Suriname

Suriname was formerly known as Nederlands Guyana, Netherlands Guiana or Dutch Guiana. Suriname is situated between French Guiana to the east and Guyana to the west. The southern border is shared with Brazil and the northern border is the Atlantic coast. The southernmost border with French Guiana is disputed along the Marowijne river; while the once-disputed boundary with Guyana was arbitrated by the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea on September 20, 2007. The country is the smallest sovereign state in terms of area and population in South America and is the only independent Dutch-speaking nation in the Western Hemisphere (Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles are still Dutch dependencies.)

Getting started with Suriname research

Jurisdictions

Suriname is divided into 10 districts (distrikten)

Brokopondo Commewijne Coronie Marowijne Nickerie

Para Paramaribo Saramacca Sipaliwini Wanica

The capital city of Suriname is Paramaribo

For more geographical and historical information see Suriname

Research Tools

• Suriname WorldGenWeb Project
• Database of freed slaves
• Stichting Instituut ter Bevordering van de Surinamistiek (IBS)
• Suriname Genealogy - Stichting voor Surinaamse Genealogie
• Kasan.nl - usefull indexes on birth and death records, census 1811, 1921, electoral roles etc.

Featured Content

Historische Database Suriname
The website ‘Vrij in Suriname’ (Free in Suriname) contains contains personal- and familie information of freed Suriname slaven and free blacks in Suriname. This site functions as a platform for different databases. At this moment there are two:

• De database Surinaamse manumissies 1832 – 1863
• De database Surinaamse emancipatie 1863

Boeroes
A "Boeroe" is:
1. a descendant of Dutch speeking colonists in Suriname,
2. a person who has a farm, pasture or mixed bussines or
3. a person living on the flat lands

The web-site is in Dutch, but you can click on the 'Nieuws' (News) button and find new genealogies, or click on the 'Genealogie' (Genealogy) button

Did you know?

Suriname is one of the few countries in the world where you can find a Synagogue next to a Mosque (another place is Sofia, Bulgaria).

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News and Events

Negotiations are going on to film the 'Wijkregisters' (Wardregisters), as well as other information about Suriname, located in the Netherlands' National Archive.

Topics

Archives and Libraries Biography Cemeteries Census Church Directories Church History Church Records Civil Registration Directories Emigration and Immigration Gazetteers Genealogy Historical Geography History Jewish Records Land and Property Language and Languages Maps Military Records Names, Personal Native Races Newspapers Nobility Notarial Records Periodicals Probate Records Public Records Religions Social Life and Customs Societies

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