West Indies

Information on migration between East and West Indies.

There are many surnames common to both India and the West Indies, particularly Jamaica. "I wondered if anybody thought to look westwards when they hit a brick wall in India".

A number of families who were active in India, had in previous generations also taken part in the development of the West Indies. Some of the most effective officers in India during the 1780's and 1790's had previously served in the West Indies. The reverse also applied. Planters from India moved to the West Indies to run plantations there.

Online records

• Also see External links and Historical books online, below.
• Also see General Register Office [United Kingdom] for general information about birth, marriage and death records for British nationals abroad.
• FamilySearch, a free website, contains transcribed records relating to the Caribbean, and in addition many images. From the list of all Historical Record Collections, use the filters on the left hand side of the webpage to select "Caribbean and Central America". Note there are some overall Caribbean databases, and also specific country databases. There may be additional databases found by Searching the Catalog. Alternatively, from the Records/ Search page, first click on Browse Places, then click on the map for the Caribbean/West Indies area, and select a country. However, check that the overall Caribbean databases are also included through the specific country pages.

Historical Images, reached from FamilySearch/Search/Images is an alternative way of accessing records available as images on your home computer, but will not access databases only available as transcribed indexes, or records which are only available at Family History Centres, or FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries.

Also see External records below for the FamilySearch Wiki page.

FamilySearch microfilms include Wills, 1756-1930 Jamaica. Supreme Court and records using keywords Jamaica. Registrar General, most of which seem to be available on home computers. There may be additional microfilms. See the Fibiwiki page FamilySearch Centres for information about microfilms and digitised microfilms.

Note, you must be signed in to FamilySearch to view the records.

There also appear to be some records for the Danish West Indies, now the Virgin Islands (U.S.), which are handwritten records in Danish, appearing on page 11 of this catalogue entry, available on home computers. Note however, although catalogued as if wholly for the West Indies, they appear to be included with other records, so it would be difficult to locate them unless you read Danish.

• Digitised records from the Endangered Archives Programme at the British Library, London. Enlarge the map or click on the map for items in the West Indies region. Note the digitised images are in TIFF format. If you cannot see the images you will need to download a plug-in which reads this format. Includes
  • Inventory of archival holdings in Jamaica (EAP148) Includes
    • Angela Reid Collection (Birth, Baptismal, and Death Registers) [1795-1965] Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kingston, Jamaica records
  • Digitising the endangered archives of Grenada (EAP295)
  • Digitisation of Wills, Deed Books and Powers of Attorney for St Vincent, 1785-1865 (EAP1013). Related digitised projects are EAP345, which includes one Book of Wills, and EAP688 Deed Books.
  • Preserving and digitising the historic newspaper, The Barbados Mercury Gazette (EAP1086). Editions from 1783 to 1848 (broken range). These same digital files appear to be also available on the Digital Library of the Caribbean, see External links, below. Update 9 August 2021. Also available as “Free to View Pages” on the otherwise pay websites Findmypast and British Newspaper Archive. Pages are searchable. Details.
  • Digitisation of the Historic Newspaper, The Barbadian (EAP1251) (1822-1863) from Barbados. These same digital files will probably also become available on the Digital Library of the Caribbean (but they do not appear to be there at 5 Sept 2020). Update 9 August 2021. Also available as “Free to View Pages” on the otherwise pay websites Findmypast and British Newspaper Archive. Pages are searchable. Details.
  • The Turks and Caicos Islands (EAP914) and The Turks and Caicos Islands (EAP408). The former collection includes birth, marriage and death records, at least some of which have been indexed and are available as three free databases on the otherwise pay website Findmypast, see next item.
• Findmypast: Search A-Z of record sets (located as an option under the Search tab). Findmypast is a pay website. Use Search terms such as Caribbean, or individual island names such as Barbados, or Jamaica. Findmypast indicates that at least some of the Barbados records are sourced via the International Genealogical Index (from FamilySearch), although the databases themselves do not give this information. Some of the Jamaica databases are stated to be created through the International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) and it is possible that others (perhaps most) also come from FamilySearch. The database "St Kitts & Nevis Baptisms 1716-1881" was added 9 July 2021, from Anglican parishes, source not otherwise stated, but probably not FamilySearch. These records will generally require what was previously called a Findmypast World subscription, now called a Pro subscription, (however FamilySearch records are free on FamilySearch, see above).

Three free databases were added to Findmypast 17 September 2021 which are Index records with links to images on the British Library Endangered Archives Project. Turks & Caicos Births & Baptisms, 1792-1934, Turks & Caicos Marriages, 1799-1940 and Turks & Caicos Deaths & Burials, 1804-1947. These are Anglican, Methodist and civil records (but no civil marriage records).

Findmypast database "Caribbean Rolls Of Honour WW1" located in Military, Armed Forces & Conflict/First World War, added c 16 Oct. 2020, with initial data relating to Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago, with more data, for Bahamas, Barbados, St Kitts & Nevis and Bermuda added c 27 Nov. 2020. Source of data is not stated, but see External links below for a similarly named website.

Findmypast, in the category "Newspapers & Periodicals"/British newspapers includes newspapers classified by 'County' for Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, and Saint Kitts (as at 2021/02/20). (British Newspapers are available to individuals with a Pro subscription (previously called World subscription, or the top subscription) but not via library and community subscriptions. (Previously British newspapers were also available with the British subscription, but this no longer applies for new subscriptions.)) The same titles are also available on the pay website British Newspaper Archive, classified both by 'Region' and 'County' with the same headings.

• Antigua
  • Antigua Observer (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 5, 2021. Available years 1848, 1870-1903.
  • Sun (Antigua) (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 12, 2021. Available for 1912, with 1911–19 planned.
• Barbados
  • Barbados Agricultural Reporter (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 2, 2021. Available for 1845, 1870-1886 with planned range 1845 and 1870–1922.
• Belize
  • Colonial Guardian (Belize) (Details of this publication). (Added 28 August 2020) Initial coverage is, earliest issue: 7 January 1882 and latest issue: 25 December 1897, with planned coverage to 1913. The same title is also available on the pay website British Newspaper Archive, with this link providing details. Belize was previously known as British Honduras, a Caribbean country located on the northeastern coast of Central America.
• Dominica
  • Dominica Dial (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 5, 2021, with Earliest issue: January 6, 1883 and Latest issue: July 5, 1890.
• Jamaica
  • Royal Gazette of Jamaica or other titles added c 20 March 2020 with coverage 1779-1781, 1793-1794, 1809, 1811-1819, 1824-1828, 1834-1836, 1838-1840, with Earliest issue: May 1, 1779 and Latest issue: March 28, 1840.

The same titles are also available on the pay website British Newspaper Archive, with this link providing details.

Update 9 August 2021. Now available as “Free to View Pages” on both Findmypast and the otherwise pay site British Newspaper Archive. Pages are searchable. Details.

• Budget (Jamaica) (Details of this publication.) BNA page Added Feb 2, 2021. Available years 1877-1883, 1886-1888, with planned coverage 1877-1888.
• Morning Journal (Kingston) (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 2, 2021. Available years 1838-1840, 1858, 1864-1875 with planned coverage 1838–75.
• The American pay website NewspaperArchive.com includes the following titles

De Cordovas Advertising Sheet 03 May 1858

Jamaica Guardian 24 August 1868

Kingston Gleaner 13 September 1834, with editions to 1950 and beyond, (see details of issues available, (for Kingston Gleaner with links to other titles)).

Kingston Sunday Gleaner 13 September 1834, with editions to 1950 and beyond.

Previously these titles were also available on Findmypast, but were withdrawn c 2 August 2021, as the licence was not renewed.

• St. Kitts
  • Saint Christopher Advertiser and Weekly Intelligencer (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 2, 2021. Available years 1839-1840, 1855, 1869-1888, 1897-1909, with planned coverage 1839–1909.
  • St. Christopher Gazette (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 2, 2021. Available years 1771, 1837, 1839-1840, 1848, 1871-1888, 1908-1909, with planned coverage 1771, 1837–1909.
  • St. Kitts Daily Express (Details of this publication.) BNA page. Added Feb 2, 2021. Available years 1884, 1886, with 1884–1914 planned.

It is possible to browse individual editions on BNA, in addition to searching. To browse the Findmypast editions, use the filters under "Narrow your search results" (left hand side of the webpage) "By Newspaper" and "By Date".

• Ancestry Card Catalogue of all Record Databases (located as an option under the Search tab). Ancestry is a pay website. Use Search terms such as Caribbean, or individual island names such as Barbados, or Jamaica. Note some of the databases are FamilySearch data, see above (where it is free data).

Also included is the Ancestry database "Caribbean, English Settlers in Barbados, 1637-1800" (located in BMD) from a series of books published 1979-1984 by Joanne McRee Sanders using data from copied parochial registers in the Barbados Department of Archives. The book Barbados Records Baptisms 1637-1800 which is part of this Ancestry database is available online (free), see below.

Ancestry also includes databases from the books Scots in the West Indies, 1707-1857 by David Dobson 1998 (there was subsequently a Volume 2 published in 2006, which appears not to be included in the Ancestry database, which is located in "Immigration & Emigration") and The Original Scots Colonists of Early America. Caribbean Supplement 1611-1707 by David Dobson 1999 (located in "Dictionaries, Encyclopedias & Reference"). See Scotland for some background about the Scottish diaspora.

• For further books by David Dobson available online, see Historical books online below.

Also see other book titles by David Dobson, not available online, under "Other records", below.

• Kabristan Archives -Ireland -Ceylon -India Genealogy Includes a Search, with a partial transcription of records. Search for free, then pay for a full record. Includes one database relating to Jamaica “Moravian Graveyards India and Jamaica 1755-1971” located under India & Nepal. Moravian missionaries were the first large-scale Protestant missionary movement.
• Online newspapers are available from free websites, pay websites and through library subscription websites and are mentioned below on this page. There are also many transcriptions from newspapers available.
• Archives nationales d'outre-mer, ANOM French National Overseas Archives. French language website. Previously there was an English language version available, but generally this does not now seem available for the entire website, although there is the English language webpage Searches which contains a link to the Digitised Registry of Births, Marriages and Deaths, in addition to a People and Families Name Database. For the former, select, then click on the Caribbean area Caraïbes showing online records from Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Saint-Barthélémy, Saint-Domingue, Saint-Martin, Sainte-Lucie. Then click on État civil for Civil records including Birth, Marriages and Deaths. If you can't see the record images, you may need to download the latest Java software. French Colonial Empires: Caribbean, Guyana general description. English language page, also contains details of the Departmental Archives for Guadeloupe, Guyane, and Martinique.

Ulysse, ANOM's searchable database of images, including maps from the colonial period (in French).

For more details about the ANOM website, and sources for French records generally, see French.

• Danish West Indies, consisting of the islands St. Thomas, St. Jan and St. Croix, (which were purchased by the USA in 1917, now named the Virgin Islands, the long standing English name). Britain had occupied the Danish West Indies in 1801–02 and 1807–15 during the Napoleonic Wars.
  • Danish West Indies (English language page) with a link to digitised newspapers, mainly English language. Even the Danish titles appear to contain at least some English text. kb.dk. Det Kgl. Bibliotek (Royal Danish Library). The newspapers all seem to have been published at Christianssted/Christiansted.

  There is also a link to the category Maps (digitised).

• Netherlands Antilles.
  • Dutch language article from the website WieWasWie, a Dutch pay genealogical website. Using Google Translate gives "WieWasWie contains the civil status records of the six islands that were part of the former Netherlands Antilles: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Eustatius and St Maarten. To search in all records of the Antillean civil status, under 'Advanced search', under 'Country', first select World, and then under 'Region' Netherlands Antilles."
  • Search online newspapers and books on the free Dutch language website Delpher, developed by the KB (National Library), "Ruim 130 miljoen pagina's uit Nederlandse kranten, boeken en tijdschriften" ["More than 130 million pages from Dutch newspapers, books and magazines"]. Wat zit er in Delpher? (Dutch language) advises there are newspapers “de Antillen, Amerika en Suriname”, with a link to Krantenoverzicht which then links to a pdf, List of newspapers (Dutch language).

Other records

• The Society of Genealogists holds some records relating to the West Indies. Search the catalogue to see what is currently available. The holding at November 2012 is set out in the archived webpage Overseas: West Indies. Some of the sources are from Caribbeana - all of these volumes are available online, refer below. Also includes the book Tracing your West Indian ancestors: sources in the Public Record Office: PRO readers’ guide, no. 11 [by Guy Grannum, 1995, subsequently republished as Tracing your Caribbean ancestors : a National Archives guide 2012]
• The British Library holds the book Lists from the San Fernando Gazette, Trinidad, West Indies, 1865-1896 by Tian Uddenberg & Karen Vaucrosson 2002 UIN: BLL01012465957 . This book is also held by the FamilySearch Family History Library, where the catalogue entry says "This book is a compilation of births, deaths, and marriage announcements, as well as news items, Burgess lists, land rate delinquencies, entrepreneurial activities, and other lists", and perhaps may become digitally available in the future.
• The British Library holds the book Monuments of the Cathedral-Church and Parish of St. Catharine: being part I. of Church Notes and Monumental Inscriptions of Jamaica, in the year 1824 by John Roby, published Montego-Bay, Jamaica : A. Holmes, 1831. UIN: BLL01003126950 . Also available at Yale University Library where the book contains "Ms. notes and additions in text".

By the same author: The history of the parish of St. James, in Jamaica : with notes on the general history, genealogy, and monumental inscriptions of the island by John Roby. Published Kingston, Jamaica : Printed by R.J. De Cordova, 1849. Contains information to 1740. Held by Yale University Library, bound in three parts, with "Ms. corrections of author in text". There are also references to microfiche of this book published "Ann Arbor, Mich. : UMI, 2008. 2 microfiches ; 11 x 15 cm. (Genealogy and local history ; LH19183)". UMI [University Microfilms International] became part of Proquest, but current situation is unclear.

• The British Library and Oxford and Cambridge University Libraries hold a number of Almanacs and Directories, in respect of different islands and time periods, some of which are also available online, see below. The titles at the BL include:
  • Douglass & Aikman's Almanack and Register for the Island of Jamaica for 1791 and 1793 UIN: BLL01001149175 and UIN: BLL01001149176 . Oxford University catalogue entry for this title for 1785, 1789, 1792, 1794, 1796 and 1820, 1832, 1839, 1840, 1842 (Books not available online).
  • Jamaica, ... De Souza's shipping, railway and general commercial handbook and business directory. 1912-1916. Series De Souza's Commercial Handbook. BL UIN: BLL01000945952. Cambridge University holds the 1916 edition.
  • The St. Lucia Handbook, Directory and Almanac for ... 1900 BL UIN: BLL01001152255 . 1901 edition Google Books. Searchable. Available in North America etc
  • The “Mirror” Almanack and general commercial Directory [of Trinidad] for 1894, 1897, 1898, 1901, 1904-07, 1910, 1911. BL UIN: BLL01001151064 .
• Books by David Dobson, who is also the author of books available online, see above and below. David Dobson FamilySearch Wiki.
  • Scots in Jamaica 1655-1855 published 2011. Available at the National Library of Scotland, catalogue entry; also available FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA catalogue entry. (Description).

  The People of Jamaica, 1655-1855 published 2019. (Description). Generally does not include Scots, who are covered in the earlier book.

  • People of the Leeward Islands : 1620-1860 published 2018. Available FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, catalogue entry. (Description )
  • The People of the Windward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Curacao 1620-1860 published 2019. Google Books description. Available FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, catalogue entry. Stated to be a reprint of a 2010 book. (Description)
  • The People of Barbados, 1625-1875 published 2020. (Description) The Scots are covered in his earlier book, available online, refer above.
• Indian Indentureship Collection. List of the General Registers of Indian Indentured Labourers 1845-1917 National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago.

Also see

• Subscription websites-online newspapers, journals and directories : Caribbean publications.

Information about the database Caribbean Newspapers 1718 - 1876, part of Readex World Newspapers Archive, and a database containing Blue Books from many Caribbean countries. The Creole Almanack for Trinidad and Tobago for the four years 1891-1894 is also available.

External links

• Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library jamaicanfamilysearch.com
• Genealogy of Jamaica (a Rootsweb page). Includes
  • "Jamaica Records" by Stephen D. Porter. A genealogical talk on the Records of Jamaica held at the Society of Genealogists, London, on Saturday, 21 June 1997.
• Extracts from Jamaica Blue Books relating to the Post Office jamaicaphilately.info .
• Caribbean Family History. Barbados. Includes transcribed burial records for Barbados.
• Caribbean FamilySearch (LDS) Wiki. Includes links to the pages for Barbados and Jamaica.

FamilySearch Genealogy Research Groups, also called Family Search Community. FamilySearch Wiki. Includes links to 'closed' Facebook groups (where you must be accepted by an Administrator) for the Caribbean and Jamaica. Note, to sign up to these groups you must be a Facebook member, and then may need to be signed in to FamilySearch, and then may need to agree to conditions set by FamilySearch Community, including access to your data.

Scroll to article (5th page) "Seventeenth Century Immigration to North America from Great Britain and Ireland" written by what is now Family Search 1976. lib.byu.edu. Includes the West Indies. Note, due to the date of this article, some sources may now be available online.

• Caribbean family history: An introduction to tracing your Caribbean ancestors. Caribbean Roots website. Includes information about Civil Registration, and addresses of Registry Offices. For example, births were registered from 1890 in Barbados, and 1880 in Jamaica.
• CaribbeanGenWeb. This site is part of the WorldGenWeb Project and is the regional resource page for research in the Caribbean. This site may now have ceased, if so, possibly some information may be obtained from the archived website, as at 2021/05/11.
• TriniGenWeb for Trinidad. Is/was part of CaribbeanGenWeb, although a different website. The website appears not to have been updated for some years, but some information is still useful. sites.rootsweb.com.

Trinidad Collection freepages.rootsweb.com

• British Guiana Colonists an index to an on-going database of 18th and 19th century residents of the colonies of Berbice, Demerara, and Essequebo, of over 15900 individuals. Generally considered part of the British West Indies, although geographically located on the northern coast of South America. British Guiana Wikipedia
  • Guyana Colonial Newspapers Transcripts of early 19th century newspapers from the colonies that made up present day Guyana from microfilm from National Archive of the Netherlands.

The Guyana/ British Guiana Genealogical Society: Transcriptions Then click on "Vital Records (Births, Engagements, Marriages, Deaths)". sites.rootsweb.com. The transcriptions by Inge R Veecock and Thomas Kidman are also listed in the FamilySearch catalogue as available as two books and one CD-ROM respectively.

• Bermuda is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean, but as a British Overseas Territory is generally grouped as part of the British West Indies. There were both British Army and Royal Navy bases, see Bermuda Garrison Wikipedia. Bermuda was one of four British colonies in the world located in strategic positions designated an Imperial fortress Wikipedia, so was an important base for the Royal Navy.

British Military Graves in Bermuda bermuda-online.org, archived. There is mention of the book Bermuda memorial inscriptions by H.R. & R.C. Tulloch 2011 which is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01015905917 .

British Army units posted to Bermuda from 1701 to 1977 bermuda-online.org, archived

Boer Prisoners of War. Prisoners of War: POW Camps Overseas from Anglo-Boer War Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Anglo Boere Oorlog/Boer War (1899-1902) POW Bermuda geni.com. Bermuda, Long Island, Boer Cemetery, Monument Photographs. graves-at-eggsa.org.

• openarchives "search the genealogical data of Dutch and Belgian archives". Includes Slave registers from Curaçao and Suriname together with other records. openarch.nl . Website in English.
• Rootsweb Message Boards: Carribean. Part of Ancestry. Search the Archives. It is still possible to post a Message Board query, but prior registration is required.

Search the Rootsweb Mailing Lists Archives for a specific List and then search, or Search All Rootsweb Mailing Lists including Barbados, Jamaica etc. The Mailing Lists closed March 2020, but the Archives remain searchable.

• Maritime Memorials in respect of ships’ crews’ deaths, both Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, from all around the world. Includes transcriptions of UK memorials for deaths "overseas". Search for entries using terms such as Barbados, Jamaica, etc, a small number are classified West Indies, or Caribbean, or search by name. An associated National Maritime Museum, UK website.
• Trace and tell your family’s Empire stories with links to pages "Government Records of Britons in …" including
  • Government Records of Britons in Dominica
  • Government Records of Britons in Guyana (British Guiana)
  • Government Records of Britons in Jamaica
  • Government Records of Britons in Trinidad

These pages c 2008 are from the archived website “Empire’s Children”, a website connected with the 2007 Channel 4 television series of the same name. Note, some of the information may now be outdated. Many of the internal links have not been archived.

There is a "Resources" chapter in the book Empire’s Children: Trace Your Family History Across the World by Anton Gill 2007, available at the British Library UIN: BLL01013623894 . This book accompanied the television series Empire's Children.

• dLOC: Digital Library of the Caribbean includes
  • Caribbean Newspaper Digital Library with a sub collection of Caribbean Gazettes. Click on View items to see the range of publications
  • Caribbean Map Collection

from University of Florida Digital Collections

• NewspaperArchive, a pay website, includes Jamaican Newspaper Archives (1834-2020), including The Gleaner from 1834, The Weekly Gleaner from 1885, and The Jamaican Guardian from 1868, all published in Kingston, and Bahamas Newspaper Archives (1849-1961) consisting of The Nassau Guardian . Subscriptions from monthly.

The Jamaica Gleaner, from 1834, a pay website, provided by NewspaperArchive. One day pass available.

• West Indian History, Heritage and Culture The West India Committee, a UK registered charity, with an office in London, including a Library and Archive. Includes some digitised books in the website "Archive".
  • The West Indian Soldier
  • The Caribbean’s Great War
• National Library of Jamaica Digital Collection. Mostly online photographs. Previously contained the Collection "Online Government Documents", but this no longer appears to be available on this website.
• Caribbean Views British Library Online Gallery.
• Caribbean Roll of Honour 1914-1918 1939-1945 . A page within includes a link now not active, but available as an archived page Caribbean Online - Routes to Roots. Gallery - World War One and the British West Indies Regiment, Lists of honours and awards from World War One and the British West Indies Regiment now archived. commonwealth.sas.ac.uk. Data from this website is possibly now on the pay website Findmypast, refer above.
• "Mitchell's West Indian Bibliography: Caribbean Books and Pamphlets. 11th Edition" by Don Mitchell CBE QC. books.ai, now archived.
• Bibliography: The Irish in West Indies Irish Ancestors. This site allows "five free page-views".
• Caribbean Slave Registers by Pooran Bridgelal, part of RootsTech Connect 2021. A video presentation. Handout familysearch.org. Also on YouTube video.

Caribbean Genealogy Part 3 - Jamaican Slave Register and Slave Owner "Reparations" by TerrenceDixon. YouTube video.

Maps

• A new and exact map of the island of St. Christopher in America by Samuel Baker 1753. Now known as Saint Kitts. Library of Congress version, Biblioteca Digital Hispánica version Biblioteca Nacional de España. The map may be slow to open in the latter version.
• A New map of Jamaica : exhibiting the boundaries of each parish and the different post roads throughout the island… 1800 maps.princeton.edu
• Maps of Jamaica by James Robertson, 1804 National Library of Scotland.
• Caribbean Maps Leiden University Libraries Digital Collections. Map titles mainly in Dutch, although there are some English, French and German titles. Website in English.

Historical books online

• See dLOC: Digital Library of the Caribbean above, with more details.
• West Indian History, Heritage and Culture: Archive the West India Committee’s online portal includes books in pdf format.
• Calendar of State Papers, Colonial series. America and West Indies. Preserved by the Public Record Office [United Kingdom]. Most Archive.org.

1574-1660 1860, Volume 5, 1661-1668 1880 and Volume 7, 1669-1674 1889, both transcribed editions BHO, 1675-1676 and Addenda 1574-1674 1893 all edited by W Noel Sainsbury; 1677-1680 edited by W Noel Sainsbury and WJ Fortescue 1896: 1681-1685 reprint edition, first published 1898,1685-1688 1899, 1689-1692 1901, January 1693-14 May 1696 1908, 15 May 1696- 31 October 1697 1904, 27 October 1697-31 December 1698 1905, the latter all edited by W J Fortescue;

1699 and Addenda 1621-1698 1908, 1700 1910, 1701 1910, Jan.-Dec.1. 1702 1912, Dec. 1. 1702-1703 1913, 1704-1705 1916, 1706-1708, June 1916,June, 1708-1709 1922, 1710-June 1711 1924, July 1711-June 1712 1925, July 1712-July 1714 1926, August 1714-December 1715 1928. Jan. 1716-July 1717 1930, August 1717-Dec.1718 1930, January 1719 to February 1720 1933, March 1720-December 1721 1933, 1722-1723 1934, 1724-1725 1936, 1726-1727 1936, 1728-1729 1937, 1730 1937, 1731 1938, 1732 1939, 1733 1939, the latter all edited by Cecil Headlam;

1734-1735, Vol. XLI 1953, 1735-1736, Vol. XLII 1953; 1737, Vol. XLIII 1963, 1738, Vol. XLIV 1969, 1739, Vol.XLV 1994, the last three edited by K G Davies.

All editions, transcribed BHO, British History online. Searchable.

Journal of the Commissioners for Trade and Plantations from April 1704 to February 1708-9 [Volume 1] 1920 Archive.org. 14 transcribed editions 1704-1782 BHO, British History online. Searchable

• Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies from the earliest date by J H Lawrence-Archer Index. 1875 Archive.org
• Sketch pedigrees of some of the early settlers in Jamaica : compiled from the records of the Court of Chancery of the island with a list of the inhabitants in 1670 and other matter relative to the early history of the same by Noel B Livingston 1909. Archive.org
• Caribbeana : being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, and antiquities of the British West Indies edited by Vere Langford Oliver. There appear to have been six volumes published, together with one supplementary volume, total seven. Generally there is an Index at the back of the book.

Vol. I 1910, Contents; Vol. II 1912, Contents; Vol. III 1914, Contents; Supplement to Vol.IV The Registers of St Thomas, Middle Island, St. Kitts 1915; Vol. V 1919, Contents; Vol. VI Commences page 41, no Contents or Index. All Archive.org.

All seven volumes of Caribbeana are available online at The University of Florida Digital Collections including Volume IV, Contents; and Volume VI, no Contents or Index. All volumes may be accessed from the two given volume links by clicking on "All Volumes". Print may be darker in these volumes compared with the editions on Archive.org, and therefore easier to read.

• The History of the Island of Antigua, one of the Leeward Caribbees in the West Indies, from the first settlement in 1635 to the present time by Vere Langford Oliver, published 1894-1899. Volume I, Volume II, Volume III Archive.org. Includes family pedigrees.

The Monumental Inscriptions in the churches and churchyards of the island of Barbados, British West Indies edited by Vere Langford Oliver 1915 Archive.org

More monumental inscriptions : tombstones of the British West Indies by Vere Langford Oliver. Reprint of The Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies, collected and edited by V. L. Oliver, 1927. Catalogue entry with link to a FamilySearch Digital Book to read online or download. You need to be registered and sign in first, see Family Search. Direct link. Catalogue entry says "Inscriptions copied from cemeteries on the West Indian islands of Antigua, Dominica, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Trinidad; on the Bahamas; and in the former Dutch colony of Demerara, now a county of Guyana". With an Index of Names at the back of the book.

• "Barbadoes Parish Registers 1678-1679", page 419 The original lists of persons of quality 
emigrants; religious exiles; political rebels : serving men sold for a term of years; apprentices; children stolen; maidens pressed; and others who went from Great Britain to the American plantations, 1600-1700. With their ages, the localities where they formerly lived in the mother country, the names of the ships in which they embarked, and other interesting particulars. From mss. preserved in the State Paper Department of Her Majesty's Public Record Office, England. 
Edited by John Camden Hotten. 1874 Archive.org
• “Some Extracts relating to West Indian Families...” page 245, Miscellanea genealogica et heraldica and the British archivist, Volume V, Fifth Series 1923-1925. Archive.org. Only one page.
• Monumental inscriptions of Jamaica compiled by Philip Wright 1966 FamilySearch Digital Library. Catalogue entry with link to a FamilySearch Digital Book to read online or download. You need to be registered and sign in first, see Family Search.
• Genealogies of Barbados families : from Caribbeana and the Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society by James C Brandow. 1983. Archive.org Lending Library
• Barbados Records Baptisms 1637-1800 compiled and edited by Joanne McRee Sanders 1984. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library. Data from copied parochial registers in the Barbados Department of Archives.
• Bermuda Index, 1784-1914. An Index of Births, Marriages, Deaths, as Recorded in Bermuda Newspapers Volume 2, L-Z by C F E Hollis Hallett (Clara Frances Edith) 1989. Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library.

Volume 1, A-K does not appear to be available online, but is available at the British Library UIN: BLL01006015682 and UIN: BLL01007907204 . The British Library has additional titles by both this author and her husband A C Hollis Hallett.

Early Bermuda wills, 1629-1835 : summarized and indexed, a genealogical reference book by C. F. E. Hollis Hallett 1993. Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library.

Early Bermuda Records, 1619-1826 A Guide to the Parish and Clergy Registers with Some Assessment Lists and Petitions by A C Hollis Hallett (Archibald Cameron) 1991. Incorrectly catalogued with his wife as author. Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library.

• Books by David Dobson
  • Sample pages Scots in the West Indies, 1707-1857 by David Dobson Volume 1, 1998, Volume 2, 2006 Google Books.
  • Barbados and Scotland links, 1627 – 1877 by David Dobson 2005. Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library. Includes records for baptism, marriage and death in Barbados for those from Scotland.
  • There are references to places in the West Indies in The original Scots colonists of early America, 1612-1783 by David Dobson 1989 Archive.org Books to Borrow/ Lending Library.
  • There are references to places in the West Indies in Directory of Scottish settlers in North America, 1625-1825, Volume IV by David Dobson 1985. Possibly the other volumes in this title may similarly also contain references. Volume I 1985; Vol. II 1984;Vol. III 1984; Vol. V 1985; Vol. VI 1986; Vol. VII 1993. All Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.

  These seven volumes are available as a database on Ancestry (pay website), searchable with images, as "U.S., Directory of Scottish Settlers in North America, 1625-1825", located in "Wills, Probates, Land, Tax & Criminal", introduced 2021/08/05.

• The Jews of Jamaica: Tombstone Inscriptions, 1663-1880 Richard D. Barnett and Philip Wright c 1997. Digital Library of the Caribbean.
• "West Indies" pages 169-172 The Medical Register for the year 1783. Archive.org.
• The New Jamaica Almanack, and Register... for 1791 British Library Digital. Google Books mirror edition.

1801 Google Books. The New Jamaica Almanack, and Register…for the year of our Lord 1801, 2nd edition including "Jamaica" page 96 and "Jamaica Lists" page 106 Archive.org.

The New Jamaica Almanac, and Register for 1802 Archive.org.

The Royal Register and Jamaica Almanac, for the year 1810 including "Jamaica" page 134 and "Jamaica Lists" page 136. Archive.org

Jamaica Almanac for the year 1846 Ninth year of publication. Compiled by William Cathcart. Library of Congress loc.gov

Other sources: 1791, 1795 and 1798 editions are available on the library subscription website "Eighteenth century collections online". 1825 edition is believed to be on the Gale library subscription database "The Making of the Modern World". See Subscription websites-online newspapers, journals and directories.

• The Grenada Handbook, Directory and Almanac. 1897 compiled by Edward Drayton, Colonial Secretary. 1897. Second Year of Issue. 1902 compiled by The Colonial Secretary. Seventh year of issue. Archive.org.
• The Trinidad almanac and public register, for the year of our Lord, 1827, Index. Digital Library of the Caribbean.

The Trinidad Official and Commercial Register and Almanack. Compiled from Official Records, Etc. By Authority

• 1882 17th Year of publication; 1888 23rd year of publication. Both by R J Lechmere Guppy. Google Books
• Title change to The Trinidad and Tobago ... 1894 published 1893. 29th Year of Issue; 1896 published 1895. 31st Issue. Both by James Henry Collens. Google Books. Limited transcriptions, 1899 edition from an edition held at the National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago. freepages.rootsweb.com/~guppyross.
• The title subsequently changed toTrinidad and Tobago Year Book. Initially compiled by J H Collens, then by C B Franklin and alternatively titled Franklin's Year Book. Searchable editions from 1920 but some will be viewable if you live in North America. Google Books. Cambridge University holds (according to Library Hub Discover) 1898,1905-1906,1913-1916,1919-1920,1923-1930,1933-1936,1938,1940,1945-1947,1949-1950 and later editions. Yearbooks of 1926 to 1941 include a section on Barbados. Publication ended in 1969 with the 102nd issue.

The Creole Almanack for Trinidad and Tobago for the four years 1891-1894 is available on the library subscription website "Nineteenth century collections online"/Maps and Travel Literature. See Subscription websites-online newspapers, journals and directories, section Caribbean publications. Also available at the British Library.

• Collection: Government Publications from National Library of Jamaica on oclc.org Consists of 4 editions of Blue Book, Jamaica for 1852, 1853, 1866, 1867.

Blue Book. Island of Jamaica for 1870, 1871, 1873, 1896-97, 1907-1908, 1914-1915, 1916-1917, 1916-1917 File 2, 1917-1918, 1919-1920, 1920, 1920 File 2, 1921, 1921 File 2, 1922, 1922 File 2, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1945. All Google Books.

Based on 1873 as an example: Each section is allocated a letter, and is separately numbered. For many sections, the two pages side by side viewing option needs to be selected. Note the following links do not appear to be permanent, and may be incorrect. Contents; Section L commences with "Index to the Civil Establishment" followed by "Civil Establishment". Followed by "Section M Return of Officers who have given security for the due discharge of their duties". Followed by "Section N Pensions"

• Bahamas Blue Book 1913-1914, 1915-1916, 1918-1919, 1937 Google Books
• Bermuda Blue Book 1918- this file also contains 1920 and 1921,1920, 2nd file, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1948 Google Books
• British Guiana Blue Book 1913-1914, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, 1929, 1931, 1936 Google Books
• British Honduras Blue Book 1914 Google Books
• Grenada Blue Book 1933, 1936 Google Books
• Leeward Islands Blue Book 1921, 1922 Google Books
• Saint Lucia Blue Book 1916-17, 1919 1st April to 31st December, 1921, 1937, 1938 Google Books
• Saint Vincent Blue Book 1914-15, 1915-16, 1918-19, 1919, April to December- Note, catalogued St Lucia; 1921. Google Books
• Trinidad and Tobago Blue Book 1913-14, 1915 April-Dec., 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1925, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934 Google Books
• Government Gazette British Honduras 1943 Google Books
• Colonial Reports - Annual. Annual Report on the Social and Economic Progress of the People of … [by Great Britain Colonial Office]. Nos. 1570-1599 1931 Archive.org. Includes a number of 1931 reports relating to West Indies colonies, Bahamas, Cayman Islands (Dependency of Jamaica) St. Vincent, Turks and Caicos Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, followed by St.Lucia, Barbados, followed by Bermuda, British Guiana.

Archive.org editions of Colonial Reports - Annual from 1908 onwards

Papers presented to British Parliament 1902 consisting of Colonial Reports- Annual No. 331 Fiji 1900 to No. 375 Gold Coast 1901, for the colonies Bahamas to Grenada [B-G]. Archive.org

• The Colonial Office List for .... Includes a section on each country, and the Colonial Office List at the end of each volume. First published 1862. See Directories online - Colonial Office List for a broken range 1862-1930s.
• Comments about "The registers of Persons Baptised etc Abroad: The West Indies" page 237 Registrum ecclesiae parochialis : the history of parish registers in England : also of the registers of Scotland, Ireland, the East and West Indies... by John Southerden Burn 2nd edition 1862 Archive.org. Refers to some early Baptisms and Burials from Barbados in the "State Paper Office", now The National Archives at Kew, but it is unknown whether these records are still available. See Other records above.
• The Dutch in the Caribbean and on the Wild Coast, 1580-1680 by Cornelis Ch. Goslinga (Cornelis Christiaan) 1971. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library. Goslinga also was the author of subsequent volumes The Dutch in the Caribbean and in the Guineas 1680-1791, published 1985 available at the British Library UIN: BLL01005722306, and searchable, but not viewable at HathiTrust and The Dutch in the Caribbean and in Surinam 1791/5-1942, pub. 1990, available at the B.L. UIN: BLL01012077679 and searchable, but not viewable at Hathi Trust.
• A true description of Jamaica, with the fertility, commodities and healthfulness of the place. As also, the towns, havens, creeks, promontories, and the circuit of the whole island. London, 1657. British Library Digital, Google Books same underlying file.
• [A Description of the Island of Jamaica; with the other Isles and Territories in America, to which the English are related ... Taken from the notes of Sr. Thomas Linch ... Governour of Jamaica ...] by Richard Blome 1687. British Library Digital. Title as catalogued by the British Library, with a different title on the book. Appears to be the title of a 1672 edition.
• Memorials of the discovery and early settlement of the Bermudas or Somers Islands, 1515-1685 by J H Lefroy, sometime Governor of the Bermudas. For Volume II, the title date range changed to 1511-1687. Volume I 1515-1652 1877, Volume II 1650-1687 1879. Archive.org.
• The British Naval Operations in the West Indies, 1650-1700; a study in naval administration by Robert W Neeser. "Reprinted from the United States Naval Institute Proceedings, vol. 40, no. 6, whole no. 154, Nov.-Dec., 1914." Archive.org
• The English Empire in America: or, a view of the Dominions of the Crown of England in the West Indies by Robert Burton (Nathaniel Crouch). 7th edition, c 1729, first published 1685. Pdf from westindiacommittee.org. (Note, the underlying URL suggests another title)
• The British Empire in America : containing the history of the discovery, settlement, progress and present state of all the British colonies, on the continent and islands of America. The Second Volume. Being an account of the country, soil, climate, product and trade of Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincents, Dominico, Antego, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Christophers, Barbuda, Anguilla, Jamaica, the Bahama and Bermudas Islands. With curious maps of the several places done from the newest surveys [by John Oldmixon] 1708 edition, Second edition, Corrected and Amended 1741 Archive.org
• A description of the Spanish Islands and Settlements on the coast of the West Indies: compiled from authentic Memoirs... With... maps... engraved by Thomas Jefferys. 1762 edition, Archive.org 1762 edition, BDH 1774 edition, BDH Biblioteca Digital Hispánica, Biblioteca Nacional de España. Note, catalogue by BDH includes Spanish Island
• A General History of the British Empire in America : containing an historical, political, and commercial view of the English settlements ; including all the countries in North-America, and the West-Indies, ceded by the peace of Paris, Volume II by Mr Wynne 1770 Archive.org. (Vol II contains the West Indies sections).
• The Trial of Lieutenant Colonel Cockburne, late Governor of the Island of St. Eustatius, for the Loss of the said Island, before a Court Martial held at the Horse Guards, on Monday, May 12th, 1783, and nine subsequent Days taken in Short Hand by E Hodgson. 1783 Archive.org.
• A brief account of the island of Antigua by John Luffman 1789. Biblioteca Digital Hispánica, Biblioteca Nacional de España. Title as catalogued by the British Library A brief account of the island of Antigua, together with the customs and manners of its inhabitants, as well white as black: ... In letters to a friend. Written in the years 1786, 1787, 1788.
• A descriptive account of the island of Jamaica: with remarks upon the cultivation of the sugar-cane, throughout the different seasons of the year, and chiefly considered in a picturesque point of view; also observations and reflections upon what would probably be the consequences of an abolition of the slave-trade, and of the emancipation of the slaves by William Beckford 1790. Volume I, Volume II Archive.org.
• The history, civil and commercial, of the British colonies in the West Indies by Bryan Edwards. First published 1793. 1806 volumes have additional title To which is added A general description of the Bahama islands by Daniel M'Kinnen

1806 edition in four volumes Vol I, Vol II, Vol III, Vol IV

1807 Fourth edition "with considerable additions", in three volumes Vol I, Vol II, Vol III. All Archive.org

1819 Fifth edition, "enlarged and corrected", in five volumes Vol I, Vol II, Vol III, Vol IV, Vol V Google Books

Additional editions Archive.org

• Observations on the diseases of the army in Jamaica and on the best means of preserving the health of Europeans in that climate : also, Observations on the hepatitis of the East Indies by John Hunter 3rd edition 1808, first published 1788, (2nd edition 1796) Archive.org. He was in charge of the military hospitals in Jamaica from the beginning of 1781 until May 1783.
• Jamaica: its Past and Present State by James M Phillippo, Baptist Missionary 1843. London Edition 1843, USA Edition 1843 Archive.org.
• Sessional Papers, House of Lords Session 1847-8. Volume 40 Reports from Commissioners: Colonial Possessions Includes Bermuda from page 33 and West Indies from page 44. Google Books.
• The Moravians in Jamaica: History of the Mission of the United Brethren's Church to the Negroes ... by J. H. Buchner 1854 Archive.org.
• Reports on the island of Aruba (Dutch) West Indies and its gold ores; with a general description of the island by Frank Taylor 1872. Archive.org
• The Handbook of Jamaica broken range of editions from 1886 to 1906. Archive.org. The edition catalogued 1908 is in fact 1903.
• History of the First West India Regiment by A B Ellis, Major, First West India Regiment. 1885 Archive.org

The 1st Battalion West India Regiment: a brief historical sketch by A.R. Loscombe estimated c 1905. westindiacommittee.org

Slaves in Red Coats : the British West India Regiments, 1795-1815 by Roger Norman Buckley 1979. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.

A Few Notes on the History of the British West Indies Regiment by Lt.-Col. C Wood-Hill. Undated, but written post Armistice about the problems of service during the First World War. westindiacommittee.org

• Stark's History and Guide to the Bahama Islands… by James H Stark 1891 Archive.org. Version from University of Florida Digital Collections/ Digital Library of the Caribbean which may contain better photographs.
• Stark's Guide-book and History of Trinidad: Including Tobago, Granada, and St. Vincent… James H Stark 1897 Archive.org. 2nd copy missing title page, but the photographs may be better.
• Stark's Jamaica Guide (illustrated) : containing a description of everything relating to Jamaica of which the visitor or resident may desire information, including its history, inhabitants, government, resources, and places of interest to travellers by James H Stark 1898 Archive.org
• Stark's History and Guide to Barbados and the Caribbee Islands, containing a description of everything on or about these islands of which the visitor or resident may desire information .. James H Stark Archive.org 1903 Archive.org
• A synopsis of the history of the Jews of Curacao from the day of their settlement to the present time by Joseph M Corcos 1897. Leiden University Libraries Digital Collections (Collection Caribbean Sources).
• Jamaica cartography; chronological list of the maps of Jamaica in the Library of the Institute of Jamaica… by Frank Cundall c 1897 Archive.org. Reprinted from the Handbook of Jamaica for 1897.

Studies in Jamaica History by Frank Cundall 1900 Archive.org.

Bibliographia jamaicensis; a list of Jamaica books and pamphlets, magazine articles, newspapers, and maps, most of which are in the library of the Institute of Jamaica by Frank Cundall 1902 Archive.org

Supplement to Bibliographia Jamaicensis by Frank Cundall 1908 Archive.org

Bibliography of the West Indies (excluding Jamaica) by Frank Cundall 1909 Archive.org

Jamaica Place-Names by Frank Cundall 1909 Archive.org

• 1939 edition, revised by Philip M Sherlock University of Florida Digital Collections

Historic Jamaica : With fifty-two illustrations by Frank Cundall 1915 Archive.org

Jamaica in 1922 : a handbook of information for intending settlers and visitors with some account of the colony's history by Frank Cundall 1922 Archive.org

• The Barbados Handbook by E Goulburn Sinckler 1912 Archive.org.
• A Guide to the West Indies, Bermuda, and Panama by Frederick A Ober 1914, first published 1908. 1920 edition. Both Archive.org.
• First World War period: The Caribbean's Great War includes links to a number of books including The Trinidad Merchants and Planters Contingent 1915-1918 Records of service by Henry Dow, 1925, direct pdf link. Alternatively Search the Archive westindiacommittee.org.
• The Red Book of the West Indies historical and descriptive, commercial and industrial, facts, figures, & resources by Allister Macmillan 1922. Digital Library of the Caribbean.
• A Guide for the Study of British Caribbean History 1763-1834 including the Abolition and Emancipation Movements by Lowell Joseph Ragatz 1932 Archive.org
• In The West Indies. Sketches and Studies in Tropic Seas and Islands by John C Van Dyke 1932 Archive.org. John Charles Van Dyke Wikipedia. American art historian, critic, and nature writer.
• Whence the "Black Irish" of Jamaica? by Joseph J. Williams, SJ 1932. Archive.org
• The History of Piracy by Philip Gosse 1934, first published 1932. HathiTrust Digital Library, with rotatable images. Archive.org version. Contains "Book III: The Pirates of the West". An earlier book was The Pirates' Who's Who Giving Particulars Of The Lives and Deaths Of The Pirates And Buccaneers by Philip Gosse, first published 1924 Gutenberg.org. 1968 reprint edition Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
• Armaments Year-Book : General and Statistical Information published by League of Nations.

"West Indies" page 122, 1924 First Year, 2nd Edition HathiTrust; "West Indies…" page 173 1937 edition Google Books.

Also see Indian Army - Historical books online for the 15 volumes to 1940 in this series.

• Netherlands Overseas Territories published by The Royal Institute of International Affairs. Information Department Papers No. 28. July 1941. Leiden University Libraries Digital Collections (Collection Caribbean Sources). Some, (but limited) information about the Dutch West Indies.
• The Traveller's Tree : a journey through the Caribbean Islands by Patrick Leigh Fermor 1986, first published 1950. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
• History of the Jews of the Netherlands Antilles by Isaac S and Suzanne A Emmanuel 1970. Volume 1 History, Volume 2 Appendices Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
• Curaçao: Short History by Dr J Hartog [Johan] 3rd edition 1973. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
• Sugar and Slavery: an economic history of the British West Indies, 1623-1775 by Richard B Sheridan 1974. Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.
• Islands of the Commonwealth Caribbean : a regional study by Sandra W. Meditz and Dennis M. Hanratty, Library of Congress, Federal Research Division 1989. Includes a
  • historical overview of the region from page 12.
• A Bibliography of the Caribbean by Marian Goslinga 1996 Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library
• The Sugar Barons : Family, Corruption, Empire, and War in the West Indies by Matthew Parker, first published 2011. File 1, 2011, File 2, 2012 Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library. Barbados, Jamaica and the Leeward Islands from 1650.