Merikins

The Merikins or Merikens were formerly enslaved African’s in the Americas who fought and escaped bondage to gain their freedom, and join the Corps of Colonial Marines—fighting alongside the British against the United States during the War of 1812.

After their service in Bermuda, they established a community in the south of Trinidad between 1815–1816. The region was largely populated by French-speaking Catholics but soon transitioned to an English-speaking, Baptist community after their arrival. It is believed that the term "Merikins" is derived from the local patois, but as many Americans have long been in the habit of dropping the initial "A" it is also likely that the new settlers brought that pronunciation with them from the United States. Some of the Company villages and land grants established back then still exist in Trinidad today.