Jamaica Registrar General’s Department Records

Brief History.

The established Church was Anglican, Church of England or known in North America as Episcopalian. Their records are cataloged by Parish. There are 14 currently parishes, but an additional 7 parishes existed in the past with some parish records begining as early as 1668, others start as late as 1804.

There are hand written alphabetical indexes for each parish. Up to 1824, each parish had a separate book with baptisms, marriages and burials included. In 1824, the Diocese of Jamaica was established with its own Bishop of Jamaica and the system of recording changed with many parishes in the same volume Also before 1824, births, deaths and marriages were in the same volume, but after there were separate volumes for these events.

In Jamaica however, you can assume that burials took place either on the same day or the day after death, because there was no way of preserving the body for any length of time in the tropical heat. Christenings could be separated by a long time from date of birth. Sometimes the family waited until they had a son, before all the older girls were baptized with the son.

Law 6 Registers Church Records take you up to 1870-72, but overlap with what are called Law 6 registers. These are government registers and started in 1866 up to Civil registration. They are separated into births, marriages and deaths. There are separate indexes for Law 6 registers, so you will have to use these first before you get to the original record.

Civil Registration began in Jamaica in 1880 and is catalogued by Parish. The originals of the Jamaican records are held in the Registrar General's Office in Spanish Town, Jamaica.

Parish	Baptism	Marriages	Deaths	LDS Film #
Claredon	1683-1869	1683-1869	1683-1869	1,291,704
Hanover	1725-1825	1725-1825	1725-1825	1,224,327
Kingston	1722-1781	1721-1871	1722-1871	1,291,761 1,291,762
Manchester	1816-1871	1816-1871	1816-1871	1,224,313
Metcalf	1843-1867	1843-1867	1843-1867	1,291,676
Miscellaneous	1860-1869	1860-1871	1860-1861	1,291,710
Port Royal	1728-1868	1728-1868	1728-1868	1,291,768
Portland	1807-1871	1807-1871	1807-1871	1,291,709
St Andrew	1664-1870	1664-1870	1664-1870	1,291,698
St Ann	1836-1871	1836-1868	1936-1868	1,291,703
St Catherine	1668-1871	1668-1871	1671-1871	1,291,723
St David	1794-1860	1794-1860	1794-1860	1,291,672
St Dorothy	1693-1849	1693-1849	1693-1849	1,291,673
St Elizabeth	1707-1871	1707-1871	1707-1871	1,224,314 1,368,561
St George	1806-1865	1806-1865	1806-1865	1,291,674
St James	1770-1871	1770-1871	1770-1871	1,224,328
St John	1751-1860	1751-1860	1751-1860	1,291,675
St Mary	1752-1847	1752-1847	1752-1847	1,291,702
St Thomas	1708-1871	1708-1871	1708-1871	1,291,700
St Thomas in the Vale	1816-1869	1816-1869	1816-1869	1,291,678
Trelawny	1771-1870	1771-1870	1771-1870	1,291,671
Vere	1707-1869	1707-1869	1707-1869	1,291,677
Westmoreland	1739-1871	1739-1871	1739-1871	1,224,000

Series 1-3 – Parish Registers

St James

Baptism Index 1770 – 1871

Name	Vol	Folio	Year
Susanna Ismay	1	3
Elizabeth		6
Thomas		22
Sarah		27
Jane		55
James		86
Elizabeth		120
Joseph		148
Thomas		148
Sarah Clayton		156
Joseph	2	21
Catherine		176
Elizabeth		321	1840
Charlotte		323	1840
Rose Anne	3	64
Elizabeth R	7	38

Marriage Index 1770 – 1871           

Name	Vol	Folio	Year
Mary	1	264	1834
Sidney Stephen		266
Joseph	2	279
Margaret R	2	301
Joseph	4	36
Rachel	5	164
Anne	3	253

Burial Index 1770 – 1871

Name	Vol	Folio	Year
Jane	1	300
Elizabeth		303
Thomas		325
Joseph		373
Thomas		383
Mary		383
Joseph		387
Elizabeth	2	210
Isabella		223
Ann		272
Ann	7	141	1867

 

St James

Baptisms 1770 – 1871

Description

Susanna Ismay born May 18th 1771 Quadroom

Elizabeth Ismay, daughter of Sarah Clayton born June 7th 1773 in Quadroom baptized 30th Jan 1774

Thomas Ismay in Quadroom born May 6 1776, baptized 18th Sept 1777

Sarah Ismay in Quadroom born Dec 19th 1778, baptized 13th Oct 1779

Jane, daughter of Joseph and Mary Ismay, born Nov 3rd 1786, baptized 21 May 1787

James Ismay, Negro about, 25 yrs old, baptized 16th Feb 1794

Elizabeth Ismay, Negro, 16 yrs old, baptized 7th Jul 1799

Joseph Ismay, Negro, 3rd April 1804

Thomas Ismay, Negro, 10th April 1804

Sarah Clayton Ismay, black free, 36 years old, baptized 18th Aug 1805

Joseph Ismay, black free, 50 years old, baptized 1st October 1812

Catherine Ismay, f{ree}.b{lack} baptized 30th December 1814.

Elizabeth

Charlotte

Rosa Anne Ismayof Glasgow, born 7th Sept 1849 bpatized 10th March 1850 by H.N Oakley

Elizabeth R

Marriages 1770 – 1871         

Name

Samuel Davies an apprentice and Mary Ismay an apprentice both of this parish were married by Banns 24 August 1834 By me John McIntyre

Sidney Stephen

Joseph Ismay and Ann Brown both of this parish were married by Banns on the 23rd of January 1841 By me J. Macintyre, Rector

Peter James Wilson and Margaret Rebecca Ismay both of this parish were married by Banns on the 22nd of June 1839 by me Jno MacIntyre

Joseph Ismay, an Aprentice to Mr Lansdell and Amelia Jackson both of this parish were married by Banns on the 23rd of March 1837 by me John C Home Officiating Curate

Thomas Spence, Labourer and Rachel Ismay, Spinster both of the parish of Saint James were married by Banns on the 3rd day of Oct 1849 by me john H. Moore Officiating Minister

William Henry Hall and Anne Ismay both of the parish of St. James were married by license on the 31st day of July 1850 by me John Howard Moore the Officiating Minister This enter should have been made in the last Quarter and entered No 10 but in consequence of Lawrence Hills? Death from Cholera who kept the Licence and  ???  ???  it was omitted. J.H. Moore

Burials 1770 – 1871

Description

Jane Ismay, an infant, buried 23rd May 1787

Elizabeth Ismay a Quadroom girl buried 20th Nov 1788

Thomas Ismay, Quadroom, buried June 2nd 1795

Joseph Ismay Esq buried 15th February 1804

Thomas Ismay, slave, buried 2nd December 1805

Mary

Joseph

Elizabeth

Isabella

Ann

Ann Ismay, adult, poorhouse, buried 5th May 1887, in the burial ground by D.R. Morris

Series 4 – Law 6 Registers

Baptism Index 1871 – 1877                                      LDS Film # 1,291,705

No Ismay Entries

Marriage Index 1871 – 1879                                                LDS Film # 1,291,725

Charlotte Ismay & William Lawrence, Westmoreland 100 Lib 2 1873

Dissenters Marriage Index 1870 – 1880                  LDS Film # 1,291,751

Philip James Ismay & Frances Jane Salmon Libra 17 1875 Folio 292

Burial Index 1871 – 1880                                          LDS Film # 1,291,741

Joseph Ismay Liber 3 St James folio 108 Annis 1874

Series 5 – Birth & Death Registers 1844 - 1851

Birth 1844 – 1851                              LDS Film # 1,291,735/36

Not Searched

Deaths 1844 – 1854                           LDS Film # 1,291,737/38

Not Searched

Law 6 Registers Marriage

Entry #                                                38

Date of Marriage                                 25 March 1874

Name of Groom                                  William Lawrence

Name of Bride                                    Charlotte Ismay

Age of Groom                                     37

Age of Bride                                       44

Condition of Groom                           Bachelor

Condition of Bride                             Spinster

Rank or Profession of Groom             Baker

Rank or Profession of Bride               None

Residence of Groom                           Sav La Mer

Residence of Bride                             Sav La Mer

Marriage                                              Banns

Married at the Parish Church {Westmoreland}, by me Henry Clarke, Rector

Witnessed by Robt Johnston, Ann her X mark Johnson

Law 6 Registers Dissenters Marriage

Entry #                                                506

Date of Marriage                                 12 April 1876

Name of Groom                                  Philip James Ismay

Name of Bride                                    Frances Jane Salmon

Age of Groom                                     Full Age

Age of Bride                                       Full Age

Condition of Groom                           Bachelor

Condition of Bride                             Spinster

Rank or Profession of Groom             Shoemaker

Rank or Profession of Bride               None

Residence of Groom                           Newport

Residence of Bride                             Kepp

Marriage                                              Banns

Married at Kepp, Jamaica, by me J.T. ???? Minister

Witnessed by Wilfred  Ismay, W.A. Steadman

Law 6 Registers Burials

Entry #                                    44

When and Where Died           June 26, 1875. Montego Bay

Name                                       Joseph Ismay

Sex                                          Male

Age                                         44 yrs

Abode                                     Montego Bay

Rank                                        Shoemaker

Cause of Death                       Natural

When Buried                           June 26, 1875

Where Buried                          Montego bay

By Whom Buried                    D. R. Morris.

 

Slave Schedules.

St James Parish 1817

A return of slaves, in the parish of St James, in the possession of Mary Ismay as Owner as of 28^th day of June in the year of our Lord 1817

Males Sixteen

Females Sixteen

Total Thirty Two

I Mary Ismay do swear that the above list and return consisting of one sheet, is a true, perfect and complete list and return to the best of my knowledge and belief, in every particular therein mentioned, of all and Slave and Slaves possessed by me as Owner considered as most permanently settled, worked or employed in the Parish of St James on the twenty eight day of June, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen without fraud, deceit or evasion.

So help me God

Signed Mary Ismay

Sworn before me this twenty third day of September 1817 Henry Parry

St James Parish 1823

A return of slaves, in the parish of St James, in the possession of Robert Watt as executor for Mary Ismay dec as on 28^th day of June in the year of our Lord 1823

Males by last return Sixteen

Females by last return Sixteen

Total by last return Thirty Two

 

Number of Slaves on the 28^th day of June 1823 Twenty Two

Births since last return Two

Deaths since last return Four

I Robert Watts do swear that the above list and return is a true, perfect and complete list and return to the best of my knowledge and belief, in every particular therein mentioned, of all and every slave and slaves possessed by me as executor of Mary Ismay dec considered as most permanently settled, worked or employed in the Parish of St James on the twenty eight day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twenty three without fraud, deceit or evasion.

So help me God

Signed Robert Watt Ex Mary Ismay dec

Sworn before me this twenty 5^th day of September 1823 George Longmore

 

St James Parish 1826

A return of slaves, in the parish of St James, in the possession of Robert Watt as executor for Mary Ismay dec as on 28^th day of June in the year of our Lord 1826

Males by last return ten

Females by last return twelve

Total by last return Twenty Two

 

Number of Slaves on the 28^th day of June 1826 Sixteen

Births since last return One

Deaths since last return Three

I Robert Watts, executor of Mary Ismay deceased, do swear that the above list and return is a true, perfect and complete list and return to the best of my knowledge and belief, in every particular therein mentioned, of all and every slave and slaves possessed by me as executor of Mary Ismay dec considered as most permanently settled, worked or employed in the Parish of St James on the twenty eight day of June, one thousand eight hundred and twenty three without fraud, deceit or evasion.

So help me God

Signed Robert Watt Ex Mary Ismay dec

Sworn before me this twenty second day of August 1826 John Cleghorn

St James Parish 1832

A return of slaves, in the parish of St James, in the possession of William Henry Lansdell owner in right of his wife as on 28^th day of June in the year of our Lord 1832

Males by last return None

Females by last return Two

Total by last return Two

 

Number of Slaves on the 28^th day of June 1832 Six

Births since last return None

Deaths since last return One

I William Henry Lansdell, do swear that the above list and return is a true, perfect and complete list and return to the best of my knowledge and belief, in every particular therein mentioned, of all and every slave and slaves possessed by me as owner in right of his wife considered as most permanently settled, worked or employed in the Parish of St James on the twenty eight day of June, 1832 without fraud, deceit or evasion.

So help me God

Signed William Henry Lansdell

Sworn before me this twenty 19^th day of Septmber 1832 John Handuson