1694 CENSUS IN
JAFFNAPATNAM CITY AND CASTLE
H.E.A. de Vos to Nederveen Cappel
GENS NOSTRA 1978 ADDENDUM 41/48 PAGES 308-15.
ARA - Algemeen Rijks Archief, The Hague.
Original title:
"DIE DIENAREN VAN DE VOC TEELDEN IN CEYLON VELE
KINDEREN BY EUROPESE, MESTIESEN, CASTIESEN, TOEPASSEN, SWARTE, BANDANESE,
MALEISE EN SINGALESE VROUWEN"
"The VOC employees procreated numerous children with European, Mestiesen,
Castiesen, Toepassen, Black, Bandanese, Maleise and Singhalese women"
translation:
"In the ARA section of the VOC contain letters sent from the Far East to
Holland from 1614-1794. There are 2900 thick volumes. The register is in the
study hall. These letters contain a treasure of information for the
genealogist. The employees of the VOC sent yearly reports to the Administrators
concerning the census: Christians, orphans, elephants, produce and of course
the financial results. Of great importance is the census on families of Ceylon
in the years 1684, 1694 and 1696. The survey was done exact, noting the number
of people, men, women, ages of sons and daughters, if a parent lived in,
protegees, slaves and female slaves. These statistics are of great advantage
for genealogists as the baptism and marriage registration books of Jaffnapatnam
have disappeared completely and those of Colombo and Matara were initiated only
in 1743. However, the Galle books dating from 1677-1807, are in the Church and
the Dutch tourists are so happily thumbing through them, that in a couple of
years they will be totally unreadable. Soon afterward only the well-printed
"Klappers" of baptism and marriage of Colombo will survive.
An example of the house census of 1694 of Jaffanpatnam City and Fort follows.
In Jaffanapatnam were a total of 118 families consisting of 504 persons and 558
slaves. Among these were 100 employees of the VOC and 5 free citizens
"vrijburgers". Among the women, only 14 came from Holland, while for
the men the countries of origin were: Holland, Germany, France, Flanders,
Norway and Denmark. The "Citizens", those who left the service of the
VOC, earned their money from prooperty and/or ale houses. The widows of
non-European lineage earned their living with small profits from sewing, baking,
stocking knitting, spinning and moreover "from the poor" (alms box).
The "Castle", nowadays "Fort" is a beautiful example of a
Dutch star-shaped fortification. If the temperature was not 30ēC one would
imagine approaching the fortification of Naarden. One enters through a gate
dated 1680. The fort is completely intact with the Dutch Church built in 1706
with the orphanage and is still used as a fortification. In the church one can
still see tombstones with shields and engravings, the escutcheons and the pews
for the Commandant and the high and low commissioned employees of the VOC. The
Fort is on an area of 55 acres (22.5 ha) and in it there lived in 1694, five
hundred and eighty six (586) people."
Mesties = child of European and local born 1/2 white mother.
Casties = child of a Mesties (3/4 white).
Toepas = from Portuguese "topaz", a Christian halfblood of Portuguese
lineage.
Swarte = probably belonging to the Dravida's with darker skin color (red.).
notes
1. ARA received letters VOC Nr. 1285 families 1684, p 583 Galle, p 584/87 Negombo, p 579 Colombo, p 590
Jaffnapatnam, p 591/92 Manaer, p 593/94 Trinquenemale, p 595/96 Calpatyn,
597/601 Batticalou.
4 Dessave
= governor of a province with a large population of civilians, military and
court influence. Johannes C married 1st Maria Magnus, married 2nd in Colombo
Dec 21st, 1692, Elizabeth Sieling from Galle (Navorscher 1908, p 445)
5 Student, University of Utrecht 1676 Indus Paliacathenses SS
Theology candidate Margaretha Heck, baptized in Utrecht 3-3-1650, daughter of
Justinus and Aletta Adriaens van der Bilt.
6 Justina de Mey, baptized in
Amsterdam WK (Wester Kerk) 21-1-1674, daughter of nr. 5.
7 Not filled out.
8 Married in Colombo 13-3-1689 Maria
Dassonville (Navorscher 1905, p 168).
9 Isabella Tegens married Jurriaan
Cruse, sons Johannes baptized in Colombo 9-4-1676, Hendrik baptized 3-6-1677,
Floris baptized in Colombo 25-7-1680, Catharina baptized Colombo 14-1-1682
(Navorscher 1906, p 399).
10 Elisabeth Heck baptized in Utrecht
5-7-1659, sister of Margaretha Heck, Nr. 5.
11 Son of ensign VOC Johannes and
Magdalena Snevens, baptized in Colombo 15-11-1668, married 1st in Colombo
28-6-1690 Anna Moens, 2nd time Anna de Rees (Navorscher 1905, p 244)
12 In ARA Nr 1474A (census 1696) is
written HAQUET.
13 Simon Ferrera sergeant adigaar of
the seed diggers (zaaidelvers) married in Jaffna 23-8-1682, Louisa de Barros,
born Colombo 25-9-1667 died in Ponnerijn 1710, daughter of Paulus, vendah of
the elephants, from Portugal and Anthonia Leitoa. She remarried 1698 Thobias de
Klerk, born in Colombo (Navorscher 1899, p 84).
14 Has a son Gerrit Brinkman, baptized
in Colombo 5-1-1661 (Navorscher 1906, p 84).
15 Name and age not legible due to
damage to paper.
16 In 1696 is written
"schoolmaster at the Seminary"
17 In 1696 is written "local
schoolmaster"
18 Not filled out.
19 Philippus de Vries, baptized in
Amsterdam NK (Nieuwe Kerk) 17-2-1666, son of Johannes and Elisabeth Vallen
married Buiksloot 28-1-1688, (engagement Asd 21 Jan), Magdalena Bruynvis
baptized in Amsterdam OK (Oude Kerk) 28-8-1665 daughter of Bartel Jansz and
Anna de Starck.
20 Baptized Colombo 27-10-1669
daughter of Cornelis Strick, Dessave in Colombo and Abigael Ketelaer born in
Goes, married 1st time 6-5-1691 Francois Le Chasse from Ut (?), vicar, died in
Jaffnapatnam 7-5-1694, married 2nd time25-12-1695 Magnus Winkelman,
Headadministrator in Colombo, widow of Susanna Durhee (Navorscher 1900, p 239
and 1907, p 438).
21 Maria Alebos baptized in Colombo
8-4-1668, daughter of Claas Claasz and Annetje Hendriks Molenaar (Navorscher
1905, p 168).
22 In 1696 written behind his name:
Hardersleven" (?).
23 In 1696 is written Jan Sietenhoff.
24 Willem van Santen, baptized in
Amsterdam NK (Nieuwe Kerk) 28-3-1655, son of Willem Danielsz and Mayke Joosten.
Links
to 1694 Census Tables of Jaffnapatnam
posted to the Sri Lanka Genealogy Forum