White Caymanians

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White Caymanians
Total population
est. 17,450 (2022)
21.4% of the Cayman Islands population [1]
Regions with significant populations
George Town, West Bay, Savannah [ citation needed ]
Languages
EnglishCayman Islands EnglishJamaican Patois [ citation needed ]
Religion
Primarily Christianity [ citation needed ]
Related ethnic groups
English, Irish, Scottish, American, Jamaican, Canadian, [1] White Caribbeans

White Caymanians refers to citizens of the Cayman Islands with European ancestry. This may also refer to immigrants, primarily from Europe, and those of European descent from Jamaica, Canada, the United States and South Africa who have obtained Caymanian citizenship, becoming a first generation Caymanian. White Caymanians constitute 21.4% of the Cayman Islands population, which is the third largest ethnic group in the territory. Many will trace their ancestry back to early English and Scottish settlers.[ citation needed ]

Since the 1700s, European immigrants from the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Portugal have settled in the Cayman Islands. Spanish refugees from the Spanish Inquisition have also settled in the Cayman Islands, as well as deserters from Oliver Cromwell’s army. [2]

History

Christopher Columbus sighted the Cayman Islands in May 1503. Due to swamp and marshland, the unbearable abundance of mosquitoes, and the lack of arable land, the islands were left uninhabited for quite some time. [3] The first recorded settlements dated from 1661 onward, with many families, notably with the surname “Bodden” settling permanently. It is assumed these were European soldiers who deserted from Oliver Cromwell’s army in Jamaica.[ citation needed ]

The first census of the islands took place in 1802, showing a population of only 933, of which 545 were slaves and 388 were European (mainly English and Scottish) slave owners. Following the abolition of slavery in 1833, Caymanian society seemed to compliantly integrate, with black and white communities mixing, resulting in a majority mixed race population. During the late 20th century, as the Cayman Islands’ economy boomed, immigration to the islands increased heavily, with many being of European ancestry from countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. A substantial number started families with Caymanians and settled in the islands permanently, as well as others staying long enough to obtain citizenship. [3]

The first European expedition in Cayman Islands was led by Sir Francis Drake. The English brought African slaves to the Cayman Islands. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Fall 2022 Labour Force Survey" (PDF).
  2. Fodor's Cayman Islands.
  3. 1 2 "History of the Cayman Islands".
  4. Ethnic Groups of the Americas: An Encyclopedia. p. 81.