Guyana Genealogy

Guide to Guyana ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records. Not to be confused with French Guiana (French: Guyane).

Country Information
Guyana is a country in South America bordered by Brazil, Suriname, and Venezuela. It was formerly a colony of The Netherlands and Great Britain. The official language is English.

History
The Dutch were the first Europeans to establish colonies but after the British assumed control in 1796, the Dutch formally ceded the area in 1814 and in 1831 the three separate colonies became a single British colony known as British Guiana. Guyana achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 26 May 1966 and became a republic on 23 February 1970, remaining a member of the Commonwealth. In May 2008, President Bharrat Jagdeo was a signatory to the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty of the Union of South American Nations. Guyana has ratified the treaty. 

Guyana Map
Genealogy records are kept on the local level in Guyana.



Regions
Genealogy records are kept on the local level in Guyana. Regions:  Barima-Waini  Pomeroon-Supenaam  Essequibo Islands-West Demerara  Demerara-Mahaica  Mahaica-Berbice  East Berbice-Corentyne  Cuyuni-Mazaruni  Potaro-Siparuni </li> Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo </li> Upper Demerara-Berbice </li> </ol>

FamilySearch Resources
Below are FamilySearch resources that can assist you in researching your family.


 * Facebook Communities - Facebook groups discussing genealogy research
 * Learning Center - Online genealogy courses
 * Historical Records
 * FamilySearch Center locator map