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Slavery Records on the ABC Islands: Curaçao Church & Civil Records

ByAnna Bayala

Like many regions throughout the Caribbean and South America, slavery existed on the ABC Islands — Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. In this post, we will focus specifically on Curaçao slave records.

This is not the only set of records available for the island. However, I will publish additional collections separately based on accessibility and format.

Although the records listed below are in Dutch, you can easily use Google Translate in a separate browser window if you are working from a PC.

Historical Context: Curaçao and the Slave Trade

Sephardi Jewish settlers first arrived in Curaçao in 1651. However, they were not the only population present on the island. During the colonial period, Curaçao became a major hub in the transatlantic slave trade.

Enslaved Africans were brought to the island and sold at its docks before being transported throughout the Caribbean and the Americas. In 1795, a major slave revolt occurred, led by Tula. If you are researching this period, I strongly recommend reading more about this uprising and exploring additional historical sources through your local library or trusted online archives.

Understanding this historical context can provide important insight when researching enslaved and free ancestors in Curaçao.

Need Help Translating Dutch Records?

If you locate a record for your ancestor and Google Translate does not provide clear results, consider joining the Facebook group Genealogy Translations.

When posting your request, include:

  • A clear image of the record
  • The direct link to the document
  • The language you are translating from and to

The group provides formatting instructions and is extremely helpful for genealogy-related translations.

Roman Catholic Church Records of Enslaved Individuals

The following films contain Roman Catholic Church records documenting enslaved African children, including baptisms, births, and deaths.

These films are accessible through a Family History Center at the time of writing this post. If you are unfamiliar with accessing Family History Center records, refer to the guide previously posted on this website.

Unlike my usual posts, this collection is organized by film number rather than record type.

Film # 1949737 Baptisms (Dopen) and Deaths (Overlijden) of enslaved individuals:

  • Slave Death Records: 1844 – 1852, 1848 – 1857, 1854 – 1861, and 1859 – 1863
  • Enslaved Children Baptisms: 1831 – 1837

Film # 1949738 Baptisms (Dopen), Deaths (Overlijden), and Citizenship Records:

  • Enslaved Children Baptisms: 1837 – 1842 – Items 1 and 2 on the film
  • Slave Death Records: 1837 – 1842 and 1816 – 1820
  • Citizen Index / Register: 1831 – February 27, 1845

Film # 1949735 Births (Geboorten):

  • 1838 – 1842, 1840 – 1849, 1848 – 1852, and 1851

Film# 1949736 Births (Geboorten) and Deaths (Overlijden):

  • Enslaved Children Births: 1852-1857, 1854-1861, 1859-1862
  • Slave Death Records: 1838 – 1839, 1838 – 1842, 1840 – 1846, and 1844

Film# 1949737 Deaths (Overlijden):

  • 1844 – 1852, 1848 – 1857, 1854 – 1861, and 1859 – 1863

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