Jamaica, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records
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Jamaica | |
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Record Description | |
Record Type: | Civil Registration |
Collection years: | 1880-1999 |
Languages: | |
FamilySearch Resources | |
Related Websites | |
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Archive | |
Ministry of National Security, Jamaica |
What is in This Collection?[edit | edit source]
This collection contains records for the year 1880 to 1999. Early records are in register (book) format; later records are certificates. The records are handwritten in English on formatted forms. These records are organized by parish and then by district.
Compulsory registration of births, marriages, and deaths was introduced in Jamaica in 1878 and was legally implemented in 1880. The registration of births, marriages, and deaths is done at the Registrar General's Department (RGD), which was established in 1879, with the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Unit responsible for collating this vital information. These civil records are organized by parish.
Civil Registration for Jamaica was mandated in 1878, though actual registration began in isolated districts as much as five years later. Each parish was assigned a letter by the Registrar General; the letter J was omitted. Parishes are subdivided into registration districts, which are relevant only to vital-record registrations and have no other civil or fiscal authority. Districts continue to be added as the population grows, so the earliest registrations may have occurred much later than 1878.
This collection contains digital copies of original records housed at the Registrar General's Office in Spanish Town, Jamaica, and also the Ministry of National Security, Kingston, Jamaica.
Image Visibility[edit | edit source]
Whenever possible FamilySearch makes images and indexes available for all users. However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. Because of this there may be limitations on where and how images and indexes are available or who can see them. Please be aware some collections consist only of partial information indexed from the records and do not contain any images. For additional information about image restrictions see Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections.
To Browse This Collection[edit | edit source]
You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for Jamaica, Civil Registration, 1880-1999. |
What Can These Records Tell Me?[edit | edit source]
The following information may be found in these records:
Birth
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Marriage
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Death
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Collection Content[edit | edit source]
Sample Images[edit | edit source]
Coverage Table[edit | edit source]
The Coverage Table shows the places and time periods covered in the indexed records in this collection after the 18 August 2014 additions. Most of the records in the collection are from the time periods listed in the table; however, the collection may have a few records from before or after the time period.
Parish | Birth | Marriage | Death |
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Clarendon | 1878-1930 | 1931-1950 | 1878-1995 |
Hanover | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1920-1993 |
Kingston | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1877-1995 |
Manchester | 1878-1930 | 1931-1950 | 1920-1992 |
Portland | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1878-1995 |
Saint Andrew | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1878-1995 |
Saint Ann | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1878-1995 |
Saint Catherine | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1878-1994 |
Saint Elizabeth | 1878-1930 | 1926-1950 | 1882-1992 |
Saint James | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1921-1995 |
Saint Mary | 1878-1930 | 1921-1950 | 1878-1995 |
Saint Thomas | 1878-1930 | 1880-1950 | 1878-1995 |
Trelawny | 1878-1930 | 1931-1950 | 1920-1995 |
Westmoreland | 1881-1930 | 1931-1950 | 1920-1995 |
Digital Folder Number List[edit | edit source]
This collection was published as a DGS browse collection. The list does not contain any description of the DGS folder's content. A table listing each DGS number and its contents can be found at Jamaica, Civil Registration Digital Folder Number List.How Do I Search This Collection?[edit | edit source]
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
- Name of the person
- Approximate date of the event
Search the Index[edit | edit source]
Search by name on the Collection Details Page.- Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know
- Click Search to show possible matches
View the Images[edit | edit source]
To view images in this collection:- Look at the Article Name Digital Folder Number List article to determine the folder/film number for the images you want to see
- Go to the Browse Page
- Select the Film number to view the images
How Do I Analyze the Results?[edit | edit source]
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.
What Do I Do Next?[edit | edit source]
I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]
- Add any new information to your records
- There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
- Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life
- The residence of the parents, and maiden surname of the mother are useful in searching records from that locality to find information on their marriage and the parents' births
I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]
- Switch to a different record collection. Depending on the time period, either Jamaica Civil Registration records or Jamaica Church records may be more useful
- While searching, it is helpful to know such information as the ancestor’s given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence and age, and family relationships. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as an ancestor and that the ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
- Keep in mind that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
- Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
- Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
Research Helps[edit | edit source]
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Jamaica.
Known Issues[edit | edit source]
Click here for a list of known issues with this collection.
Citing This Collection[edit | edit source]
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.
Collection Citation: The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Citing this Collection. |
Record Citation: When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information. |
Image Citation: When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen. |
- FamilySearch Historical Records Published Collections
- Jamaica FamilySearch Historical Records
- FamilySearch Historical Records
- FamilySearch Historical Records Image Visibility Notice
- FamilySearch Historical Records Browse Collection
- Collections with a Digital Browse
- FamilySearch Historical Records Known Issues