JAMAICAN SURNAME ORIGINS

Enslaved Africans who were of full Negro blood, when baptized, were sometimes given surnames. The owners name was not given automatically, nor was the name of the estate given to them. There could therefore be many different surnames on any one estate. Many chose, adopted, or were given at baptism, various surnames. They could choose the name of the property owner, the bookkeeper or overeer, or someone who they liked, who had been good to them, or who was famous.