Have you reached a “brick wall” in your genealogy research? Onsite genealogy research in Jamaica may just be the key to extending your Jamaican ancestry. We have genealogists in Jamaica that can help!
Challenges in Jamaican Genealogy Research
As a former British colony, family history research in Jamaica follows English recordkeeping traditions, meaning that ancestors are usually found in civil registration and in the records of the Church of England and other religious denominations. Newspapers are also helpful and increasingly accessible. But while many of these records are available online or on microfilm, other helpful documents are only found in Jamaican archives. These can include non-Anglican church records, wills and deeds, and slave manumissions. In many cases—especially pre-1880—these documents are necessary in order to continue tracing a family line once the online records have been exhausted.
Our Team of Professional Genealogists Can Help
If you have Jamaican ancestry, our professionals can track down the town or parish of origin for your ancestors and identify where records are currently kept. For those areas and subjects that do not have records available online, our genealogists in Jamaica can visit in person to obtain any documents that are available in country.
Onsite Archive Access in Jamaica
Our onsite genealogy researchers have access to the following archives, repositories and libraries in Jamaica to help track down the records you need to extend your Jamaican family history:
- Jamaica Archives and Records Department
- Registrar General’s Department