Jamaica Emigration and Immigration

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Finding the Town of Origin in Jamaica

If you are using emigration/immigration records to find the name of your ancestors' town in Jamaica, see Jamaica Finding Town of Origin for additional research strategies.

Jamaica Emigration and Immigration

"Emigration" means moving out of a country. "Immigration" means moving into a country.
Emigration and immigration sources list the names of people leaving (emigrating) or arriving (immigrating) in the country. These sources may be passenger lists, permissions to emigrate, or records of passports issued. The information in these records may include the emigrants’ names, ages, occupations, destinations, and places of origin or birthplaces. Sometimes they also show family groups.

Immigration to Jamaica

German Immigrants

Between 1834 and 1842 four groups of Germans left for Jamaica:

  1. Thirteen families from the Braunschweig area landed in 1834 in Kingston. Their first settlement "Brunswick" failed. They eventually went to Clarendon.
  2. In December 1834 506 Germans landed in Port Royal. Some settled in Ballintoy/Alva, St Ann.
  3. 532 Germans landed in 1835 in Rio Bueno, Trelawny. Most of them originated from the Weserbergland and Westphalia, 28 came from Waldeck. 251 founded Seaford Town in Westmoreland. Of these settlers 34 died within the next two years, 108 moved on (mostly to the USA) and 119 stayed.
  4. 107 settlers arrived in December 1838, originating from Northern Germany, Franken and the Rhön (cultural areas).

For Further Reading

There are additional sources listed in the FamilySearch Catalog: