Find your matricule number, ship, and plantation (Guadeloupe)

Family in Guadeloupe with Tamil/Indian roots? Even a partial ancestor name, or just an approximate arrival decade in the engagisme era (1854–1889), is enough to start — pick any ONE anchor from the list below.

French transliterations distort Tamil names — TamizhConnect helps you search variants quickly and save the evidence.

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Search is private. We don't publish names. Create an account only if you want to save results.

Search is private. We don't publish names. Your saved matches appear in your family workspace.

Start with any ONE:

immigrant/indenture number
estate/plantation
ship name OR approximate year
depot number / emigration pass
ancestor + father's name

Private by default
No DNA kits
Evidence-first notes

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What you need (and what helps)

Name variants (French transliterations differ from Tamil originals)
Father’s name (nom du père)
Matricule or registration number (if known)
Ship name (navire) or arrival year
Habitation or plantation name
Place of origin (lieu d’origine)

Example searches (copy/paste)

guadeloupe engages registre recherche

navire engages guadeloupe 1860

habitation indenture guadeloupe

Pondicherry to Guadeloupe ship list

guadeloupe matricule engagé lookup

plantation records guadeloupe indian

Glossary (rank + reduce confusion)

Engagé / engagés (indentured labourer)Engagisme (indenture system)Matricule (registration number)Habitation / plantationNavire (ship)Dépôt de départ (departure depot)Pondichéry (major origin port)Lieu d’origine (place of origin)Contrat d’engagement (indenture contract)Retour (return passage)Réengagement (re-indenture)

What you can prove vs guess

Can usually confirm

Name variants, parent name, matricule number, ship, departure/arrival window, and plantation assignment.

Often unclear without extra sources

Exact village in India, extended family connections, and French-transliterated names that need cross-checks.

Not proof by itself

Family stories without a matching register entry.

FAQ

What is engagisme?

The French term for the indenture system. Workers were called ‘engagés’ rather than ‘indentured labourers’.

Do I need a matricule number to start?

No. Names, ship/year, or plantation names can still surface likely records.

Are Guadeloupe records similar to Martinique and Reunion?

Yes. All three used the French engagisme system. The vocabulary and record structure are very similar, but each island has distinct registers.

Why are Tamil names so different in French records?

French clerks transliterated Tamil names phonetically, often with heavy distortion. Try multiple variants.

Is the search private?

Yes. Searches are private by default.

How do I save a record?

Create a free account to save records and attach evidence later.

Family group

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You don't need a full name or exact dates. A village, a common surname, a ship name, or even a rough year all work — the search returns near-matches and lets you rank them. If you only know one detail, start with that; more clues can be added later.

Whatever you find stays private to you. Pinning an ancestor, saving a record, or building your family tree is visible only to your account. Sharing a record with a relative or contributing to the community pool is always a separate, explicit step — and revocable.

Ready to search?

Try the free search first, then decide if you want to save matches.

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