Enrollment options
Course image Research: British India Ancestors
Intermediate Electives
Course Summary:
Optional Print Course Material: Research: British India Ancestors
*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.
This course gives an introduction to researching ancestors in India, during the time of British involvement and rule. The course focuses mainly on British ancestors, but includes records that are relevant to other Europeans in India, as well as Anglo-Indians.
In this course, the author will use primary and secondary material to demonstrate how to research ancestors in British India in depth.
Course Length: 7 weeks
Contact Hours: 18
Grading Scale: 70% Tests/30% Assignments
Course Length: 7 weeks
Course Content
MODULE 1
HISTORY OF THE BRITISH IN INDIA
East India Company & Beginnings of British Involvement in India
1857 Indian Mutiny
India Office Records & direct rule from Britain
Rise of Indian nationalism
1947 Independence
Life (and records) from 1948
MODULE 2
MAPS & PLACE NAMES
Changing Borders of ‘British India’
Princely States & other areas beyond direct British control
Variants in spelling & place name changes
Travel to & from India: changes over time
Suez Canal
Passenger Lists
Ship Records
MODULE 3
VITAL EVENTS, CHURCH RECORDS & PROBATE
Online Indexes
Digital Books
Church records (Anglican & non-Anglican)
Civil registration
Christianity in India
Schools & orphanages
Cemeteries
Probate
Probate in India
Probate pre-1727
Probate in the UK
MODULE 4
ARMED FORCES & MERCHANT SEAMAN
East India Company’s Armies
Indian Army
British Army
Indian Navy & Royal Indian Marine/Navy
British Merchant Seamen
Royal Navy
Royal Indian Air Force & Royal Air Force in India
Chaplains, Medical Service (and Subordinate), Veterinary Corps & Bandsmen
Indian Army Nursing Services & Women’s Auxiliary Corps
MODULE 5
OCCUPATIONS
Main occupations of the British in India (outside of the armed forces)
Civil servants: covenanted & uncovenanted (EIC)
India Office & Burma Office
Trade: tea, jute, coffee and other products
Tea Trade
Railways
MODULE 6
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
Memoirs, letters & diaries online & in collections around the world
Directories: what exists and what exists online
Newspapers and online databases
Family papers
Other published sources & how to access them
USEFUL ADDRESSES
Archives in the UK
Archives in India
ONLINE INDEXES
General UK Genealogy
British India
TIMELINES
Governors & Viceroys of India
Governors-General of India (1773-1858)
Viceroys of India (1858-1947)
MODULE 1
HISTORY OF THE BRITISH IN INDIA
East India Company & Beginnings of British Involvement in India
1857 Indian Mutiny
India Office Records & direct rule from Britain
Rise of Indian nationalism
1947 Independence
Life (and records) from 1948
MODULE 2
MAPS & PLACE NAMES
Changing Borders of ‘British India’
Princely States & other areas beyond direct British control
Variants in spelling & place name changes
Travel to & from India: changes over time
Suez Canal
Passenger Lists
Ship Records
MODULE 3
VITAL EVENTS, CHURCH RECORDS & PROBATE
Online Indexes
Digital Books
Church records (Anglican & non-Anglican)
Civil registration
Christianity in India
Schools & orphanages
Cemeteries
Probate
Probate in India
Probate pre-1727
Probate in the UK
MODULE 4
ARMED FORCES & MERCHANT SEAMAN
East India Company’s Armies
Indian Army
British Army
Indian Navy & Royal Indian Marine/Navy
British Merchant Seamen
Royal Navy
Royal Indian Air Force & Royal Air Force in India
Chaplains, Medical Service (and Subordinate), Veterinary Corps & Bandsmen
Indian Army Nursing Services & Women’s Auxiliary Corps
MODULE 5
OCCUPATIONS
Main occupations of the British in India (outside of the armed forces)
Civil servants: covenanted & uncovenanted (EIC)
India Office & Burma Office
Trade: tea, jute, coffee and other products
Tea Trade
Railways
MODULE 6
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
Memoirs, letters & diaries online & in collections around the world
Directories: what exists and what exists online
Newspapers and online databases
Family papers
Other published sources & how to access them
USEFUL ADDRESSES
Archives in the UK
Archives in India
ONLINE INDEXES
General UK Genealogy
British India
TIMELINES
Governors & Viceroys of India
Governors-General of India (1773-1858)
Viceroys of India (1858-1947)