Which destinations are covered in Tamil indenture records?

Our database covers Tamil indenture migration to: Mauritius (241,000+ records via III), Fiji (12,000+ records via Girmitiya Madras), South Africa – Natal (152,000+ records via GLDC), Suriname (1,000,000+ civil registration & slavery records), UK passenger lists (6,000+ records via TNA), plus VOC crew records — and diaspora destinations Trinidad, Guyana, Malaysia, Reunion, Jamaica, Seychelles, Guadeloupe, and Martinique. Mauritius received the largest number of Tamil migrants (1834-1910), followed by Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Fiji, and Guyana.

What ships transported Tamil indentured laborers?

Major ships in Tamil indenture migration include: Truro (Madras to Guyana, 1860s), Sheila (Madras to Mauritius, multiple voyages 1850s-1870s), Hesperus, Atlas, British Empire, Ganges, Main, Syria, and hundreds of others. Ships typically departed from Madras (Chennai) or Pondicherry and took 6-12 weeks to reach destinations. Each ship manifest listed 200-500 migrants with detailed information about each passenger.

How do I search for my Tamil ancestor in indenture records?

To search Tamil indenture records: (1) Enter your ancestor's name or father's name in the search box above - try multiple spelling variations as names were often transliterated inconsistently (e.g., Krishnan/Kishan/Kistnasamy). (2) If you know the destination country (Mauritius, Fiji, etc.), filter by provider to narrow results. (3) Use the year range filter if you know approximate migration dates (1834-1920). (4) Try searching by village name or district if direct name searches fail. (5) Search by indenture number if you have it from family documents. Create a free account to save matches and connect records to your family tree.

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Q: What information do indenture records contain?

Tamil indenture records typically include: full name of migrant, father's name (patronymic), age at departure, caste/community, district and village in Tamil Nadu, physical description (height, marks, complexion), ship name, indenture number or immigration pass number, port of departure (Madras/Pondicherry), date of departure and arrival, destination colony, employer or estate assignment, and sometimes family relationships (if migrating with spouse or children). The level of detail varies by colonial archive and time period.

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Genealogy is detective work — each search teaches you something. Try a few name spellings, an ancestor's village, or the ship they arrived on. Rarely is the first search the winning one.

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Showing 50 of 800 matches — scanned Natal, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad + Sri Lanka registers

From sourceCHDH

Mango Jagroop

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels schip "Sutlej"

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageBahwa Diha

DestinationSuriname

Source: Centrale Historische Database van Hindostanen (CHDH) / Sarnámihuis (opens in new tab) — Used with permission (digitised by S. Hira & M. Hassankhan, 1998; Calcutta letters S. Hira & T. Sitaram, 2021)

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From sourceCHDH

Ramdhani Dhanpatia

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageBarhui

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Mohadeo Jeera

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageJariporsia

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Shahjad Jainab

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageKhairataloo

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Jumman Rahmani

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageMejhwa

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Jaggu Ganes

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageSatuapur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Budhai Kalpa

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageKharakpati

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Somor RamRatan

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageNora

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Raghunath Gokul

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageSabna

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Rammanorath Ramsudh

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageSaunrahia

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Fakir Ramdhan

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageKakra

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Baley Badal

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageSonda

DestinationSuriname

Letter homeDigitised Calcutta letters — Sarnámihuis / CHDH

1912-09-17 00:00:00 · AG algemeen → DC algemeen

INV. 0477 0477.0061 Immigratie Departement No. 1066/V Paramaribo, 17 September 1912 Bijlagen Ik heb de eer UEdelGestrenge te verzoeken aan de hieronder te noemen B…

INV. 0477 0477.0061 Immigratie Departement No. 1066/V Paramaribo, 17 September 1912 Bijlagen Ik heb de eer UEdelGestrenge te verzoeken aan de hieronder te noemen Britsch-Indische immigranten te willen mededeelen dat volgens van den Emigratie Agent te Calcutta bekomen inlichtingen, hunne naar Britsch-Indie verzonden remises zijn uitbetaald t.w.: Madhai no.1416/Ll op plantage Fredericisgift aan zijn vader Couri f.30 = Rs.36-3-0 Badal no.1415/Ll op plantage Fredericisgift aan zijn broeder Ori – Ahir f.20 = Rs.24-2-0 Bhagan no.1419/Ll op plantage Fredericisgift aan zijn broeder Kishem f.40 = Rs.48-6-0 De Agent-Generaal Aan Den Heer Districts-Commissaris van: Saramacca

Dutch (translation pending)

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From sourceCHDH

Gawri Madhai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageDulampor

DestinationSuriname

Letter homeDigitised Calcutta letters — Sarnámihuis / CHDH

1912-09-17 00:00:00 · AG algemeen → DC algemeen

INV. 0477 0477.0061 Immigratie Departement No. 1066/V Paramaribo, 17 September 1912 Bijlagen Ik heb de eer UEdelGestrenge te verzoeken aan de hieronder te noemen B…

Dutch (translation pending)

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From sourceCHDH

Ori Lauton

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillagePirthipal Girant

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Dhani Mohabir

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageThukoripur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Baboo Bhagon

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipMutlah

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageMohadeo

DestinationSuriname

Letter homeDigitised Calcutta letters — Sarnámihuis / CHDH

1912-09-17 00:00:00 · AG algemeen → DC algemeen

INV. 0477 0477.0061 Immigratie Departement No. 1066/V Paramaribo, 17 September 1912 Bijlagen Ik heb de eer UEdelGestrenge te verzoeken aan de hieronder te noemen B…

Dutch (translation pending)

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From sourceCHDH

Ramdin Gurai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels schip "Sutlej"

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageBarakpur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Khidoi Sattan

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels schip "Sutlej"

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageTewaripur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Kali Din Bhagwana

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels schip "Sutlej"

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageTewaripur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Pancho Tittar

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels schip "Sutlej"

Year1909

OriginGonda

VillageAudhiari

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Nirho Algo Moharah

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageNaonoi

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Sadal Bahti

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageSaraia

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Sadal Mangee Kori

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageSaraia

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Saheb Chhitu

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageKonkotwa

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Manger Dasai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageSohili

DestinationSuriname

Letters home (2)Digitised Calcutta letters — Sarnámihuis / CHDH

1908-11-07 00:00:00 · AG algemeen → Administrateur van Financiën

INV. 0053 0053.0030 Paramaribo, 7 november 1908 No. 1051 Met f. 93 Ik heb de eer UHEGestrenge te verzoeken mij voor het equivalent in Ponden sterling van bijgaand bedrag…

INV. 0053 0053.0030 Paramaribo, 7 november 1908 No. 1051 Met f. 93 Ik heb de eer UHEGestrenge te verzoeken mij voor het equivalent in Ponden sterling van bijgaand bedrag van drie en negentig gulden (f. 93) te willen doen toekomen een order op onzen Emigratie Agent te Calcutta, zijnde de remises van: Mulia no.47/X aan haar zoon Sukhnandun f.15 Dasai no.1003/Kk ,, zijn vader Mangray 40 Gajadin no.1006/Kk ,, ,, broeder Sitaram 10 Basant no.1007/Kk ,, ,, vrouw Ramjhari 12 Bhowannibhik no.441/Y ,, Khemraj Shrikrishnadan 6 De AG Administration van Financien Beheerder v/h Immigratie fonds

Dutch (translation pending)

AG algemeen → EA

Remittance of Shewnarain no 494 ex British Peer £ 4 -3 -4 =fl 50 to LachmonTewary ( vide your letter no 421/18 of 7 may 1908) the remittance requests the money to be refunded to kn…

Remittance of Shewnarain no 494 ex British Peer £ 4 -3 -4 =fl 50 to LachmonTewary ( vide your letter no 421/18 of 7 may 1908) the remittance requests the money to be refunded to know, if the remittance has not been ........Enclosed I beg to hand you an order of the director of the imm fund for £ 7 -15 -0 =fl 93 dated 7th inst no 107/20, being the remittance of1 Nulia no 602 ex Erne III, £ 1 -5 -0 = fl 15 to his sons Sukhnandan and Deonandan Kurmi, both residing in:Zillah: benaresThana: ChoubeyporeGawn: Umarahan2. Dasai no 135 ex Ganges , £ 3 -6 -8 =fl 40, to father Mangray- Kori or by absence to his brother Ramai – Kori, residing in:Zillah: GondaThana: SrinagarGawn: Sohili3. Gayadin no 1 ex ganges £ 1 -13-4 =fl 20 to his brother Sitaram, or his mother Yangavai

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From sourceCHDH

Manger Bansi

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageSohili

DestinationSuriname

Letter homeDigitised Calcutta letters — Sarnámihuis / CHDH

1912-10-04 00:00:00 · AG algemeen → Administrateur van Financiën

INV. 0476 0476.0002 Immigratie-Departement No. 1133/V Paramaribo, 4 October 1912 Bijlagen f.431.- Ik heb de eer UHoogEdelGestrenge te verzoeken mij voor het equiv…

INV. 0476 0476.0002 Immigratie-Departement No. 1133/V Paramaribo, 4 October 1912 Bijlagen f.431.- Ik heb de eer UHoogEdelGestrenge te verzoeken mij voor het equivalent in Ponden Sterling van bijgaand bedrag van vier honderd een en dertig gulden (f.431.-) te doen toekomen een order op onzen Emigratie Agent te Calcutta, zijnde remises van de navolgende Britsch-Indische immigranten, tw. 1º Chirkut no.877/Jj aan zijn broer Sukai f. 40.- 2º Shubrati no.377/Aa aan zijn zoon Gurahu ,, 25.- 3º Bhaggan no.5/P aan zijn peet Bibekpati ,,150.- 4º Mahabir no.1751/Kk aan zijn zoon Cheddie ,, 40.- 5º Mataw no.636/Ll aan zijn broer Badlu ,, 21.- 6º Bhagwandass no.149/Kk aan zijn vader Chorai ,, 25.- 7º Bansi no.1004/Kk aan zijn vader Mangere ,, 44.- 8º Gajadhar no.386/Ll aan zijn vader Mahabir ,, 40.- 9º Udit no.135/X aan zijn moeder Jithana ,, 14.- 10º Kalpu no.277/Kk aan zijn vader Gulzar ,, 12.- 11º Dharma no.278/Kk aan haar vader Ramdin ,, 10.- 12º Gopal no.1254/Ll aan zijn zoon Gudun ,, 10.- --------- Totaal f.431.- --------- De Agent-Generaal Aan Den Heer Administrateur van Financien, Beheerder van het Immigratiefonds

Dutch (translation pending)

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From sourceCHDH

Bansi Gogai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageUttari

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Rahim Bux Sarjoo

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageTekri

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Rahimbux Ghafur

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageTekri

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Laltasingh Kariasingh

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageMathania

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Mangal Bhukhal

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageKhurdwa

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Ramnarain Bahadur

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageBelwakaramdik

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Usai Ujjari

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageBichuranj

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Panchoo Surajbali

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageLawnagar

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Khushial Ramai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageTendwa

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Jagan Behari

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageParsa

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

...... Mohadai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageHathiagadh

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Chinku Somai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageHathiagadh

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Nidhan Jagwanta

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageHanomanpur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Ramnath Asray

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageHanomanpur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Adhin Mohadai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillagePipra

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Murao Khan Imam Ali

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipGanges

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageDarampur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Ramlotan Ramautar

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillagePipra

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Ramdhan Ramhala

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageGodekna

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Hardin Dharamdai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageTilakrawpur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

..... Manradi

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageBudyanager

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Mitho Besai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageDesnapur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

Gurdin Hardai

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageDesnapur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

..... Ra...

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageDesnapur

DestinationSuriname

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From sourceCHDH

B..ndie Rajwanti

Listed in the CHDH_SURINAME archive.

ShipEngels SS. Indus III

Year1908

OriginGonda

VillageDesnapur

DestinationSuriname

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Or add a village, ship, or year filter to narrow further

Understanding Tamil Indenture Records (1834-1920)

What Are Tamil Indenture Records?

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.

Major Destinations for Tamil Migrants

Mauritius (1834-1910)

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.

Fiji (1879-1916)

12,000+ recordsvia Girmitiya Madras

Tamil migrants from Madras Presidency. "Girmitiya" (from English "agreement") refers to indentured laborers. Voyage: 8-10 weeks via Colombo.

South Africa – Natal (1860-1911)

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.

United Kingdom — passenger lists (1890-1960)

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.

Suriname (1873-1916)

Archives in progress

Dutch Guiana plantations. Tamil migrants via British India. Ships departed Madras and Calcutta. Voyage: 8-10 weeks.

Origin Ports and Ship Routes

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).

Notable Ships in Tamil Indenture Migration

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.

What Information Do Indenture Records Contain?

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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Historical Context

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