West Indies/Caribbean

Names

The central stock of names is essentially that of England in the Commonwealth countries but surname adaptations and new formations are particularly common - it seems to be important to give a child an original or striking name rather than following fashion or convention. Some of the less common Biblical names are also used, perhaps for the same reason. Other colonial powers included France, Spain and the Netherlands. Indian names also occur as workers were brought in from the rest of the British Empire as well.

Male

Female

Surnames

Most of the European surnames probably originate with the plantation owners - when slaves were freed they quite often took the name of their former owner/employer.

Orishas

(Afro-Caribbean deities)

This collection of names was compiled by Kate Monk and is ©1997, Kate Monk.

Copies may be made for personal use only.