JOURNEY WITH US.

A research guide to ancestry, family history, and genealogy resources for Martinique.

Uncover with Ancestors of Paradise the untold stories of your Martinican ancestors!

”From Anegada to Virgin Gorda, tour the Caribbean in this gorgeous site packed with resources, historical photos and videos…”

101 Best Genealogy Websites of 2024
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records.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through census records, court records, deeds, naturalization records, military records, ship passenger lists as well as birth, marriage, and death records.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • ARCHIVES NATIONALES D’OUTRE-MER (ANOM)

    The Archives nationales d'outre-mer in Aix-en-Provence is a branch of the Archives Nationales of France that documents the French colonial empire.

  • DOM TOM : recherches généalogiques

    La présente fiche concerne les recherches généalogiques dans les départements et territoires suivants : Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Réunion, Nouvelle-Calédonie, Polynésie française, Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon.

  • FAMILYSEARCH RESEARCH WIKI | Martinique

    The FamilySearch Research Wiki is a free, online genealogical guide created and maintained by FamilySearch, a non-profit organization. It contains links to genealogy databases, websites, other resources, research strategies, and genealogical guidance to assist in the search for your ancestors. Articles included are locality pages for countries around the world and topic pages that include pertinent genealogy record types explaining how to use the record, what it contains, and how to find it.

  • SHIPINDEX.ORG: A VESSEL RESEARCH DATABASE

    ShipIndex.org simplifies vessel research. Whether you’re a genealogist, a maritime historian, a researcher, or just curious, we can help you learn more about the ships that interest you. We tell you which maritime resources, such as books, journals, magazines, newspapers, CD-ROMs, websites, and online databases mention the ships that interest you. We enhance these references by noting which ones include illustrations or crew and passenger lists, and where you can find or purchase the resource.

  • SlaveVoyages

    The SlaveVoyages website is a collaborative digital initiative that compiles and makes publicly accessible records of the largest slave trades in history. Search these records to learn about the broad origins and forced relocations of more than 12 million African people who were sent across the Atlantic in slave ships, and hundreds of thousands more who were trafficked within the Americas. Explore where they were taken, the numerous rebellions that occurred, the horrific loss of life during the voyages, the identities and nationalities of the perpetrators, and much more.

collections.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through our collection of diverse genealogical resources.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • ANCESTRY MESSAGE BOARDS | CARIBBEAN

    Ancestry message boards contain over 25 million posts on more than 198,000 boards.

  • ANCESTRY MESSAGE BOARDS | MARTINIQUE

    Ancestry message boards contain over 25 million posts on more than 198,000 boards.

  • DIGITAL LIBRARY OF THE CARIBBEAN

    The Digital Library of the Caribbean is a cooperative digital library for resources from and about the Caribbean & circum-Caribbean.

  • THE EARLY CARIBBEAN DIGITAL ARCHIVE

    The Early Caribbean Digital Archive is an open access collection of pre-twentieth-century Caribbean texts, maps, and images. Texts include travel narratives, novels, poetry, natural histories, and diaries that have not been brought together before as a single collection focused on the Caribbean. The materials in the archive are primarily authored and published by Europeans, but the ECDA aims to use digital tools to "remix" the archive and foreground the centrality and creativity of enslaved and free African, Afro-creole, and Indigenous peoples in the Caribbean world.

  • HISTORY HUB | Martinique

    History Hub is a research support community for everyone, including genealogists, historians, and citizen archivists.

  • MYHERITAGE | Martinique ($)

    The Martinique family history research page lists data collections relevant to Martinique.

    Start your search here to find ancestors originating from Martinique and to research historical records pertaining to Martinique.

  • OLD MAPS ONLINE | Martinique

    Our mission is to give old maps a new life in the online world via the Old Maps Online search catalog that allows visitors to explore and discover the beauty of historical maps depicting a past geographical place of their interest.

Ancestry US

Ancestry US

CEMETERIES + MEMORIALS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through cemetery records, grave records, tombstone inscriptions, and funeral booklets.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • FIND A GRAVE | MARTINIQUE

    Find the graves of ancestors, create virtual memorials or add photos, virtual flowers and a note to a loved one's memorial. Search or browse cemeteries and grave records for every-day and famous people from around the world.

HISTORIC IMAGES + FILM.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through early photographs, studio portraits, historic landscape images and film.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • HARRY ALVERSON FRANCK PHOTOGRAPHS | Martinique

    Harry A. Franck (1881-1962) was a University of Michigan graduate (1903), avid traveler, and veteran of both world wars. He wrote thirty-three travel books describing Europe, South and Central America, China, Japan, and many other places. His most popular books include A Vagabond Journey Around the World (1910) and Zone Policeman 88 (1913). His books routinely featured photographs he took during his journeys: landscapes, street scenes, working people with the tools of their trade, portraits, and snapshots.

  • HUNTLEY FILM ARCHIVES | Martinique

    We are a team of dedicated film archivists who aim to help you produce the best archive content for your project.

    Our collections are vast and varied - the sum of over fifty years of service to production and to film archiving. Our footage starts around 1895 and we cover the places and people of the 20th century comprehensively and globally. Our holdings are mostly documentary with the addition of behind the scenes Hollywood, Bollywood and a special collection of pioneer film makers. It is with great pride that our source material is still on celluloid for quality and that filmic texture. Our films are housed in purpose built film vaults and our staff expert in their field.

  • La voix des sans voix

    A travers trois générations de femmes, celle de Gabrielle,Tess et Marie, « La voix des sans voix » raconte les migrations vers la Martinique, de la période post abolitionniste à aujourd'hui.

    Cette série web documentaire dévoile les recherches des familles sur leur passé et le récit qu’elles en font. Une transmission transgénérationnelle, grâce aux témoignages longtemps restés enfouis dans les mémoires, qui nous révèlent un socle commun, celui de la construction d’une identité collective

  • The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs | Martinique

    The Montgomery Collection of Caribbean Photographs is a singular collection of more than 3,500 historical images from 34 countries including Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad. This visual record contains studio portraits, landscapes and tourist views and brings to life the changing economies, environments and communities that emerged post-emancipation. The Collection includes nearly every photographic format available during the years 1840 to 1940, including prints, postcards, daguerreotypes, lantern slides, albums, and stereographs.

  • M/S MUSEET FOR SØFART (M/S MARITIME MUSEUM OF DENMARK) | IMAGE ARCHIVE

    M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark tells the story of Denmark as one of the world's leading maritime nations in an evocative and dramatic way.

    You can visit the digital image archive here where more than 60.000 photos are digitalized (in Danish).

  • NATIONAAL ARCHIEF PHOTO COLLECTION | Martinique

    The National Archives manages 15 million photos. You can view more than one million photos online. The photo collection provides an overview of events from the period between 1865 and 1990.

  • New York Public Library STEREOGRAPH COLLECTION | Martinique

    This digital compilation was developed in support of the NYPL website, "The African American Migration Experience," a sweeping 500-year historical narrative from the transatlantic slave trade to the Western migration, the colonization movement, the Great Migration, and the contemporary immigration of Caribbeans, Haitians, and sub-Saharan Africans.

  • SOUTHEAST ASIAN & CARIBBEAN IMAGES (KITLV) | UNIVERSITAIRE BIBLIOTHEKEN LEIDEN

    The KITLV image collection holds photographs, prints and drawings that were acquired by The Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies (KITLV). Housed at Leiden University Libraries since 2014, as part of the KITLV library collection.

    The biggest part of the image collection consists of photographs. Around 1890 the KITLV started collecting photographs for the purpose of documenting the image of the Dutch East and West Indies in all their facets, such as landscapes, town views, architecture, and life under indigenous and Dutch rule and so forth.

  • VIVID-PIX

    Easy-to-use software that helps you fix your pics and documents fast! Free to try - no credit card required.

HISTORIC MAPS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through historic maps.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • David Rumsey Map Collection | Martinique

    The David Rumsey Map Collection was started over 35 years ago and contains more than 200,000 maps. The collection focuses on rare 16th through 21st century maps of North and South America, as well as maps of the World, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. The collection includes atlases, globes, wall maps, school geographies, pocket maps, books of exploration, maritime charts, and a variety of cartographic materials including pocket, wall, children's, and manuscript maps. Items range in date from around 1550 to the present.

  • OLD MAPS ONLINE | Martinique

    Our mission is to give old maps a new life in the online world via the Old Maps Online search catalog that allows visitors to explore and discover the beauty of historical maps depicting a past geographical place of their interest.

cULTURAL INSTITUTIONs.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through libraries, museums, historical societies, and community cultural centers dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Caribbean culture.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • CM98

    Association mémorielle agissant pour honorer les victimes de l’esclavage colonial.

  • GÉNÉALOGIE ET HISTOIRE DE LA CARAÏBE

    Créée en janvier 1989, Généalogie et Histoire de la Caraïbe réunit des personnes et des associations qui s'intéressent aux familles et à l'histoire des Antilles et de la Guyane.

    L'association a pour champ d'action les pays baignés par la Mer des Caraïbes, en particulier les îles tant de langue espagnole qu'anglaise et française principalement Guadeloupe, Guyane, Martinique, Saint Martin, Marie-Galante, Saint Barthélemy, la Désirade, les Saintes et les anciennes possessions françaises comme Saint Christophe (actuelle Saint Kitts), Saint Domingue (actuelle Haïti) ou Sainte Lucie.

  • Flanm Kreyol

    Association pour la promotion du costume traditionnel Martiniquais

  • INDO-CARIBBEAN CULTURAL CENTRE

    Indo-Caribbean Cultural Centre (ICC) is a non-profit, independent, educational organization recognized by the Government of Trinidad and Tobago. ICC was established in 1999 with its axiom being “Celebrating unity in cultural diversity in the Caribbean.” It is dedicated to publishing two magazines every year – a Divali souvenir magazine, and an Indian Arrival Day commemorative magazine. ICC is primarily committed to the production of information about people, issues and events affecting Hindus and Indians in multi-ethnic Trinidad and the Caribbean.

  • WEST INDIAN MUSEUM OF PANAMA

    The West Indian history is kept alive in part by the Afro-Caribbean Museum. The Museum is housed in what was formerly the Christian Mission Church, which was built in El Marañón, Calidonia, by Barbadian workers in the year 1910.

    It is a wooden structure that reflects a Caribbean style of architecture, and there is only one main exhibit space that contains historic photographs and domestic items that portray the history and living conditions of the West Indian immigrants who began migrating to Panama for the construction of the railroad in 1850 and later arrived in greater numbers for the construction of the Panama Canal in the first two decades of the twentieth century.

BOOKs.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through our collection of books for beginners, research guides, records guides, case studies, memoirs, family histories, oral histories, and photography collections.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

podcasts.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through on-topic podcast episodes and series.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • Post-emancipation Migrations in the French Caribbean with Dr. Philippe Zacaïr | Strictly Facts

    In a similar fashion to other Caribbean islands, Guadeloupe, Martinique, and Haiti remained in close connection throughout France's colonialism. Dr. Philippe Zacaïr joins this episode to discuss how these connections strengthened after Haiti's triumph as the first Black republic in 1804.Philippe Zacaïr was born and raised in Guadeloupe, in the Eastern Caribbean.

SOCIAL MEDIA.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through social media discussion forums, networks, groups, and pages.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY | FACEBOOK

    This group is for sharing resources and assisting with research relating to Caribbean ancestry and history.

  • CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY RESEARCH COMMUNITY | FACEBOOK

    Welcome to the Caribbean Research Community! This group was created to give people researching the region a place to ask questions, collaborate, and share research with one another.

  • THE CUTLASS MAGAZINE

    A progressive podcast and platform dedicated to the Indo-Caribbean community and other descendants of Indian indentureship from around the world.

  • GENEALOGICAL TRANSLATIONS | FACEBOOK

    Genealogical Translations was established to provide amateur family researchers a place to have their genealogical documents translated. We are a global volunteer group whose members help other members by offering free translation of their genealogical documents such as vital records, postcards, obituaries, and more, in languages including – Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Latin, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and many others!

  • Histoire Caraïbe | Instagram

    Compte dédié à l’histoire des Antilles/Caraïbes (archives, héritage) : indigènes, africains, asiatiques, européens, arabes…

GENEALOGY VIDEOS + TUTORIALS.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through tutorials, lectures, roundtable discussions, and genealogy webinars.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • INTRODUCTION TO AFRO-CARIBBEAN GENEALOGY RESOURCES WITH SHARON WILKINS

    Learn how to trace your Afro-Caribbean ancestors from the West Indies, including Barbados, Jamaica, and other places. Presented by Sharon Wilkins, President of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society - New York.

  • Caribbean Ancestry Guide: Getting Started | Island Ancestors

    Use the strategies and hints in this video to trace your Caribbean ancestors. Before you know it you'll be on location just like on 'Who Do You Think You Are.' West Indian family history research is challenging but NOT impossible.

  • Caribbean Ancestry: Myths and Misconceptions | Island Ancestors

    Myths and Misconceptions are holding you back from tracing your Caribbean Ancestors. Challenge your assumptions and take your research forward.

    In this video, I dispel four common myths about West Indian family history.

  • Tracing My Caribbean Ancestry - Reasons to do Genealogy! | Islands Ancestors

    How I traced my Caribbean ancestors back to the 18th century! The process of working on my family tree has helped me grow tremendously. Now I want to help you trace your Caribbean ancestors as far back as you can!

  • Researching Female Ancestors of the Caribbean | FamilySearch

    In this video, Researching Female Ancestors of the Caribbean, Sharon Tomlin delves into ways we can research African-Caribbean female ancestry. Encouraging dialogue across the generations to understand the pioneers of the past and to discover the pioneers within their own family.

    This presentation was part of RootsTech Connect 2021.

  • BlackProGen LIVE! Ep 84: Getting Started with Caribbean Genealogy

    Learn tips, tricks, and more for researching ancestry in the Caribbean! Special guest, Anaisa Bayala.

  • The History of Indo-Caribbean Heritage (Kala Pani Archives / काला पानी अभिलेखागार) | DIS A FI MI HISTORY PODCAST

    In this episode, we delve into the fascinating Indo-Caribbean heritage with our special guest, Jess from the Kalapani Archives. Jess discusses the significant history of the East Indian indenture labor system that spread across the Caribbean, Africa, and the South Pacific.

    Learn about the inception of the Kalapani Archives, a repository that aims to shed light on this overlooked history and its relevance to present-day family research. Discover how Jess and her co-founder Tony, who met online through a shared interest in Indo-Caribbean history, have created a vibrant online community to unite descendants of Indian indentured laborers.

    Join us as Jess provides insights into the origins and significance of the Kalapani Archives, the challenges faced, and the future initiatives planned to continue expanding this essential historical resource.

  • Exploring the Early Caribbean Digital Archive: A Treasure Trove for Family and Historical Research | DIS A FI MI HISTORY PODCAST

    In this episode, we delve into the rich world of the Early Caribbean Digital Archive (ECDA) with the insights of Professors Nicole Aljo and Elizabeth Dillon, alongside their dedicated team.

    We explore the origins and objectives of the ECDA, a publicly accessible archive platform that houses a vast collection of pre-20th century Caribbean materials. Learn about their mission to decolonize and democratize knowledge by surfacing hidden narratives, such as those of enslaved individuals, embedded within historical texts.

    The team also shares their experiences and methodologies in curating and digitizing these invaluable resources, offering a glimpse into some fascinating exhibits like Obeah practices and Jamaican Heirs. Discover how you can navigate the archive, contribute to ongoing projects, and even use these resources for family research and educational purposes.

    Join us for a compelling discussion on the importance of preserving and accessing Caribbean history, both for understanding our past and informing our present.

  • On their terms: black women subverting the plantation economy in the Caribbean | Society of Antiquaries of Scotland

    This paper draws on a Black feminist lens to read against the silencing violence of the slavery archives and reveal a dynamic (if sometimes controversial) and creolizing process of identity formation of free and enslaved Black women who, through resistance and/or accommodation, subverted the socio-political structures of colonial power and negotiated their place in the plantation economies of the Caribbean. Peggy incorporates archival and archaeological methods alongside intersectional theory to reveal an alternative narrative of Atlantic enslaved and free communities.

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST.

Uncover the rich lives of your Martinican ancestors through collaboration with a professional genealogist.

The following resources may include some affiliate links in an effort to support the continued growth of Ancestors of Paradise as a leading research resource in Caribbean genealogy. Thank you for your support!

  • Legacy Tree Genealogists

    Are you looking for details about your Caribbean ancestry? Do you need help getting started or have you hit a brick wall?

    Caribbean genealogy can be challenging, and the professional genealogists at Legacy Tree Genealogists can help with your research needs.

    Ancestors of Paradise visitors save on select genealogy research projects.

Ancestry US

Ancestry US

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