Sixteen Generations Our Story
A name from a nickname
“Sixteen Generations” is a tribute. Thelma Zenaida Ellis — the matriarch this site honours — was known everywhere as “Sixteen.” The name is hers; the generations are the ones who came before her and the ones who follow. Read her full story →
From Havana to Berrydale
Thelma was born in Havana, Cuba on 5 June 1923 — the youngest child of Martin Luther Ellis and Maggie Adina Ellis. At the age of five she came to Jamaica with her family and settled in Berrydale, Clarendon, where she would spend most of her life and raise the family whose names fill this archive.
A life of service
She attended Porus Elementary School. Secondary school was never on offer to her, so she made her education from the work in front of her — selling fish, dumpling, ginger beer and bouyo to workers at the Duckenfield Sugar Estate, balancing the day's wares on a bicycle. She was loving, jovial, generous; she helped many and gave from whatever she had. She served the Jamaica Excelsior Society for many years.
Spanning the globe
Today, her descendants live across 0 countries — in Jamaica, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and Australia. Though separated by distance we remain one family, carrying her name and her values forward.
A digital home
SixteenGenerations.com was created to bring her scattered family closer together. This is our digital gathering place — where we explore our roots, share memories, celebrate milestones, preserve our heritage, and make sure the bonds of family grow stronger with every passing generation.
Our Vision
To build the most connected family in the world — a family where every member, regardless of where they live, feels seen, valued, and deeply connected to their heritage and to one another.
Our Mission
To preserve our family's rich history, celebrate our diverse heritage, and create meaningful connections across sixteen generations through shared stories, events, and a living digital archive that grows with every new family member.
What We Stand For
The values that have defined the Sixteen Generations for generations.
Family First
Our family is our foundation. We support, uplift, and celebrate one another through every season of life.
Global Unity
From Berrydale to London to Los Angeles — distance cannot diminish the bonds that unite us.
Heritage Preserved
We honour our ancestors by preserving their stories, photos, and traditions for future generations.
Resilience
Through hardship and triumph, our family endures. We draw strength from those who came before us.
Faith & Gratitude
Grateful for our blessings and guided by faith, we face the future together with hope and purpose.
Growing Together
Each new member enriches our family. We welcome growth, embrace change, and build bridges to the future.
Our Branches Around the World
Over the generations, the Sixteen Generations has spread across the globe, with branches rooted in communities on every continent.
Part of the Sixteen?
If your line leads back to Thelma — or to Berrydale, Clarendon, Port Morant, or any of our branches around the world — this is your home too. Join us and help write the next chapter of her legacy.