Traditional genealogy records like census and vital records (birth, marriage, and death certificates) are critical sources of information I use when tracing family trees across the globe. Additionally, records specific to geographical areas help fill in gaps in our ancestral stories and with innovations in science, DNA can also help guide us to make new discoveries in the locations connected to our families too.
The launch of more than 400 new African American DNA Communities puts us on an exciting path in tracing Afro-Caribbean heritage and when combined with records like the billions available on Ancestry®, are just the tools we need to learn more about our ancestors.
Using the new communities on Ancestry® to trace family migrations
Jamaica is a DNA community that is part of the recent release and records for this DNA community can be numerous. Egbert Horace McFarlane, who was born in Wakefield, Trelawney, Jamaica, entered the United States aboard the S.S. Columbia, sailing from Puerto Columbia, Columbia to New York on September 13, 1937. He was working as a clerk at the time and his permanent residence was in Franklyn Town, Kingston, Jamaica.
Within five years, Egbert is documented on a World War II Draft Card living in New Haven, Connecticut engaged in work at a radiator company. He became a veteran of World War II and was discharged as of March 22, 1943, as noted at the top of his card.
Egbert declared his intention to become a citizen of the United States on October 30, 1943 in Wilmington, Delaware. It’s in this document that he states again that he was born in Wakefield. That community is drilled down even further in the new DNA communities release and is part of one called Cornwall County.
Despite being documented in four locations, Egbert’s timeline can be traced out of the Caribbean and stateside. Results like this are more than possible when you combine traditional research with DNA in your own family history journey of discovery.
Check your DNA results for new communities and this resource page for even more details on African American research.