Slavery-Era Research

Guides to Jamaica’s slavery-era records, including the slave registers, the 1834 compensation claims, wills, inventories and estate papers, and the history of who ran the plantations. Start here to find ancestors enslaved in Jamaica, and to read what the records leave out.

Records | Heritage | Slavery-Era Research | Start Here

Jamaican Genealogy Dead Ends: 7 Brick Walls and How to Get Past Them

Hit a wall tracing Jamaican ancestors? Learn why the 1838 divide, name changes and scattered records stall research, and the practical steps that get past each one.

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Slavery-Era Research | Heritage | Records

Jamaican Slave Registers: How to Trace Enslaved Ancestors

How to use Jamaica’s slave registers (1817–1834) to trace enslaved ancestors: where to search, how to read the returns, and what the records can’t tell you.

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Slavery-Era Research | Heritage | Land and Legacy | Surnames

Wills, Ledgers and UCL Data: What Scots in Jamaica Left Behind

Archival records—wills, probate inventories and UCL data—trace how Highland Scots turned Jamaican sugar into estates, surnames and cultural marks. Read…

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