Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
The "Returns of Proprietors, Properties and Land" from the 1840 Almanac, listing property owners and the name and size of their properties. To view, click the links on Parishes below:
Almanac 1787: Currency conversion Tables, comparing Jamaican currency to British sterling, Spanish real, and gold coins.
Almanac 1790: Slave Tables, with statistics on the slave trade between Africa and the West Indies.
Almanac 1824 : The days assigned as election day in each parish.
Almanac 1840: The Civil List for Kingston, 1840. This names officials including those for the city, the courts, schools, hospital, synagogue, and curates and minor officers. To view, click Sample Civil
Almanac 1840: The List of Militia in St. James, 1840. To view, click Sample Militia
Almanac 1842: A report on Immigration presented to the House discusses immigration arranged from Britain, America, Germany, Africa, and Canada, and the villages built in Jamaica to accommodate the immigrants. Immigration Report.
Almanac 1849: A list of total number of properties by parish abandoned since 1832.
1849 second excerpts: Voter qualifications under the Electoral Law, Jewish leaders. The condition of the Post Office in 1758.
Excerpt. The state of Jamaica in 1664.
Almanac 1850 Excerpt. Leaders of the Jewish synagogues.
Almanac 1875: Introduction to the 1875 Almanac, and 1871 census statistics 1875 Introduction
This list was taken from documents at the PRO and was provided to this site by Edward Crawford. It includes the date, name of the slave being freed, and the name of the person by whom the slave is manumitted. For access please go to Manumissions.
Some notes by Edward Crawford: Addendum to Manumissions found during further research in the PRO .
Acts of the Jamaican Assembly 1760-1810 with respect to certain people of African or part-African descent, including declaring them "white by law," and giving them the same rights as English subjects, with certain restrictions. Some of the Acts set particular slaves free. These Acts were transcribed from documents in the PRO by Edward Crawford, and kindly contributed. To view click below:
Acts of Assembly
Acts of Assembly (2)
Slaves and Slavery - lead page, for a list of items, and links to pages.
List of American Loyalists who were granted land in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, in 1783.
This book was written over the space of many years, and finally completed in 1954, by Daniel L. Ogilvie. As a child I personally accompanied my mother on visits to him on many occasions in Trelawny, and I witnessed his dedication to the task of writing the history of his beloved parish. The entire book has been transcribed on this site. For links please go to the History of Trelawny.
The memoirs of Thomas Callender, who was in Jamaica from 1846 to 1848, were collected and published after his death. The first selection: The Voyage describes the hazards of passengers and crew on the journey by ship from Scotland to Jamaica.
Mr. Callender starts work in Jamaica, particularly among black and colored congregations. He experiences lightning, rainstorms and an earthquake. Memoir 2: Lucea, Hampden, St. Mary, and Memoir 3: Lucea.
He moves to Kingston where he ministers to a Presbyterian congregation, merchants and other wealthy people of the city. Memoir 4: Kingston and Memoir 5: Kingston continued
Memoir 6: His death
Sermon #1 preached at the Presbyterian Church, Kingston. "Call to Immediate Repentance."
Sermon #2 preached in Kingston 1847-1848. "The Fulness of Christ."
This Index is taken directly from the book by J. H. Lawrence-Archer and contains tombstones from Jamaica and other Caribbean islands. The entire text of the book itself is in the Members' pages.
Monumental (tombstone) Inscriptions Index Jamaica
Monumental Inscriptions Index Other
Excerpts from the 1891-1892 and 1900 Handbooks pertaining to the owners of properties under cultivation, clergymen, courts, magistrates, notaries, the provisions for Naturalization of Aliens, and Commissions of Land Surveyors. From 1919 the officers of the Public Works and the Railway. The legal status of the Church of England in Jamaica 1660-1870.
For details of the Handbook excerpts, and links to pages, go to Handbooks.
This is the List of Members of the Friendly Lodge 383 in Montego Bay from 1818 to 2000, and the list of Members of the Cornwall Lodge, 450 (697) from 1815 to 1830. Used by kind permission from the author, George W. J. Palmer. Lodges
The Introduction to the Book by W. A. Feurtado: "Official and Other Personages in Jamaica from 1655 to 1790". Please see Feurtado Introduction. This page also contains the links to pages in the rest of the book.
From the WHO'S WHO IN JAMAICA 1919, Recruiting in Jamaica for the British West Indies Regiment, including statistics. [F]
Emigrant clergy, a hurricane, British troops in the West Indies 1792 and 1799, list of subscribers to Caribbeana c1912. Miscellaneous Caribbeana.
The biography of the Rev. Thomas Arthur Jones of Vere, and the document appointing him to the position of Rector of Vere, 1820.
An article on the records of Jamaica as of 1909, taken from Volume I of "Caribbeana" and written by Noel B. Livingston. It includes a list of the Island Secretaries of Jamaica from 1660 to 1872. See Records of Jamaica.
A list of Wills relating to Jamaica proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (P.C.C) from 1655 to 1658.
Extracts from this book, written in 1823 by J. Stewart. His remarks on the white population of Jamaica, and people of colour in Jamaica.
Stewart's observations on the Militia and the postal service in 1823.
Extracts from the History of the Moravian mission in Jamaica written in 1854 by J. H. Buchner. This serves as the lead page to extracts from records of persons received into the mission in Lititz in St. Elizabeth.
The book was written by John Bigelow in 1852. The extracts used here look at the economic condition of the island, and some possible causes for the decline. See 1850 Jamaica.
Some sample pages are provided to give an indication of the type of material to be found in the Directory. There are pages from the Kingston City Directory and Business Directory, and from Trelawny. Sample Directory
Judicial Listings from the Directory
List of Governors in Jamaica, 1675 to 1877
Kingston Street locations in 1878.
Some advertising from the Directory. Ads 1, Ads2, Ads 3, Ads4, and Ads5.
From the 1910 Directory come pages on newspapers, parishes, money and transportation, namely: Carriage and Cab Hire, Electric Street Cars, Ports of Clearance, Railway Time Table, Rates and General Information. See 1910 transportation
The advertising in the directory has been transcribed in summary form, and will provide names as well as interesting glimpses of life in 1910. 1910 ads
A British soldier named Thomas Faughnan wrote the autobiographical "Stirring Incidents in the Life of a British Soldier" in which he recounts his impression of Jamaica while he was stationed there, and his opinion on the Morant Bay rebellion. See Faughnan. For other viewpoints on the Morant Bay rebellion please see the Members' pages.
Selections from a Biography of Stephen Bourne, who was a Special Magistrate and then a Stipendiary Magistrate in Jamaica 1834-1841, particularly during the period of Apprenticeship.
In the Museum in Dublin there is an original book dated 1748, called "The Pedigrees of the Right Honourable Smith Burke Earl of Clanrickard, Viscount of Clanmorris and Baron of Dunkellin, and John Bourke Lord Viscount Mayo." The book actually gives pedigrees of families named Burke, Bourke, DeBurgo, DeBurgh, and Burgh, mostly in Ireland, for over 1000 years. For more about the book, and an Index to the pages, you may go to the Introduction to Burke Pedigrees.
Excerpts from the Royal Gazettes include Passengers and ships arriving and departing, deaths, and some news items that provide interesting reading.
Gazette, February 2, 1793
Gazette, March 9, 1793
Gazette, May 25, 1793
Gazette, June 1, 1793
Gazette, June 8, 1793
Gazette, August 2, 1794
Gazette, October 4, 1794
A 1795 Royal Gazette, dated about April, reports the capture of a French frigate by the English ship Blanche. Some Notices posted in the Gazette have also been extracted. 1795 Gazette
Excerpts from the 1806 Royal Gazette include Juror Lists for St. Thomas in the East, St. David and St. George, and the locations of some properties for sale (in 1806). Gazette, 1806
For more Gazettes, please see the Members' Directory.
The "Gleaner" commenced publication in 1834. It is still published daily, and it is the leading newspaper on the island. This site contains excerpts from 1866 through 1869, and 1872. For a complete list of pages, please go to Gleaner.[F].
Gleaner excerpts from issues for May and June and July and August 1866.
Gleaner excerpts from August to October 1866.
Gleaner excerpts from June 1867.
Gleaner excerpts from October, 1867.
Gleaner excerpts from March, 1868
Gleaner excerpts from October 1869, and November - December 1869.
Gleaner excerpts from January 1872
A list of estates in Trelawny that were removed from cultivation from 1822-1877, and those remaining in cultivation. Gleaner excerpt from March 1877, Trelawny estates.
Gleaner excerpts from November to December 1880.
The Triweekly Gleaners for January and February 1894 reported on discussions about the Jamaican Railway.
Full text of the "Gleaner" for January 18, 1907, the first issue after the major earthquake and fire that destroyed Kingston. Read the description of the events and its consequences, a death list, and list of the injured. January 18, 1907, and January 18, 1907 continued.
More earthquake victims from the Gleaner of January 21, 1907.
Introductory remarks on The Jamaica Witness newspaper.
Experiences in Jamaica, an article from the newspaper, "The Jamaica Witness" of 1884.
Reports from this St. John, New Brunswick, Canada newspaper concerning the Kingston earthquake in 1907, with eyewitness accounts, and lists of people dead and wounded. Earthquake 4
Accounts of the slave rebellion in Jamaica in 1832.
1878 Inauguration of Custos Ivan Levy, St. Catherine.
An 1808 excerpt concerning the attack of a French privateer on the Royal Mail packet sailing from Cornwall, England, to Jamaica.
Excerpts from "Gentleman's Magazine" 1744, and "Blackwood's", 1848. See Gentleman's.
These samples are provided to give an indication of the type of material to be found in the Members' "Register" pages.
An example from the Jamaican Registers showing how a family is linked together and sources are footnoted. This contains instructions on how to read the genealogy reports in the Members' pages. To view click: Sample Register
An example of how a Will is incorporated into the family structure as defined by the Will itself, and sometimes by other sources. This contains instructions on how to read the wills in the Members' pages. To view click: Sample Will
Will of John Campbell of Hanover 1783 [Abstract]
Will of Archibald Campbell of Minard, St. Ann 1799 [Abstract]
Will of Alexander Facey
Transcription of the Will of John Clark, 1858.
Extracts from Kingston Church of England (Anglican) Parish Registers, some Baptisms, Marriages and Burials.
Extracts from Port Royal Church of England Parish Registers.
Extracts from St. Andrew Church of England Parish Registers.
Extracts from St. Thomas in the Vale Church of England Parish Registers.
An Index to some pages in the Dissenter Marriage Register, Volume I.
A list of some slaves baptized in the Church of England in St. Ann in 1806, showing their baptismal names, former names, age, and the name of the "slave owners." Sample Slaves
List of Church of England Rectors in St. Thomas in the East 1708-1817: Rectors.
Some extracts from Dissenter and Church of England Parish Registers: Miscellaneous Registers
Some pages from St. Andrew Church of England Parish Register II, including soldiers, slaves St. Andrew Baptisms 1807-1814.
Excerpts from Index to Church of England Parish Registers: Metcalf
Some Slave Baptisms 1810-1811 from the Roman Catholic Register of Slaves and Free People of Colour in Kingston.
Buried among the names in the Jamaican Registers, one can find those of seamen who sailed into Jamaican ports, and soldiers who were in regiments that were stationed on the island. Since many of these individuals were literally buried on the island, today's genealogist looking for ancestors of British or North American nationality would seldom think of looking in the records of a Caribbean island. These lists are to help you in your search, or at the very least give you some food for thought. Please note that in the Members' pages you would find a great many more Seamen and Soldiers in the pages from the Anglican and Roman Catholic Registers.
Deaths of persons buried in 1942 to 1943 in the Military Hospital at Up-Park Camp, St. Andrew, including some German seamen.
Extractions from the 1851 British Census, showing West Indian-born residents
Extractions from the 1851 British Census, showing Jamaican residents in the Bristol area.
1881 British Census:
Extractions showing Jamaican-born residents:
Jamaicans in Gloucestershire census
Jamaicans in Lancashire census
Jamaicans in Devon census
Some army officers named Garsia. Garsia
Slaves 'owned' by Garsia. Garsia 2
Data on the children at the RMA Chelsea, who were sponsored by the West India Regiment, and whose fathers had served in the Regiment. See RMA Chelsea
Jamaicans found in census records in other countries.
Records of Jamaicans found in other countries.
Jamaicans found in other countries in books.
Jamaicans found among convicts transported to Australia.
Frederick J. duQuesnay, a Jamaican author and genealogist, has contributed some original articles about people and places of historical interest: Museums of Jamaica, Longs of 'Longville', Rose Hall Great House, Lucea, St. James Parish Church, Brissett, Beckford, Barrett, Nedham Pinnock, Sir Anthony Musgrave, and Success Estate, Cinnamon Hill, Iter Boreale, the Scarlett family, Richard Hill, and Sir John Keane. Please see duQuesnay articles for links.
An article by G.S. Yates on The Rose Hall Legend.
A copy of Modyford's instructions to Henry Morgan, and his commission to make war on the Spanish, dated 1670. Some of Modyford's servants and their acquaintances who remained in Jamaica after discharge from service.
Letter from Jamaica in 1687 from the Reverend Francis Crow to the Reverend Giles Firmin in Essex, England, on the manners and mores at Port Royal and the difficulties of getting people to attend to the word of God.
Decreet. William Dickson vs John Dickson, accounting for 1770-1777.
Slave Uprising: Letters and newspapers reports concerning a slave uprising in Hanover in 1776.
A Return of the Number of White Inhabitants, Free People of Colour and Slaves in Jamaica in 1788, by Parish. This list is from CO 137/87. It consists of total number of persons in each category in each parish, and it contains no names. It is typical of the kind of "census" that was sent to England from Jamaica in the early days. See 1788 Return.
Letter from J. Fowler, Jamaica, dated September 1790, concerning a recent delivery of slaves on the slave ship Sarah.
An analysis of data for the ship Sarah, trips made, and slaves on board.
A Bill of Sale for provisions purchased by John Fowler for the ship Sarah dated August 30, 1790.
See Fowler 1790 [F]
The ship Daniel left Africa in 1792 with slaves to be delivered to John Fowler in Martha Brae/ Falmouth, Trelawny. An analysis of the mortality rate of the slaves and crew.
See Voyage of the Daniel 1792.
An article about Edward Binns of Lucea (1804-1851).
The early history of the Presbyterian Church in Jamaica 1814-1832, and the historical background. See Presbyterian .
Extracts from Colonial Office papers 1816 to 1831 concerning Amelioration of the Slave Code.
Extracts from Colonial Office papers 1832 to 1833 concerning Emancipation, immediately prior to the Government's final proposals.
Two letters from Hanover, dated 1820 to 1821, concerning the Three Mile River property in Westmoreland. The second letter demonstrates the manner of addressing and sealing letters at the time.
From a reader comes an article written about Heavitree and the Davy family. It traces his steps in researching property by this name in Jamaica and elsewhere, and it provides an example of methods of synthesis that you should also use in your research. An updated report on conditions in the area [F]. Heavitree
An update on these reports as of October 2007, including photographs. See Heavitree 2 [F].
In 1836-1837 William Rhodes James (born 1817, son of Herbert Jarrett James) kept a Diary of events and his perceptions of them, on a trip to Jamaica to accompany his father when he left the island. See James Diary
In 1836-1837 Philip Galindo kept a journal during three visits to Jamaica. For a view of life in Kingston through his eyes, go to Galindo 1, Galindo 2, and Galindo 3.
Mortgages and deeds of Henry Cerf. These deeds transfer ownership of property and slaves in the early 1800s, at a time when slave "ownership" was legal. See Mortgage deed, slave sale, land and slaves, and mortgage.
Conveyance from Anthony Wilkinson to John Clark, 1838. It includes the names of 112 slaves.
Letter to Lewis Bowerbank from prominent citizens of Kingston upon his departure in 1876, including image of their signatures. [F]
Letter from Nicholas Tarr concerning the death of his son in 1918.
Blundell Hall A collection of articles concerning Blundell Hall, Mary Seacole and Miss Grant.
The families and people living in Little London, Westmoreland, 1924-1948.
A list of merchant ships and their captains that entered Jamaican ports 1776-1777.
Jamaica Almanacs - lead page.
1878 Directory - lead page
1910 Directory - lead page.
Other Lists of Landowners and other People - lead page
1754 Landowners - lead page.
Immigration - lead page
Registers and Wills - lead page.
Roman Catholic registers - lead page.
Jewish births, marriages and deaths - lead page
Methodist baptisms - lead page
Moravians - lead page
Slaves and Slavery - lead page
Monumental Inscriptions - lead page
Feurtado's Official and Other Personages - Introduction and lead page.
Malabre manuscript lead page
Who's Who lead page
Caribbeana lead page.
Handbooks - lead page
Newspapers - lead page
Gleaners - lead page
Royal Gazettes lead page.
Falmouth Post newspaper - lead page
Jamaica Witness newspaper lead page
Frederick Duquesnay articles
Other original articles and documents - lead page
Insurance Maps of Kingston 1894 - lead page
Military - lead page
Members - lead page.
Jamaicans found in foreign records, including Jamaicans in newspapers published in Australia and New Zealand.
Burke Pedigrees lead page
If you are new to genealogy research, start here. You will also find suggestions on how to use this site.
Where do I begin?
A complete list of early Church of England and Dissenter records that have been microfilmed. This page also contains a list of film numbers for wills that have been microfilmed, and tells you how to access the catalog of vital records from 1879 to 1900s.
Where to find some entries for St. Ann, St. Mary, Clarendon, and St. Andrew that are not in any existing Index
A discussion of places in Jamaica where you may do research.
Some dates in the history of Jamaica, particularly those which would have affected record keeping. Historical
An explanation of terms which you may find on this site, and used in Parish Registers, Almanacs, and other sources. Glossary.
An explanation of terms used for some occupations which you may find on this site, and used in Parish Registers, Almanacs, and other sources. Occupations.
An outline of the various countries from which Jamaican immigrants and their surnames have come. Suggestions for finding these surnames on the site. See Surnames
These are some of the books, films, registers and wills used for research.
Pages include maps and 19th century drawings, photographs of people, as well as contemporary photographs of Jamaica. Album.
Plan of this website
Help - Frequently Asked Questions
Jamaica Almanacs Slave-owners, Civil & Military officers, Magistrates etc.
Items in the Members Directory
Transcriptions from Registers and Wills (Church of England, Dissenters, Civil Registration)
Jamaican Roman Catholic Church Registers - transcriptions
Jamaican Methodist Baptisms - transcriptions
Jewish births marriages deaths - transcriptions
Slaves and slavery in Jamaica
Photographs, maps, prints, etc.