Here are several key publications that every genealogist should be familiar with, as they prove to be immensely helpful to trace family ancestors.
The Ceylon Government Gazettes – Published from 1889 onwards was an official publication of the government of British Ceylon, which provided notifications of government appointments, proclamations, legislation, and other official documents, serving as a public journal of record for the island during the colonial period. These gazettes, now digitized by the National Digital Library, are freely accessible online here. Note that the Supplement to the Government Gazette contains lists of jurors from the country.
Ceylon Blue Books – Published from 1862 to 1938, contains statistics from various aspects of the country, as well as names of government officials from the period of British governance in Ceylon. Links to these books published in several years can be found here: 1866, 1868, 1869, 1871, 1877, 1892, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938.
Ceylon Periodicals – Published from the 1830s onwards, these periodicals took on many names. According to FIBIS, the Ceylon Calendar was published from 1814-1830. This was followed by the Ceylon Almanac and Compendium of Useful Information, published 1833-1839 and 1844-1850. Continued as Ceylon Calendar and Compendium of Useful Information 1840-1843 and Ceylon Almanac and Annual Register 1851-1862. These publications would typically contain a mixture of administrative directories, statistical data, civil and military establishment details, commercial information, holidays and well as local events. Links to these books published in several years can be found here: 1818, 1822, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1829, 1830, 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837, 1839, 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1854, 1855, 1856, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1866-1888, 1871-1872.
Ferguson’s Directory – A revered source from the 19th and 20th centuries, provided extensive information on Ceylon’s political and economic landscape, including listings of civil servants, European residents, and important events. Several of these directories can be found here.
Thacker’s Medical Directory – This directory provided detailed listings of medical practitioners and healthcare institutions across India, Burma, and Ceylon. Links to several of these books can be found here: 1915, 1937, 1939.
Morning Star newspaper – Founded in 1841, this bilingual Tamil-English newspaper in one of Sri Lanka’s oldest newspapers. It contains local as well as internation news. Links to these papers published in several years can be found here: 1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854.
Allen’s Indian Mail – Allen’s Indian Mail was a nineteenth-century newspaper that provided extensive coverage of news and official reports from India and several other Asian countries, including Ceylon. The FIBIS (Families in British India Society) organization has helpfully indexed the births, marriages, and deaths listed in this newspaper, which can be accessed here.
Twentieth Century Impressions Of Ceylon – Written by Arnold Wright and published in 1907, this book offers a detailed snapshot of Ceylon during the early 20th century. This work is rich in cultural, historical, and social details, capturing the essence of Ceylonese life and the island’s colonial context. It also includes details about notable Ceylonese who lived during this period. The book can be found here.
The Chieftains Of Ceylon – Written by J. C. Van Sanden and published 1936, this book offers a rich exploration of the influential leaders, chieftains and mudaliyars of Ceylon. The book can be found here.
LIST OF INSCRIPTIONS ON TOMBSTONES AND MONUMENTS IN CEYLON – Written by J. Penry Lewis and published in 1913, contains incriptions of tombstones from cemeteries all around Sri Lanka. The book can be found here.
