Indo-Trinidadian and Tobagonians Indo-Trinidadians make up the country's largest ethnic group (approximately 35.43%). Many Afro-Trinbagonians have ancestors hailing from West and West-central Africa, akin to numerous other Caribbean islands and in some cases a result of later migration between the islands. This would have been from many kingdoms, states, and peoples from a range of modern-day Senegal in the north to Angola in the south. The majority of the enslaved Africans were brought in the last few years of Trinidad's Spanish colonial era, and the beginning of the British colonial period. The
Cedula of Population transformed a small colony of 1,000 in 1773 to 18,627 by 1797. In the census of 1777 there were only 2,763 people recorded as living on the island, including some 2,000 Arawaks. In 1807, the UK Parliament passed the
Slave Trade Act 1807 that abolished the trading of enslaved persons, and the
Slavery Abolition Act 1833 abolished the practice of slavery itself. Numerous staples of Trinbagonian culture have Afro-Trinbagonian roots, such as Calypso, Carnival, and traditional dishes such as callaloo.
European Trinidadian and Tobagonians The
European Trinidadian (or White Trinidadian) population is primarily descended from early settlers and immigrants. The recent census counted 8,669 people of European descent including those of Portuguese descent. The Europeans who remained in Trinidad live in areas in and around
Port of Spain. Furthermore, British rule led to an influx of settlers from the United Kingdom and the British colonies of the Eastern Caribbean and descendants of English indentured workers brought in as overseers following the end of the Second World War. The Portuguese came to Tobago and Trinidad as early as the 17th century, including groups of
Jews, Catholics and Protestants. For over 140 years, from 1834 up to 1975, the ancestors of the modern Portuguese community in Trinidad and Tobago hailed mostly from the archipelago of
Madeira, starting from 1846, with the earliest registers being from the Azores in 1834. Most Portuguese came directly from Madeira, and also via Guyana, St Vincent, Antigua and St Kitts. Important communities settled in Port of Spain, Arima, Arouca, Chaguanas, San Fernando and Scarborough. In 2011, the Madeiran Portuguese Community of Trinidad and Tobago celebrated their 165th Anniversary of arrival of the first Madeirans in Trinidad back in 1846. Recalling the presence of the Portuguese in the nation today are over 100 Portuguese surname, some of which have become street nomenclature. As an independent nation, the country has recognised several members of the Portuguese community, through official awards. In
Tobago, many white residents are retirees who have recently arrived there.
Mixed ethnicity Given the large number of ethnic identities in Trinidad and Tobago, many citizens have a mixed ethnic heritage due to influences from
European,
West African,
Indian or
Han Chinese ancestry. Common ethnic mixtures include people of African and European descent (
Mulatto-
Creoles) 15-20% and African and Indian descent (often colloquially known as
Dougla) 7-10%. This mixed population is estimated at 30%.
Notable Mixed Trinidadians and Tobagonians Include •
Eric Willams •
Anthony Carmona •
George Maxwell Richards •
Nicki Minaj •
Giselle Laronde •
Kees Dieffenthaller •
Mervyn Dymally •
Andre Rampersad •
Gema Ramkeesoon Chinese-Trinidadians and Tobagonians There are groups of
Chinese who, like the Indians, are descended from indentured labourers. They account for about 4,000 people and live mostly in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando. In Trinidad there were, about twenty years ago [i.e. about 1886], 4,000 or 5,000 Chinese, but they have decreased to probably about 2,000 or 3,000, [2,200 in 1900]. They used to work in sugar plantations, but are now principally shopkeepers, as well as general merchants, miners and railway builders, etc.
Arab-Trinidadians and Tobagonians There are also more than 1,000
Arabs, originating from
Syria and
Lebanon who live mostly in Port-of-Spain. The Syrian and Lebanese communities of Trinidad are predominantly Christian, migrating from the Middle East in the 19th century from the
Ottoman Empire later landing in the Caribbean and Latin America. Other Lebanese and Syrians came in the early to middle 20th century to escape the war and turmoil in the region.
Indigenous (Caribs) Finally, there are the mixed raced
Caribs who are descended from the native, precolonial people of the islands. They are organized around the
Santa Rosa Carib Community and live mostly in and around
Arima. ==Religion==