Ancestors from the Caribbean

The FamilySearch (opens new window) website is a good starting place for research.

It has many civil registration registers and church records, as well as probate records and military records from the Caribbean.

Civil registration

Registration of births, marriages and deaths began on different islands at different times. You can find a table listing the start dates at the Moving Here (opens new window) website.

It also contains a list of contact details for registry offices, archives and libraries throughout the Caribbean, but please be aware that this is an archived site and is no longer being updated.

Church records

Prior to civil registration, church records will be your main source.

Both Anglican and Nonconformist church records should be looked at, as well as Catholic records in those countries which have a Catholic history.

Marriage registers generally recorded place of residence after 1825.

As this was prior to emancipation this can be crucial to establishing if your ancestor was enslaved and, if so, where they were put to work.

Baptism records may record the slave owner's name, which again is crucial to finding more records which might add to your family history.

Enslaved people were not generally baptised, legally married or buried in consecrated ground before the late 18th century.

Therefore, it is unlikely you will find out more about your ancestors from church records if they were of African descent, unless they had been freed or had bought their freedom.