Cape Slaves and Descendants Marriages

This database is being transcribed from official church and civil records. The Dutch settlers had carnal knowledge with the indigenous females of the Khoi San peoples until the arrival of the first batches of slaves. Thereafter, they preferred the imported slaves from East Asia, Africa, Madagascar, and Mauritius (many of whom were originally from the East), whilst continuing their abuse of the local females whenever the opportunity arose. Although some settlers intermarried with the indigenous peoples and the imported slaves, the slaves from the East also tended to intermarry amongst themselves (many being Hindu or Muslim, but ignoring the African Muslim slaves), while the other slaves associated with the indigenous population. These practices created a hierarchy among their descendants with lasting consequences for race relations in the colony and future country. Unbaptized slaves were not permitted to legally marry before 01 February 1839, and many resorted to marrying according to Muslim rites or to form a de facto marriage relationship. The age of majority was lowered from 25 to 21 in 1829. 

Please note that the earlier records reflect two first names for the male and no surname, I have used his last name as a surname. The children of slaves tended to take the name of their progenitor (slave or settler) as a surname, although many baptised slaves often took the surname of their owner or benefactor, and chose a completely different first name to their allocated slave name. Also note that while the purpose of this database is to record only the data pertaining to slaves and their descendants, it contains records of people later classified as European. Some people hid their slave ancestry to enjoy white privilege, and many of these descendants were in positions of power in the Apartheid government. 

The names of slaves, their descendants, and other population groups were spelled differently from the names of "white" settlers and their descendants to indicate racial difference. This racial tagging was evident in the records where people were classed as christen (christian), onchristen (heathen), vrij geboren (born free), vrij zwart (free Black), lijfeijgen / slaaf (serf/slave), heelslagh (both parents were slaves), halfslagh, mestiço / mesties or mulatto (one parent was European and the other a slave), kastiço or kasties (one parent was European and the other a mulatto),  Bastaard (one parent was Dutch or French European and the other indigenous) , Bastaard Hottentot (one parent was indigenous and the other a slave), Hottentot (Khoi), or Bosjesman (San or Bushman).

Great care was taken in recording details of Europeans, while the records of slaves, their descendants, and other peoples were written, in many instances, with the bare minimum of information, in apparent haste and with little care, making it difficult to read the writing. In addition, marriage records that would shed light on the degree of racial inter-marriage had a tendency to disappear from the archives or were destroyed in fires, like the Drakenstein marriage records.

Database compiled from Marriage Records of the Evangelical Missionary Church Tulbagh, Beaufort, Victoria West, Carnarvon, Stellenbosch

Nederduitsche Hervormde Gemeente Stellenbosch, Beaufort

London Missionary Society

Luthersche Kerk Kaapstad

English Episcopal Church
Rhenish Missionary Church
Dutch Reform Church
Moravian Church
Anglican Church

Reform Church

VOC archives

*Denotes died early

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