African ethnonyms in Dominican historical sources: 1547-1606
SUMMARY
Estimated number of Africans: 9,648 – 30,000
African origins specified: 79
TOP 3 BREAKDOWN OF AFRICAN BORN SLAVES
“Bran” (Guiné Bissau) 15 – 19% of African specified
“Zape” (Sierra Leone) 15 – 19% of African specified
“Biafara” (Guiné Bissau) 10 – 12% of African specified
Source: Deive (1980, p.239).
Even though this summary is based on a rather small sized dataset (n=79) and reflecting only a limited timespan, there are many indications from other Hispanic American countries to confirm these 3 ethnic groups from Upper Guinea having a significant presence in the Dominican Republic throughout the 1500’s. But they were not the only ones in that particular timeperiod of course and in later decades/centuries the ethnic compostion of Africans within Hispaniola would change constantly with other ethnic origins from Lower Guinea and Central Africa becoming more prevalent.
