This page brings together the key archives, databases, and search tools for tracing family histories connected to Saint Lucia, particularly during the plantation era and the period of enslavement.
1. The Register of Plantation Slaves, Saint Lucia, 1815
The most detailed record of enslaved people in Saint Lucia. It covers 12,727 individuals across 394 plantations and is unique for recording both first and last names, family groupings, ages, origins, occupations, and bodily marks.
- Original document: The National Archives (UK), reference T 71/379 – Click here
- Transcribed dataset: Harvard Dataverse — search for “Slavery in Saint Lucia: Insights from the Saint Lucia Register of Plantation Slaves, 1815” – Click here
- What it contains: Names, ages, heights, African or Creole origin, occupations, family relations, plantation owner, crop type.
- Tips: Try multiple spelling variations. The register is primarily in French.
2. Ancestry: Former British Colonies Enslavement Registers, 1813–1834
A free searchable index of slave registers from British Caribbean colonies.
- Coverage for Saint Lucia: 1815 and 1819 registers only
- Access: Free index search on Ancestry; original images may require subscription or library access
- Use for: Cross-referencing names found in the Harvard dataset
3. The National Archives (UK)
The primary repository for British colonial records. Several series are relevant for Saint Lucia research.
- CO 253: Colonial Office correspondence for St. Lucia, 1709–1873. Includes despatches, petitions, legislation, and French-language documents from the pre-British period.
- T 71: Slave registers and Slave Compensation Commission records. Contains claims submitted by slave owners after abolition.
- T 70: Royal African Company records. Correspondence, accounts, and records of forts on the African coast.
- HCA series: High Court of Admiralty Prize Papers. Documents seized from captured slave ships.
- C 103–C 115: Chancery Court records. Plantation accounts and private papers preserved as court exhibits.
- Search tool: Use Discovery, The National Archives’ online catalogue, to search by series reference.
4. Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer (ANOM), France
The primary repository for French colonial records, including Saint Lucia during its French periods.
- IREL portal: Search “Instruments de Recherche En Ligne” on the ANOM website
- Saint Lucia civil registers, 1765–1788: Digitized births, marriages, and deaths from parishes including Castries, Anse la Raye, Dauphin, Dennery, Gros Ilet, and Soufrière
- Survey plans: Land concessions and settler names from the French period
- Military records: For Martinique, Sainte-Lucie, and Tobago
- Note: French civil records for Saint Lucia end in 1788. For records after that date, use British or Saint Lucian archives.
5. Saint Lucia National Archives
Located in Castries. Holds local copies of colonial records, land grants, and other historical documents.
- Use for: Records not available online, local history inquiries, and copies of registers
- Contact: Reach out directly for holdings and access conditions
6. UNESCO Memory of the World
The “Registry of Slaves of the British Caribbean 1817–1834” is inscribed on UNESCO’s Memory of the World register.
- Use for: Context on the significance of these records and links to related collections across the Caribbean
7. The UCL Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery
A database of British slave owners who received compensation after abolition in 1833.
- Use for: Identifying plantation owners, tracing estate names, and understanding the compensation records
- Access: Free online database
Search Strategy: A Suggested Order
- Start with the Harvard Dataverse dataset for the 1815 register.
- Cross-reference with Ancestry’s free index for 1815 and 1819.
- If your ancestors were in Saint Lucia before 1788, search the ANOM civil registers.
- For colonial context and owner records, search The National Archives Discovery catalogue (CO 253, T 71).
- For local records and copies, contact the Saint Lucia National Archives.
- Use the UCL database to trace plantation owners and compensation claims.
A Note on Surnames
Surnames among enslaved people did not always pass down as hereditary family names. Under French law, free people of colour were forbidden from assuming a master’s surname. Names in the register may reflect owner assignment, parental lineage, or administrative convenience. This means a surname match is a starting point, not a conclusion.
Stay Connected
If you find a name in these records that connects to your family, we would love to hear about it. Share your discoveries, ask questions, and help build a community of researchers tracing Saint Lucian roots.
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