Mothers and Maternal Grandmothers Kept Children Alive During Slavery

Evidence From the Surinamese Slave Registers, 1830–1863

Bibliographic Data

ID10967765
AuthorsMatthias Rosenbaum-Feldbrügge (Radboud University Nijmegen, corresponding author), Matthias Rosenbaum‐feldbrügge (0000-0002-5082-6850, Radboud Group for Historical Demography and Family History, Radboud University, Nijmegen, the Netherlands), Björn Quanjer (0000-0003-2492-7380, Radboud University Nijmegen), Kristina Thompson (0000-0002-2570-3365, Department of Social Sciences)
Year2026
Volume63
Issue1
Pages111-136
Publication date2026-02-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueDemography (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0070-3370 • E-ISSN: 1533-7790
PublisherDuke University Press (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1215/00703370-12446726
PMID41645640
OpenAlexW7127994825
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited54

Studies have shown strong relationships between the presence of kin and children's survival outcomes in historical and contemporary low-income contexts. However, this relationship has never been studied among an enslaved population, who encountered extremely harsh living conditions. Examining this relationship among different populations may reveal similarities and differences across contexts. The present study addresses this gap by examining the life courses of children born between 1830 and 1863 and enslaved in Suriname (n = 19,095 children) and their mothers. For the period 1848‒1863, we can also observe matrilineal kin, including grandmothers, aunts, and uncles (n = 12,020 children). The relationships of matrilineal kin's presence and children's hazard of death from ages 6 months to 12 years were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models. Experiencing maternal death was related to an increased hazard of death for children throughout childhood, but particularly during infancy (ages 6 months to 1 year; hazard ratio: 6.24, 95% confidence interval: 3.34‒11.66), and it decreased as children aged. The presence of grandmothers was related to a decreased hazard of death among children aged 1‒5, and the presence of aunts and uncles was beneficial to survival for children aged 5‒12. Mothers were especially important to children's survival, particularly during infancy, likely due to the importance of maternal care and breastfeeding on survival. During childhood, however, it appears that the presence of extended kin was also important, implying that children's care could have been provided by other family members once children were weaned. These findings closely align with those of other studies and reflect the importance of extended kin networks on childhood survival across time and space

Breastfeeding · Child survival · Extended family · Grandparent · Hazard · Hazard ratio · Population · Proportional hazards model · Colonialism, slavery, and trade · Historical and Cultural Archaeology Studies · Historical Economic and Social Studies

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