Welsh / Welch / Walsh / Walch Family of Jamaica

This project is to research and find out more about the Welsh / Welch / Walsh / Walch and other related families originating in Jamaica, West Indies.

What can you do here?

• Ask questions.
• Collaborate on your research.
• Share knowledge you have gained as you've done your own research in a specific area.
• Problem finding an ancestors, open a discussion here and we all try to help
• Start your own related project.
• Add your profiles.
• Start or take part in a discussion
• join a planned Welsh Family Foundation and Trust

A Panamanian Welsh posted this on the Internet. I thought it was convenient and truistic for this project. "Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future."--Gail Lumet Buckley (Born on December 21, 1937; daughter of Lena Horne).

Read more: Gail Lumet Buckley

An interesting aside, my paternal grandfather's name was Charles Theophilus Welsh. All the men in the family (plus in our close relatives the Powells) have middle names. But Theophilus as a middle name keeps popping up over and over, the further I go back in history/genealogically.

Origins of the Surname

• Breathnach Surname
• Welsh Surname

Theories

I wanted to give some of my research and ideas.

Firstly, the Welsh, Forrest, Foster, and Powell plantations were not far from each other. The masters and the slaves mingled. Quite a few of the masters had children by the slaves. In about 50 percent of the cases, the slave would end up with his master's name.

As time went on, slaves from the same plantation or same surname came together and married into their surname groups.

For example, their is a family in Canada that has the baptismal papers of the slaves on the Foster plantations.

To be continued.

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Histories

Welsh Family Genealogy Forum: Sarah Welsh Posted by: Kenneth Welsh, January 18, 2009

I once saw a listing of slaves in Jamaica. There was a teenage girl named Sarah Welsh listed. She was about 17 years old in 1817. So that means she was born about 1800.

Anyone have info about the Welshes in the early 1800s?

Elder's Stories

• The Welshes and Powells were always marrying. My Dad told me a story of two sisters, way back, one married a Powell and the other married a Welsh. They started this tradition.

From Robin Michelsen, Oct. 10, 2004: "I looked in my database but I only have one "Welsh" in it. Robert Johnson Powell, (born 23 May 1855 to Alexander Powell and his wife Rosanna Barnaby), married Anne Eliza Welsh on 26 Dec 1884 at George's Valley. Does that fit into your family tree?"

From Sandra Levien, July 13, 2012: A marriage certificate in 1903. Charles Welsh (from Portland, Clarendon; father is John Welsh) married Isola Louise Jennings (from Old Harbour), her father is George Jennings.

• I've found Powells in Darliston, and Balaclava, that bear a striking resemblance to my family.
• My paternal grand uncle (grandfather's younger brother) Silas Welsh went to Cuba in the late 20's. He worked there as an electrician. He returned to Jamaica some years later, to open a business in Kingston or St. Thomas.

Welsh Notables

• Dahlia Welsh
• Dr. Jean Welsh
• Judith P. Welsh, realtor, San Jose, CA
• photo of Bishop Gary Welsh
• Welsh still in custody - Milton 'Tony' Welsh

Welsh concentrations in parishes and major cities

St. Elizabeth

An alphabetical list of property owners transcribed from the Jamaica Almanac and Registry for the years 1816, 1818, 1821, 1825 and 1830 for the parish of St. Elizabeth in the island of Jamaica. The list is sorted by name of owner, year tabulated, and name of property. Each entry lists numbers of slaves and livestock owned, and in some cases total acreage of holding. ( http://www.bromfield.us/gen_property/JA_Prop33.htm ).

Information Robin Michelsen, Jan. 19, 2009:

The Registrar has organized St. Elizabeth Parish into districts and assigned them codes as follows:

• Black River (KA)-- I hear there are Welshs and Powells in this area.
• Cambridge (KB)
• Cheltenham (KC)
• Shaws (KD)
• Lacovia (KE)-- I hear there are Welshs and Powells in this area.
• Siloah (KF)--I hear there are Welshs and Powells in this area.
• Balaclava (KG)-- I've visited here in 1979, still quite a few relatives there.
• Santa Cruz (KH)-- I've heard it mentioned.
• Southfield (KI)
• Pedro Plains (KK)
• Newell (KL)
• Williamsfield (KM)
• Malvern (KN)
• Mountainside (KO)
• Lititz (KP)
• Mulgrave (KQ)
• New Market (KR)
• Springfield (KS)
• Retirement (KT)-- I've heard it mentioned among family.
• Parottee (KV)
• Pepper (KW)
• Ginger Hill (KX)
• Myersville (KY)
• Brae's River (KZ)
• Portsea (KAA)
• Munro College (KAB)

Dawn Lemonius Luke: My mother Valda Verona Welsh-Lemonius is from Williamsfield, Aberdeen P.O. in St. Elizabeth. Her sisters were Edna Welsh-Wright, Imogene Welsh-Bennett and Inez Welsh. Her father was Simeon Welsh and his siblings were Patrick, Samuel, Beatrice Welsh-Baker, Louise Welsh-Baker, Julia Welsh-Rowe. They were born in Guava Hill, Williamsfield district. Samuel (Uncle Sam) was a policeman and made his family home in Siloah. My name is Dawn Lemonius Luke and I am also on Facebook. E-mail address is dclemm@hotmail.com - December 1, 2009.

Portland

St. Catherine

I've been living here in Eastern St. Thomas for 12 years, and when we first moved here, my mother was surprised to meet another Welsh, Joan Welsh, it turns out that they seem to share a great grandfather. Better yet, My mother's grandfather was Norman 'Pardi" Welsh of Spanish Town Railway. His son, Sydney Oliver Welsh, is my mother Sharon's father. What's more, Sydney married Florence Louise Walsh, of Harker's Hall, St. Catherine. They had four sons and a daughter, William, Sharon, Donovan, Winfield, and Nigel. Cousin Joan does say, though, that my mother and I are probably cousins...

Best Regards, Rani Powell

p.s.- Tell me, does the top part of your middle finger lean to one side instead of going straight? That seems to be a family trait.

Clarendon

Kingston/St. Andrew

Montego Bay

LInks and Resources

• Book review - Deep analysis of slavery - Author: Pedro L. V. Welch
• Customs and Excise: Trade, Production, and Consumption in England, 1640-1845; Notes #12 - Pedro L. V. Welsh
• Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Resource Library
• My Carib Roots
• The Modern-Day Maroons: A Genealogy site of the Welsh-Melville clan, including the six-plus related families
• Welsh Family of Jamaica
• The families of St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica
• Welsh in Jamaica search
• My Family Roots: Welsh
• Property Owners - Jamaica Almanac (1816 to 1830): Surnames: TOR > WAL : Parish of St. Elizabeth