Tracing roots in South Africa: why many Black families hit genealogy roadblocks

Interest in genealogy is growing among South Africans eager to trace their roots and understand their ancestry.

But historians warn that while some families can trace their lineage back hundreds of years, others face major obstacles rooted in the country’s colonial and slave past.

Speaking on CapeTalk, genealogist Dr Eleanor Damon said record-keeping in South Africa has never been equal, leaving many descendants of enslaved and indigenous people struggling to trace their origins.

Colonial documentation created deep genealogy gaps

Damon said genealogical research often depends on written records, which historically favoured colonial settlers.

She explained that some South Africans with European ancestry can trace family lines to the 1500s because those families were documented in official state records.

By contrast, descendants of enslaved people and indigenous communities often only appear in records once they were baptised by missionaries or entered colonial administrative systems.

“For many families, documentation only starts in the Cape Colony,” she said, adding that earlier histories were often never formally recorded.

Slavery erased names and identities

Damon said one of the biggest barriers is the way enslaved people were stripped of their original names and identities.

She explained that many slaves were assigned new names based on months of the year, religious references or generic surnames, making it extremely difficult for descendants to trace their lineage.

Records sometimes noted where enslaved people were captured or transported from, but their children were often given different surnames, creating further confusion for researchers.

“There can be thousands of people with the same name in the records, which makes it difficult to identify the correct ancestor,” she said.

Oral history fills the gaps left by missing archives

Damon said many African family histories were preserved through oral tradition rather than written documentation.

While these stories remain valuable, they often lack dates, locations and official proof, making genealogical tracing harder than with documented colonial families.

She said written records typically began once colonial rule expanded, which created structural limitations that still affect research today.

Why tracing ancestry matters

Despite the challenges, Damon said genealogy remains deeply meaningful for many people.

She explained that discovering family connections can provide a strong sense of identity, belonging and direction.

“When people find names, places and relationships, it opens up a sense of who they are and where they come from,” she said.

As interest in ancestry research continues to grow, historians say understanding the historical limits of South Africa’s records is essential, not just for tracing family trees, but for confronting the country’s past.

For more information, listen to Damon using the audio player below: