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British India
BMD Records
Perhaps you have an ancestor who worked in British India? Maybe they were employed by the British East India Company? If you’re looking for their BMD information, read on for your options...
British officers of the Indian Cavalry taken from The Armies Of India illustrated by Major A C Lovett.
British Government Returns (GRO Records)
People didn’t officially have to register BMDs with the British government, so few people bothered until the 1920s. However, it may be worth looking at the GRO indexes first. To find out how, look at
British Government Returns
(scroll down the page). You might find your ancestor in one of the indexes – perhaps in the GRO army indexes (if they were in the British army, but not the East India Company Army) or perhaps in the High Commission indexes. But don’t be disappointed if you don’t find your ancestor here – try the church returns.
Church Returns
The Church of England (and occasionally other churches) sent copies of their church registers to the India Office in London. These are known as the Ecclesiastical Returns, and contain an estimated 80% of BMDs that took place in among British people in India. They can be consulted for free at:
- The British Library in their Asia, Pacific & Africa section (formerly known as the OEIC). Click to find out more information about their
British India records.
If you visit, you can see microfilms of the BMD returns at no cost. You need a reading card, so take some ID - the British Library site gives you more information, so don't be turned away at the door!
- Your local LDS Family History Centre – you can order the indexes and the registers.
- Alternatively, you can hire a researcher. (If you’d like to hire me, just click on the Hire Me! button on the left hand toolbar.)
FIBIS Databases
Volunteers from the Families in British India Society (FIBIS) have transcribed loads of data – and it is all available for free. Just go to
their search engine,
and enter your ancestor’s surname. Don’t forget to browse the site, as it has lots of useful information, and annual membership is very reasonable. As well as lots of data from church records, it also has information from wills, bonds etc.
India List
The India List
is a helpful and friendly mailing list for people interested in tracing their British and European ancestors in British India. Search the archives first, as someone may have already asked the same question as you. You might even find someone already researching your family. It might be worth joining the list. And if you’re luckily, someone might offer to do a lookup for you.
Newspapers
The British Library Newspaper Archive
at Colindale has a large number of newspapers from British India. Other newspapers, such as The Times, may also be worth consulting. Just click on Newspapers on the sidebar for more information.
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