Jamaica, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection that is scheduled to become available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search.

Collection Time Period
The current collection of civil records of births includes the years 1900-1930. In the future, civil records of marriages for the years 1880-1950 and civil records of deaths for the years 1871-1995 will be added.

Record History
Compulsory registration of births, marriages, and deaths was introduced in Jamaica in 1878 and was legally implemented in 1880. The registration of births, marriages, and deaths is done at the Registrar General's Department (RGD), which was established in 1879, with the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Unit responsible for collating this vital information. These civil records are organized by parish.

Why This Collection Was Created?
Civil registration records such as births, marriages, and deaths were recorded for vital statistics and to better serve public health needs.

Record Reliability
Civil registration records are one of the most reliable records for genealogical research in Jamaica after 1880. Before 1880, it is suggested to research church records, where events such as baptisms, marriages, and burials of the Jamaican people were recorded.

Record Description
At present, this collection includes only birth records; in the future, marriage and death records will be added. The records are handwritten in English on formatted forms. These records are organized by parish and then by district.

[[Image:Jamaica_Clarendon_Civil_Registration_(09-0294)_Birth_DGS_4476958_02196.jpg|thumb|right|Sample image of a birth record from Jamaica]]Record Content
The key genealogical facts found on most birth records include the following:

• District and parish name • Date and place of birth • Name of the child • Gender • Complete name and dwelling place of the father • Complete name and maiden name of the mother • Rank or profession of the father • Signature, qualification, and residence of the informant • Date of registration • Baptismal name if added after the registration of the birth • Signatures of the informant and the registrar

The key genealogical facts found on most marriage records include the following: • Date of marriage • Given names and surnames of the groom and bride • Marital status of the betrothed • Occupation of the groom • Ages of the groom and bride • Place of residence at the time of marriage • Names of the parents of the groom and bride • Place of marriage • Witnesses’ names

The key genealogical facts found on most death records include the following: • Date and place of death • Complete name of the deceased person • Gender • Marital status • Age at time of death • Occupation at the time of death • Cause of death • Date and place of registration

How to Use the Record
In order to find an ancestor, it is necessary to know the district name within a parish where the ancestor was born or lived. The registers are organized by parishes, such as Trelawny, and then by district, such as Albert Town. Each birth record is given a unique number that is used to identify each child’s birth registration record. This number consists of letters and numbers. The first letter corresponds to the name of the parish and the second to the district. The numbers are the sequence of the registration of the births. It is recommended to use the indexes first, where the registration number will be included.

Related Wiki Articles
Jamaica: Civil Registration

Related Websites
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Sources of This Collection
This is a collection of digital copies of original records housed at the Registrar General's Office in Spanish Town, Jamaica, and the Ministry of National Security, Kingston, Jamaica.

How to Cite Your Sources
Instructions for citing this source can be found at: Cite Your Sources (Source Footnotes) (Normal heading

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