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Question & Answer

We are discussing Tracing family history
With Antoinette Buchanan, Stephanie Ryan and Jennifer Higgins

Question:
My greatgrandmother was born in the Tonga Friendly Islands in 1866. I know her birth date and her fathers name. Is there any possibility of getting a copy of her birth registration, and if so, from where?

Answer:
Jennifer- Civil Registrations of births, deaths and marriages from 1867 are recorded with the Ministry of Justice in Tonga. If you wish to contact them, their details are as follows:

Postal address:
Ministry of Justice
Railway Road
Kolofo'ou
Tongatapu

Ph: 21-055, 23-599
Fax: 23-098
(no email addresses)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have recorded a great many parish records on Tonga which are indexed on the Family Search website . You may find that your great grandmother's baptism appears on that index and you can view a microfilm copy of the baptism register at a Family History Center near you. The Family Search website also has an online library catalogue and it shows quite a number of items regarding family history research in Tonga.

The Pacific Manuscripts Bureau has also filmed church and Civil Registration records on Tonga. A list of the church and civil records is found at the AnthroGlobe Bibliography website . The films of civil registrations are restricted - that is, permission is required from Tonga before you can view them. See Pacific Manuscripts Bureau online catalogue for more details about access.

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