Jamaica Genealogy



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Getting started with Jamaican research
Jamaica is an independent island nation in the Greater Antilles Islands of the West Indies. Jamaica lies south of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea. See the CIA World Factbook at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/jm.html

Jurisdictions
Parishes were established as administrative districts at the English conquest of 1655. Though the boundaries have changed over the succeeding centuries, parishes remain Jamaica’s fundamental civil administrative unit. The three counties of Cornwall (green, on the map above), Middlesex (pink), and Surrey (yellow) have no administrative relevance. The present parishes were consolidated in 1866 with the re-division of eight now-extinct entities, none of which will have civil records. A good historical look at the parishes as they changed over time may be found on the privately compiled “Jamaican Parish Reference,” http://prestwidge.com/river/jamaicanparishes.html (cited 2010 Jul 1).

Civil registration of vital records was mandated in 1878. For civil recording, parishes were subdivided into named registration districts. Districts record births, marriages (but not divorces), and deaths since the mandate. Actual recording might not have begun in a district until several years later after 1878. An important comment on Jamaican civil records may be found in the administrative history available on the Registrar General’s Department Website at http://apps.rgd.gov.jm/history/ (cited 2010 Jul 1).

Research Tools

 * Genealogy of Jamaica


 * Jamaican Parish Reference http://prestwidge.com/river/jamaicanparishes.html (cited 2010 Jul 1).
 * (language dictionary, handwriting guide or tutorial, etc.)

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