947 records
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Showing 50 of 947 matches — scanned Natal, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad + Sri Lanka registers
Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 1940 | Father: RAMASAWMY | Sex: B | Caste: Malabar
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Ramasawmy
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 1741 | Father: VALAVANTHREN | Sex: M | Caste: Malabar | VAFP LLC 1876 (LLC=LICENCED TO LEAVE COLONY) [VAFP=Voluntarily abandoned free passage]
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Valavanthren
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Mamad
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Mohangu
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Molha
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Uurari
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 23110 | Father: NUNJAPPA | Sex: M | Caste: Mala | District: MADRAS
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Sheonath
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Autar
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Opalladam
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Chotkai
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Nunjappa
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 38900 | Father: RATHNAM | Sex: M | Caste: Vannia
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Rathnam
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 4542 | Father: VEERASAWMY | Sex: B | Caste: Malabar
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 3141 | Father: RAMEN | Sex: F | Caste: Malabar | UNFIT TO WORK
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 779 | Father: HOLAPEN | Sex: M | Caste: Gentoo | LLC (LICENCED TO LEAVE COLONY).VAFP 1873 [VAFP=Voluntarily abandoned free passage]
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Ramen
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Veerasawmy
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Holapen
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 30207 | Father: RAMASAMY | Sex: M | Caste: Barber
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Madurai
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Muthusawmy
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 4514 | Father: SOOBROYEN | Sex: M | Caste: Malabar
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 19246 | Father: MUTHUSAWMY | Sex: M | Caste: Pariah
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Soobroyen
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Maduray
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 131601 | Father: SAGADAVAN | Sex: M | Caste: Paria | District: SALEM
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Sagadavan
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 112 | Father: MAUREL | Sex: M | Caste: Malabar
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 1808 | Father: MIGALE | Sex: F | Caste: Gentoo
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Munian
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Muthusami Gounden
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 82208 | Father: BOLIGARAN | Sex: M | Caste: Paria | District: CHINGLEPUT
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Maurel
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 73764 | Father: MUTHUSAMI GOUNDEN | Sex: M | Caste: Vannia | District: SOUTH ARCOT
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Boligaran
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 101448 | Father: MADURAI | Sex: M | Caste: Panchama | District: NORTH ARCOT
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Mottay
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 106424 | Father: MUNIAN | Sex: M | Caste: Paria | District: CHINGLEPUT
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 5871 | Father: MULLAYAH | Sex: M | Caste: Shepherd
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Munian
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Father: Durgu
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 151395 | Father: SELLAN | Sex: B | Caste: Paria | District: CHITTOOR
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Father: Sar
Listed in the III archive.
Source: The Indentured Indians (theiii.in) — indenture ships' lists (South Africa, Fiji, Suriname) (opens in new tab) — Community indenture database — attribution
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 5447 | Father: NUNJAPAH | Sex: M | Caste: Gentoo
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 3961 | Father: RAGAVEN | Sex: M | Caste: Malabar
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Listed in the GLDC archive.
Indenture No: 69775 | Father: MOTTAY | Sex: M | Caste: Paria | District: CHINGLEPUT
Source: Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal — Ships' List of Indentured Indians to Natal, 1860–1911 (opens in new tab) — Academic database — attribution required
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Or add a village, ship, or year filter to narrow further
Tamil indenture records are historical documents from 1834-1920 that tracked Indian laborers who migrated to British, French, and Dutch colonies under contract (indenture) labor systems. After the abolition of slavery in 1833, colonial plantations needed workers — over 1.5 million Indians, including approximately 500,000 Tamils, migrated as indentured laborers to sugar estates, tea plantations, and infrastructure projects across the world.
These records include ship manifests, immigration passes, arrival registers, and employment contracts. They typically contain the migrant's name, father's name, age, caste, village of origin (often in Tamil Nadu), physical description, ship name, departure port, arrival date, and destination.
241,000+ recordsvia III (Indentured Immigration Index)
Largest Tamil diaspora destination. Ships departed from Madras and Pondicherry every 2-3 weeks during peak migration (1860-1890). Voyage duration: 6-8 weeks.
12,000+ recordsvia Girmitiya Madras
Tamil migrants from Madras Presidency. "Girmitiya" (from English "agreement") refers to indentured laborers. Voyage: 8-10 weeks via Colombo.
152,000+ recordsvia GLDC (Gandhi-Luthuli Documentation Centre)
Natal sugar estates. The Truro (1860) — the first indentured ship — departed from Madras. Voyage: 10-12 weeks via Cape of Good Hope.
6,000+ recordsvia TNA (The National Archives, Kew)
UK outward passenger lists (Board of Trade BT 26/27) — ships leaving British ports for India and the colonies. Catalogue-level: useful for provenance, not per-person names.
Archives in progress
Dutch Guiana plantations. Tamil migrants via British India. Ships departed Madras and Calcutta. Voyage: 8-10 weeks.
Madras (Chennai) — Primary Departure Port
The vast majority of Tamil migrants departed from Madras Harbor. Recruitment centers (depots) operated in Madras city where migrants underwent medical examination, received travel documents (immigration pass), and boarded ships. Common routes: Madras → Mauritius (6-8 weeks), Madras → Fiji (8-10 weeks via Colombo), Madras → Guyana/Trinidad (10-12 weeks via Cape of Good Hope).
Pondicherry (Puducherry) — French Territory
French colonial port serving migrants to French colonies (Reunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique) and some British destinations. Smaller volume than Madras but significant for southern Tamil Nadu districts (Tanjore, Tiruchirapalli).
Hundreds of ships transported Tamil migrants between 1834-1920. Major vessels include:
Truro
Madras → Guyana (1860s), Natal
Sheila
Madras → Mauritius (1850s-70s)
Hesperus
Madras → Mauritius & Caribbean
Atlas
Madras → Fiji & Mauritius
British Empire
Madras → Natal, South Africa
Ganges
Multiple routes from Madras
Main
Madras → Trinidad (1870s-90s)
Syria
Madras → Mauritius & Réunion
Fath Al Salem
Early ship to Trinidad (1840s-50s)
Ship manifests list each passenger with detailed information, making them invaluable genealogical sources. Search by ship name above if you know your ancestor's vessel.
Typical fields in Tamil indenture records:
Full name of migrant
Often transliterated from Tamil
Father's name (patronymic)
Critical for Tamil identification
Age at departure
Usually 18-35 years old
Caste / community
E.g., Pariah, Vellala, Naidu
Village of origin
District and taluk when recorded
Physical description
Height, marks, complexion
Ship name
Vessel that transported them
Indenture/pass number
Unique identifier
Departure & arrival dates
Exact dates when recorded
Destination & estate
Colony and employer assignment
Family relationships
If migrating with spouse/children
Note: The level of detail varies by colonial archive, time period, and record type. Earlier records (1840s-1860s) tend to have less information than later ones (1880s-1920).
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