Jamaica Slavery

Special slave censuses were kept in the early 1800s. They are held at The National Archives (Kew, England). Slaves are identified by given name under their masters. If you can identify your ancestor's master, this source will prove of tremendous value to your research.

Online Resources

 * 1754: Excerpts from the Courant for June 22 to 29, 1754 at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - contain the names of some runaway slaves or indentured servants, and information about them
 * 1760-1810: Persons declared to be "white by law" or "free" (part 1), (part 2) at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1788: Return of the number of White Inhabitants Free People of Colour and Slaves in the Island of Jamaica at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1812-1834: Slave Registers of Former British Colonial Dependencies, 1812-1834 at Ancestry - index & images ($)
 * 1820-1825: Manumissions of Enslaved Persons at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library; (includes Addendum)
 * 1822: Legacies of British Slave-ownership; identifies the names of slaveowners in Jamaica at the time of emancipation in 1833. (free database)
 * 1831: Returns of Maroons: Moore Town Officers and men, Moore Town women and enslaved persons, Charles Town, Scot's Hall, and Accompong at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library; includes names of abt 1600 persons of color
 * A Tale of Two Plantations: Enslaved Families in Virginia and Jamaica explores enslaved families at the Mesopotamia plantation in Jamaica.

Church Records of Enslaved Persons

 * 1804-1811: Roman Catholic baptisms of enslaved persons and free people of color in Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - in the "Spanish Chapel"
 * 1806: Baptisms of enslaved persons, St. Ann Parish Register 1 June 1806 at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1806-1814: Baptisms of enslaved individuals and some free persons, St Ann Parish Register at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1810-1811: Baptisms 1810-1811, in the Roman Catholic Church, Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1811-1834: Roman Catholic baptisms of enslaved persons and free people of color in Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - in Holy Trinity Church (July 1811 through May 1821, no acts recorded)
 * 1814-1817: Baptisms of enslaved persons in the Parish of Hanover, Jamaica at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1817: A return of slaves in the parish of Saint Ann in the possession of Hamilton Brown as owner on 28 June 1817 at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - lists details of enslaved individuals
 * 1818-1820: Methodist Baptisms and Marriages of enslaved persons at Belmont in St. Ann at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1818-1834: Methodist Marriages of enslaved persons in the St. Ann Circuit at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1818-1834: Methodist Marriages of enslaved persons in the Montego Bay circuit at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1819-1826: Methodist Baptisms and Marriages of Slaves in the Montego Bay Circuit at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1819-1834: Methodist Marriages of enslaved persons in the Kingston Circuit at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1821: Marriages of enslaved persons in the City and Parish of Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1821-1825: Marriages of enslaved persons in the Parishes of Portland, Hanover and Trelawny, St. John and St. Dorothy, St. Thomas in the Vale, Vere, Manchester, St. Catherine, Port Royal, St. James, and Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1823: Marriages of enslaved persons in the City and Parish of Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1824: Marriages of enslaved persons in the City and Parish of Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1824-1834: Methodist Marriages of enslaved persons in the Falmouth Circuit at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1825: Marriages of enslaved persons in the City and Parish of Kingston at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1839-1841: Receptions in the Moravian mission at Lititz, St. Elizabeth (Part 1) June 1839 to April 1841, (Part 2) April 1841 to November 1842, (Part 3) November 1842 to February 1845 at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library; contains the name given at baptism, the old name (usually a slave name), country of origin, and residence in Jamaica. (For more information about the Moravian mission at Lititz, see the page Moravian Missions in Jamaica.

Transactions Involving Enslaved Persons

 * Enslaved persons in wills at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library; contains names of enslaved persons being transferred to heirs
 * 1702-1787: Numbers of Slaves Shipped, 1702-1787 at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1747-1879: Enslaved persons in inventories and appraisals: Inventories part 1, Inventories part 2, Inventories part 3, Inventories part 4, Inventories part 5, Inventories part 6, Inventory of Willian Clarke, Inventories of John Clarke and William Virgo Clarke, Inventories of Ann Clarke and Ann Parr Clarke, Inventories of Elizabeth Clarke, John Clarke, and Eliza Ann Clarke at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1787: Slaves in DuBourg Marriage Contract at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - lists names of 95 enslaved persons in the marriage contract
 * 1790: List of Slaves at Golden Grove at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - list of original enslaved persons on Golden Grove Estate as of 30 June 1790
 * 1790: 1790 Almanac at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - lists statistics of enslaved individuals
 * 1791: Enslaved persons on New Canaan Estate at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - lists abt 200 enslaved persons in a marriage contract as of 2 November 1791.
 * 1793: List of enslaved persons from the inventory of John Fowler at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - as of 14 January 1793
 * 1805: Deed 19 Sep 1805. Philip Levy Grantee to Henry Cerf at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - lists names of enslaved individuals transferred with the deed
 * 1817: Slave Registers for Cousins Cove in Hanover at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - as of 28 June 1817
 * 1817: Slave Registers for Davis Cove in Hanover at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library - as of 28 June 1817
 * 1817-1832: Some enslaved persons listed as "belonging to" Garsias, Westmoreland and St. Elizabeth, James in St. Elizabeth, and James, Elizabeth and the sons of Jonathan James, in St. Elizabeth at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
 * 1833: Inventory of the estate of George Huie of Trelawny at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library; contains the names of over 50 enslaved persons
 * 1838: Conveyance from Anthony Wilkinson to John Clark at Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library; included the names of 112 slaves, who were apprentices