Knowing Your Ancestors: A Survey of Bahamians' Knowledge of Their Progenitor's Names

An on-line survey of 1,447 persons indicate that almost all participants (98.4%) knew both their biological father and mother. However, few (7.6%) knew the names of all their great grandparents. The direct female relations on the maternal side were more likely to be known than other similar relations on the paternal side. This knowledge of names confirms the matrifocal nature of Bahamian families and indicates the need for families to take steps to preserve their own history, so as to provide a sense of identity.