Young children who grew up in slavery on Surinamese plantations were much more likely to die if they were without a mother. This is evident from a historical analysis of Surinamese slave registers by researchers at Radboud University and Wageningen University & Research. Their work was published this month in Demography. The presence of grandmothers, aunts and uncles also significantly increased children's chances of survival.
“It is intuitively logical that family is important for the survival of children during slavery, but until now this could only be established anecdotally,” explains Björn Quanjer, historian at Radboud University and one of the authors of the publication. “But with this historical data, we can show that family ties literally made the difference between life and death.”
For the study, the researchers analysed data from more than 19,000 children born into slavery between 1830 and 1863. They used a dataset published by the Historical Database of Suriname and the Caribbean (HDSC), a citizen science project in which hundreds of volunteers transcribed Surinamese slave registers. This enables systematic research into slavery and its repercussions.
The analyses show that infants whose mothers died in their first year of life were more than six times more likely to die themselves than infants with a living mother. Especially during the period when breastfeeding was crucial, the loss of the mother had disastrous consequences. Matthias Rosenbaum-Feldbrügge, historical demographer and co-author of the publication: 'Mothers were simply irreplaceable during the first 18 months. Breastfeeding offered protection against disease, and alternatives were often of poor quality.
Because fathers were not systematically recorded in the slave registers, the research focused on family ties through the mother. In follow-up research, the researchers also want to use data from civil registries after 1863, in which paternity was more often recorded.
The environment in which children grew up in slavery was extreme. Poor living conditions and epidemics determined the daily lives of enslaved people. The research shows that family members did everything they could to protect children in these appalling circumstances.
It was not only the mother who was important for a child's survival. Once children were no longer breastfed, grandmothers, uncles, and aunts also played a role. Rosenbaum-Feldbrügge: “The data shows that the presence of grandmothers significantly increases the chances of survival between the ages of one and five. Grandmothers could help with care, nutrition and protection.”
Quanjer adds: “The larger the family cluster, the better the children did. Family is simply very important. You see that then, and you still see it today in Surinamese communities. Even under the terrible conditions of slavery, family was a form of resistance. Together, you could survive.”
Demography
Mothers and Maternal Grandmothers Kept Children Alive During Slavery: Evidence From the Surinamese Slave Registers, 1830–1863
6-Feb-2026