genetic legacy into a life quest. SOUTH AFRICAN SURNAMES - W PLEASE NOTE: This is ONLY a listing of who is interested in which South African families. Family research turns your world view upside down; it is far more exciting than any fiction, and not for the faint-hearted.”. There is also a new database of Military Deserters in the Cape Colony during the 1800s. Entries are listed under the sections TAB (Transvaal), VAB (Free State), NAB (Kwa Zulu Natal), KAB (Cape) and SAB (South Africa), together with various other sub-headings which include cemetery listings, photographs and official manuscripts dating back to the 1600s. Don’t despair if the site is down: it simply means that maintenance or updating is taking place. Abendroth (1) 10. South African Ancestry - Researching South African Family History. Discover the ethnic origin and meaning of last names. With over 1 million family tree records available, we hope your visit will be rewarding and that you will enjoy discovering more about your South African ancestors. AHISHAKIYE is a both male (most) and female name which means "Whenever God want" and is originally from Rwanda. Says one such professional quester, Andre van Rensburg, a white Afrikaner proud of his genes, which range from Khoi translater Krotoa to Eastern slaves and “thoroughbred” Huguenots and Dutchmen: “What makes South African genealogy so exciting is that you never know what you will find. A surname's origin is influenced by the progenitor's social class and the culture they lived in. We know that the word ‘Africa’ was first used by the Romans to describe that part of the Carthaginian Empire which lies in present day Tunisia. Uduike: Udu means a clay pot to fill water, and Ike means strength. Anyone with genealogical knowledge and a bit of spare time can do the same. Abdinor (2) 7. Aalgaard (1) 3. Stuck in an exchange warp and blessed with in-bred ubuntu, South Africans are particularly conscious of keeping the flow of information as cheap, accurate and accessible as possible. There’s also a new group for those in search of their St Helena roots. Not that long ago, Internet genealogy and family history research were separate entities, as US companies flooded the market with special offers ranging from census information on Ellis Island emigres to links to royal icons and famous celebrities. STATEMENT BY PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA ON PROGRESS IN THE NATIONAL EFFORT... [Opinion Editorial] Enough is still not enough when it comes to... Media Statement: Brand South Africa addresses media on allegations of corruption, South African cooking show picked up to air in US and Australia, South Africans Abroad commemorate their unique diverse Heritage. The fulcrum around which all of this spins is the government’s National Archives of South Africa. Register to receive our latest news and updates. Though still in its infancy, RootsWeb also has a site dedicated to ethnic origins on its free pages. For many, RootsWeb’s South African British Immigrants (ZA-IB) newsgroup is a virtual second home. A medley of South African sources – anything from official death notices to current estates and newspaper notices – can be found here. 116. Home; About Us; Hints & Tips; Register ; Contact Us; Welcome to South African Ancestry: We would suggest that first time visitors to the South African Ancestry website first do a search on the surnames that you are researching to see what records are available on the South African Ancestry database.