Jamaica Civil Registration: Difference between revisions

Civil Registration started in 1878 though in isolated districts, it started as much as five years later. Each parish was assigned a letter by the Registrar General, omitting J. Parishes are subdivided into registration districts. Districts continue to be added as the population grows.

Civil records were filmed by parishes (see Jamaica jurisdictions page). To start, choose Civil Registration Indexes. Check the index, then the actual record. The actual record can be found in the catalog under Jamaica/Civil Registration, listed by parish.

Districts are identified at the beginning of each film. Be sure to identify the correct district. Looking at actual records one will find individual certificates.

Civilly registered vital record certificates are identified by two separately stamped character groups that together comprise the civil registration number. Civil registration numbers are alphanumeric codes, for instance: KAC8538. The first part is a two- OR three-character alphabetic code, often stamped in an oval border, where the first character represents the parish and the second (and third) represent the district. The second part of the number is a sequentially assigned one- to five-digit registration number. FamilySearch indexing project examples misidentified the numeric part of the civil registration number on certificates as "page numbers" for some projects, resulting in faulty arbitration and meaningless pagination in some of its indices; sequential page numbers were written on some slip bundles in the upper right-hand corner, but not in all parishes and not by all parish clerks.

Occasionally record slips will be found with both handwritten and stamped numbers. It appears that these records are reproductions or reconstructions from lost records. In such cases the handwritten rather than the stamped number probably represents the correct registration number.

Coverage and Compliance

Until at least 1930 (and probably continuing to the present), when a district registrar’s sequential numbering reached 10,000 the series started over: e.g., FB9999, FB10000, FB1, FB2, etc. Registration numbers for urban districts obviously turned over much more frequently than isolated rural ones. This means that no Jamaican civil registration number is absolutely unique.

Information Recorded in the Records

Birth Records

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

Marriage Records

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
Residence
Names of the parents of the groom and bride
Place of marriage
Witnesses’ names

Death Records

Date and place of death
Name of the deceased person
Gender
Marital status
Age
Occupation
Cause of death
Informant
Date and place of registration

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-''[[Jamaica|Jamaica]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Jamaica_Civil_Registration|Civil Registration]]''
+{{CountrySidebar
+|Country=Jamaica
+|Name=Jamaica
+|Type=Topic
+|Topic Type=Records
+|Records=Civil Registration
+|Rating=Standardized
+}}{{breadcrumb
+| link1=[[Jamaica Genealogy|Jamaica]]
+| link2=
+| link3=
+| link4=
+| link5=[[Jamaica Civil Registration|Civil Registration]]
+}}
+==How to Find the Records==
-Civil Registration for Jamaica was mandated in&nbsp;1878 though actual registration began in isolated districts as much as five years later. Each parish was assigned a letter by the Registrar General, omitting J. Parishes are subdivided into registration districts, which are relevant only to vital-record registrations and have no other civil or fiscal authority. Districts continue to be added as the population grows, so the earliest registrations may have occurred much later than 1878.
+=== Online Collections ===
+*'''1591-1905''' {{RecordSearch|1805647|Caribbean Marriages, 1591-1905}} at FamilySearch — [[Caribbean Marriages - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images; ''Also at: [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60247/ Ancestry]($), [https://www.americanancestors.org/search/databasesearch/1577/caribbean-marriages-1591-1905 American Ancestors]($), [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/caribbean-marriage-index-1591-1905 Findmypast] ($)''
+*'''1790-1906''' {{RecordSearch|1809321|Caribbean Deaths and Burials, 1790-1906}} at FamilySearch — [[Caribbean Deaths and Burials - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images; ''Also at: [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60246/ Ancestry]($) [https://www.americanancestors.org/search/databasesearch/1575/caribbean-deaths-and-burials-1790-1906 American Ancestors]($)
+*'''1752-1920:''' {{RecordSearch|1520598|Jamaica Births and Baptisms, 1752-1920}} - [[Jamaica Births and Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index; also at [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-30101/jamaica-births-baptisms-1752-1920 MyHeritage] - index ($)
+*'''1878-1995''': [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9910 Jamaica Civil Registration Birth, Marriage, and Death Records] at Ancestry - index only ($)
+*'''1880-1999:''' {{RecordSearch|1538386|Jamaica, Civil Registration, 1880-1999}} at FamilySearch - [[Jamaica, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index and images; also at [https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-30136/jamaica-civil-registration-1880-1999 MyHeritage] ($)
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/jamaica-civil-marriage-registrations Jamaica Civil Marriage Registrations] at Findmypast - index ($)
+*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/jamaica-civil-death-registrations Jamaica Civil Death Registrations] at Findmypast - index & images ($)
+* [https://www.rgd.gov.jm/index.php/products-and-service/genealogical-research/genealogical-application-form OuttaMany Research Form] at Registrar General's Department — index & images ($)
+*[http://scholarship.utm.edu/522/ Jamaica's parishes and civil registration districts]
-Civil records were filmed and&nbsp;cataloged in by the Family History Library in 1995 by parishes (see Jamaica jurisdictions page). From the Family History Library catalog one has to choose Civil Registration Indexes to get started in civil record research. The menu shows dates up to 1830, however, the actual filmed records in some parishes may exceed&nbsp;1950. Checking the index and then the actual record should provide the information one is looking for. The actual record can be found in the catalog under Jamaica/Civil Registration, listed by parish.
+===Offices to Contact===
-Districts&nbsp;are identified at the beginning of each film. Be sure to identify the correct district. Looking at actual records one will find individual certificates.
+Registrar General's Office<br>
+Twickenham Park, St. Catherine<br>
+Telephone:  876-749-0550
+::::876-619-1260<br>
+Email:	[mailto:information@rgd.gov.jm information@rgd.gov.jm]
-Civilly registered vital record certificates&nbsp;are identified by&nbsp;two separately&nbsp;stamped character groups&nbsp;that together comprise the civil registration number. Civil registration numbers are alphanumeric codes, for instance: KAC8538. The first part is a two- OR three-character alphabetic code, often stamped in an oval border, where the first character represents the parish and the second (and third) represent the district. The second part of the number is a sequentially assigned one- to five-digit registration&nbsp;number. FamilySearch indexing project examples misidentified the numeric part of the civil registration number on certificates as "page numbers" for some projects, resulting in faulty arbitration and meaningless pagination in some of its indices; sequential page numbers were written on some slip bundles in the upper right-hand corner, but not in all parishes and not by all parish clerks.
+Online requests available using the Registrar General's Department,  [https://www.rgd.gov.jm/index.php/genealogical-application-form Genealogical Application Form].
-Occasionally record slips will be found with both handwritten and stamped numbers. It appears that these records are reproductions or reconstructions from lost records. In such cases the handwritten rather than the stamped number probably represents the correct registration number.
+==Historical Background==
-Until at least 1930 (and probably continuing to the present), when a district registrar’s sequential numbering&nbsp;reached 10,000 the series started over: e.g., FB9999, FB10000, FB1, FB2, etc. Registration numbers for urban districts obviously turned over much more frequently than isolated rural ones. This means that no Jamaican civil registration number is absolutely unique.
+Civil Registration started in 1878 though in isolated districts, it started as much as five years later. Each parish was assigned a letter by the Registrar General, omitting J. Parishes are subdivided into registration districts. Districts continue to be added as the population grows.
-'''Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:'''
+Civil records were filmed by parishes (see [https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Jamaica_Jurisdictions Jamaica jurisdictions page]). To start, choose Civil Registration Indexes. Check the index, then the actual record. The actual record can be found in the catalog under Jamaica/Civil Registration, listed by parish.
-*[[Jamaica Births and Baptisms (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
+Districts are identified at the beginning of each film. Be sure to identify the correct district. Looking at actual records one will find individual certificates.
-*[[Jamaica, Trelawny Civil Registration of Birth (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]
+Civilly registered vital record certificates are identified by two separately stamped character groups that together comprise the civil registration number. Civil registration numbers are alphanumeric codes, for instance: KAC8538. The first part is a two- OR three-character alphabetic code, often stamped in an oval border, where the first character represents the parish and the second (and third) represent the district. The second part of the number is a sequentially assigned one- to five-digit registration number. FamilySearch indexing project examples misidentified the numeric part of the civil registration number on certificates as "page numbers" for some projects, resulting in faulty arbitration and meaningless pagination in some of its indices; sequential page numbers were written on some slip bundles in the upper right-hand corner, but not in all parishes and not by all parish clerks.
+Occasionally record slips will be found with both handwritten and stamped numbers. It appears that these records are reproductions or reconstructions from lost records. In such cases the handwritten rather than the stamped number probably represents the correct registration number.
+==Coverage and Compliance==
+Until at least 1930 (and probably continuing to the present), when a district registrar’s sequential numbering reached 10,000 the series started over: e.g., FB9999, FB10000, FB1, FB2, etc. Registration numbers for urban districts obviously turned over much more frequently than isolated rural ones. This means that no Jamaican civil registration number is absolutely unique.
+==Information Recorded in the Records==
+===Birth Records===
+*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
+===Marriage Records===
+*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
+*Residence
+*Names of the parents of the groom and bride
+*Place of marriage
+*Witnesses’ names
+===Death Records===
+*Date and place of death
+*Name of the deceased person
+*Gender
+*Marital status
+*Age
+*Occupation
+*Cause of death
+*Informant
+*Date and place of registration
+==References==
-<br>
 <br> {{Place|Jamaica}}
 [[Category:Jamaica]]
+[[Category:Civil Registration]]