Germans in Jamaica

Germans in Jamaica
Deutsche siedlung in Jamaika
Regions with significant populations
 Jamaica
(Westmoreland, Trelawny)
Languages
Jamaican English, German (former)
Religion
Roman Catholic
Related ethnic groups
Other Germans, other White Jamaicans

A German Jamaican (including few ethnic German-speaking former Polish citizens due to Partitions of Poland) is a Jamaican of German ancestry. The population was established in the 1830s when the abolition of slavery resulted in a labour shortage on the Caribbean island. Lord Seaford, who owned the Montpelier Estate and Shettlewood Pen in St. James established a European settlement in Westmoreland in order to combat the shortage, and over one thousand Germans migrated to Jamaica.[1]

The German language is no longer used on the island, but some German words have entered the Jamaican vernacular.[1] Many Jamaicans in Seaford and German Town in Trelawny carry heavy European features such as blue eyes, blond hair, freckles, and white skin, as a result of the German genetic influences.[1]

Notable People

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Seaford Town: Westmoreland". Jamaica National Heritage Trust. 2005. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved 2009-04-08.

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