Page created and authored by: Cornel Viljoen, 1 Sep 2018

Cape Inventory and Auction Roll Records

This page is dedicated to the Cape Inventory and Auction Roll Records available on the familysearch.org website. The records dates back to approx. 1692, and was the official document to record the possessions of a person in order to determine if they needed to pay estate duty (taxation). There are two main series:

Inventories only, covering the period 1692 to 1834, and
Inventories with auction roll records, covering the period 1780 to 1834

Each of the above series have their own index that is beautifully written and easy to read. Over and above the single index, each volume also have their own index at the beginning of the volume. These are harder to read and are included for completeness, but I strongly suggest you rather use the single series index, for the Cape inventory records, 1692-1834 click here or for the Cape inventory and auction roll records, 1780-1834 click here.

In 2005, Ms Ellen Berends, Netherlands Consul General in Cape Town, initiated a project to translate these documents, which took about 15 months. These records are now published online and can be accessed at Inventories of the Orphan Chamber, Cape Town. Once you have located the original document and you seek a transcribed version, please visit their website and use the “reference field” to easily access the transcription.

How to use this index:

Look up the person based on their surname, using the two key indexes below. Cape inventory records, 1692-1834 or Cape inventory and auction roll records, 1780-1834.
Keep in mind that in the earlier years, women were mostly placed under their maiden surname rather than their married surname. This did change in approx. 1780 onwards.
Once you have located the person you are after, note the number written in the first column next to their name. This number is the volume number that you will need to trace the correct volume. Note that the respective date range is entered in the margin on the left.
Next, note the number written in the second column next to the persons name. This is the record number that contains the inventory and / or auction roll record.
Next, locate the original records in either the Cape Inventory Records, 1692 to 1834 or the Cape Inventory and Auction Roll Records, 1780 to 1834.
NOTE: each volume has their own index at the front of the volume too. These are included for completeness, but I strongly suggest you use the consolidated indexes as these are much easier to read and use.

Index for the Cape Inventory Records, 1692 to 1834

This index is alphabetically done based on the first letter of the individual’s surname. Note that surnames like “Du Toit” and indexed under T.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H-I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P-Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X-Y, Z

This index is individually done by volume. The details above are more complete and easier to use. For completeness I include a reference to the index contained in each volume.

001 (1692-1705), 002 (1705-1714), 003 (1714-1719), 004 (1720-1727), 005 (1727-1737), 006 (1738-1748), 007 (1738-1748), 008 (1752-1758), 009 (1758-1759), 010 (1760-1763), 011 (1764-1765), 012 (1766-1769), 013 (1769-1771), 014 (1771-1773), 015 (1774-1775), 016 (1776-1777), 017 (1778-1780), 018 (1781-1785), 019 (1786-1790), 020 (1791-1793), 021 (1794-1797), 022 (1798-1800), 023 (1801-1803), 024 (1804-1805), 025 (1806-1806), 026 (1807-1808), 027 (1809-1809), 028 (1810-1812), 029 (1813-1813), 030 (1814-1815), 031 (1816-1817), 032 (1818-1818), 033 (1819-1820), 034 (1821-1821), 035 (1821-1821), 036 (1822-1822), 037 (1823-1823), 038 (1824-1824), 039 (1825-1825), 040 (1826-1826), 041 (1827-1827), 042 (1828-1828), 043 (1829-1829), 044 (1830-1830), 045 (1831-1831), 046 (1832-1832), 047 (1833-1833), 048 (1834-1834)

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Index for the Cape Inventory and Auction Roll Records, 1780 to 1834

This index is alphabetically done based on the first letter of the individual’s surname. Note that surnames like “Du Toit” and indexed under T.

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H-I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P-Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X-Y, Z

This index is individually done by volume. The details above are more complete and easier to use. For completeness I include a reference to the index contained in each volume.

001 (1780-1785), 002 (1786-1793), 003 (1793-1796), 004 (1796-1798), 005 (1798-1801), 006 (1801-1802), 007 (1803-1804), 008 (1805-1807), 009 (1808-1808), 010 (1809-1810), 011 (1811-1813), 012 (1814-1814), 013 (1815-1815), 014 (1816-1816), 015 (1817-1817), 016 (1818-1818), 017 (1819-1819), 018 (1820-1820), 019 (1821-1821), 020 (1822-1823), 021 (1824-1825), 022 (1826-1827), 023 (1828-1829), 024 (1830-1830), 025 (1831-1832), 026 (1833-1834)

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Cape Inventory Records, 1692 to 1834

Cape inventories were a relatively complete and undisturbed reflection of households at the time of appraisal, which usually took place within days of death.
These documents are referenced as Master of the Orphan Chamber (MOOC) series 8.

1692-1705 (Volume 001) - Record number 001 to 086
1705-1714 (Volume 002) - Record number 001 to 122
1714-1719 (Volume 003) - Record number 001 to 047
1714-1719 (Volume 003) - Record number 048 to 107
1720-1727 (Volume 004) - Record number 001 to 123
1727-1737 (Volume 005) - Record number 001 to 130
1727-1737 (Volume 005) - Record number 131 to 144
1738-1748 (Volume 006) - Record number 001 to 138
1738-1748 (Volume 007) - Record number 001 to 064
1738-1752 (Volume 007) - Record number 065 to 072
1752-1758 (Volume 008) - Record number 001 to 048
1758-1759 (Volume 009) - Record number 001 to 052
1760-1763 (Volume 010) - Record number 001 to 076
1764-1765 (Volume 011) - Record number 001 to 028
1764-1765 (Volume 011) - Record number 029 to 046
1766-1769 (Volume 012) - Record number 001 to 064
1769-1771 (Volume 013) - Record number 001 to 070
1771-1773 (Volume 014) - Record number 001 to 066
1774-1775 (Volume 015) - Record number 001 to 026
1774-1775 (Volume 015) - Record number 027 to 047
1776-1777 (Volume 016) - Record number 001 to 060
1778-1780 (Volume 017) - Record number 001 to 076
1781-1785 (Volume 018) - Record number 001 to 069
1781-1785 (Volume 018) - Record number 070 to 102
1786-1790 (Volume 019) - Record number 001 to 080
1791-1793 (Volume 020) - Record number 001 to 052
1794-1797 (Volume 021) - Record number 001 to 057
1798-1800 (Volume 022) - Record number 001 to 020
1798-1800 (Volume 022) - Record number 021 to 057
1801-1803 (Volume 023) - Record number 001 to 053
1804-1805 (Volume 024) - Record number 001 to 068
1806-1806 (Volume 025) - Record number 001 to 046
1807-1808 (Volume 026) - Record number 001 to 033
1807-1808 (Volume 026) - Record number 034 to 073
1809-1809 (Volume 027) - Record number 001 to 046
1810-1812 (Volume 028) - Record number 001 to 072
1813-1813 (Volume 029) - Record number 001 to 044
1814-1815 (Volume 030) - Record number 001 to 049
1814-1815 (Volume 030) - Record number 050 to 070
1816-1817 (Volume 031) - Record number 001 to 076
1818-1818 (Volume 032) - Record number 001 to 052
1819-1820 (Volume 033) - Record number 001 to 050
1821-1821 (Volume 034) - Record number 001 to 052
1821-1821 (Volume 035) - Record number 001 to 037
1822-1822 (Volume 036) - Record number 001 to 075
1823-1823 (Volume 037) - Record number 001 to 054
1824-1824 (Volume 038) - Record number 001 to 065
1825-1825 (Volume 039) - Record number 001 to 008
1825-1825 (Volume 039) - Record number 009 to 053
1826-1826 (Volume 040) - Record number 001 to 067
1827-1827 (Volume 041) - Record number 001 to 059
1828-1828 (Volume 042) - Record number 001 to 050
1829-1829 (Volume 043) - Record number 001 to 042
1829-1829 (Volume 043) - Record number 043 to 048
1830-1830 (Volume 044) - Record number 001 to 081
1831-1831 (Volume 045) - Record number 001 to 140
1832-1832 (Volume 046) - Record number 001 to 028
1832-1832 (Volume 046) - Record number 029 to 103
1833-1833 (Volume 047) - Record number 001 to 050
1834-1834 (Volume 048) - Record number 001 to 043

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Cape Inventory and Auction Roll Records, 1780 to 1834

An auction list (“vendurol”) is a list of possessions that were auctioned by the Orphan Chamber on a specific day. The date and the deceased’s name appear at the top of the list and the signatures of the Orphan Masters who were present are at the end of the list. The deceased’s property and possessions are listed in detail.

1780-1785 (Volume 001) - Record number 001 to 073
1780-1785 (Volume 001) - Record number 074 to 081
1786-1793 (Volume 002) - Record number 001 to 106
1793-1796 (Volume 003) - Record number 001 to 050
1796-1798 (Volume 004) - Record number 001 to 055
1798-1801 (Volume 005) - Record number 001 to 012
1798-1801 (Volume 005) - Record number 013 to 064
1801-1802 (Volume 006) - Record number 001 to 032
1803-1804 (Volume 007) - Record number 001 to 051
1805-1807 (Volume 008) - Record number 001 to 058
1808-1808 (Volume 009) - Record number 001 to 019
1808-1808 (Volume 009) - Record number 020 to 050
1809-1810 (Volume 010) - Record number 001 to 049
1811-1813 (Volume 011) - Record number 001 to 054
1814-1814 (Volume 012) - Record number 001 to 026
1815-1815 (Volume 013) - Record number 001 to 032
1816-1816 (Volume 014) - Record number 001 to 024
1817-1817 (Volume 015) - Record number 001 to 028
1818-1818 (Volume 016) - Record number 001 to 023
1819-1819 (Volume 017) - Record number 001 to 017
1820-1820 (Volume 018) - Record number 001 to 026
1821-1821 (Volume 019) - Record number 001 to 034
1822-1823 (Volume 020) - Record number 001 to 034
1824-1825 (Volume 021) - Record number 001 to 013
1824-1825 (Volume 021) - Record number 014 to 039
1826-1827 (Volume 022) - Record number 001 to 052
1828-1829 (Volume 023) - Record number 001 to 033
1830-1830 (Volume 024) - Record number 001 to 024
1831-1832 (Volume 025) - Record number 001 to 038
1833-1834 (Volume 026) - Record number 001 to 030

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