Welcome to the FIBIS database website!

Attention FIBIS members - You no longer need to log into this website as members' only material has been moved to the main website (https://www.fibis.org/) to avoid the need to log into two different websites. It can be found under the members area tab on the main menu. 

Search our database of nearly 2 million names!

The data presented here have been contributed by a number of hardworking and enthusiastic individuals and a small army of FIBIS Volunteers.  The data are very largely taken from sources within the British Library's India Office Records Section (IOR) to whom thanks are also due for authority to publish them here.

It is a firm FIBIS policy that these data be provided free to all-comers and we hope that they prove to be of significant help in your research. A small number of files relate directly to members. These, plus other data provided by some members on the understanding that that they are made available to fellow members only, are only accessible on the main website https://www.fibis.org/

Newspapers, periodicals and directories

	Newspapers and Periodicals
	Allens Indian Mail (births, marriages and deaths)
	Asiatic Annual Register (births, marriages and deaths)
	Asiatic Mirror and Commercial Advertiser (Miscellaneous)
	Benares Recorder (births, marriages and deaths)
	Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce (births, marriages and deaths)
	Calcutta Annual Register 1821 (births, marriages and deaths)
	Calcutta Newpapers 1793 (Miscellaneous)
	Gentlemans Magazine (deaths and marriages)
	Hicky’s Bengal Gazette (Miscellaneous)
	Journal of the Families In British India Society (Members only access)
	Madras Courier (Miscellaneous)
	Madras Mail (births, marriages and deaths)
	Parbury's Oriental Herald & Colonial Intelligencer (births, marriages and deaths)
	South African Commercial Advertiser (christenings, marriages and deaths)
	Stirling Observer 1857 (Escapees from the Mutiny 1857)
	Suffolk Regimental Gazette (births, marriages, deaths, promotions, awards and sporting events)
	The Bangalore Spectator (Candidates for Examination in Bangalore Schools in 1894)
	The European Magazine and London Review (Bengal Army list and births, marriages and deaths)
	The London Gazette (Insolvencies)
	TheTimes of India
	births marriages and deaths arrival and departure notices
	The Times of London (deaths)
	The World 1794  (Miscellaneous)
	Welsh publications(births, marriages and deaths)

Directories are also a good source to find births, marriages and deaths and also arrival and departure notices. Our volunteers have transcribed and indexed many of these.

Fibiwiki articles

• Newspapers - article with advice on how to use newspapers in your research and lists various other sources of newspapers useful in British India research.

• Passenger lists - article with advice on using passengers lists in your research and where to find them.

• Directories online- article detailing what historical directories can be found online.

• Findmypast - article explaining what India Office Records can be found on Findmypast.

How To Start
Try a Quick Search to quickly find a person, or for a more in depth search with a better chance of getting good results click on the search link.

Looking for a Ship or Regiment?
Then try a dataset search and choose from the drop down list

Want to see how your ancestors lived?
Try browsing our photo library or search though the thumbnails

Please Note
Every reasonable effort has been made to check the accuracy of the transcriptions. However, in view of the very large number of entries, it is possible that a few errors will have crept in. If so, we regret this but can accept no responsibility for any distraction that this may introduce. The records are nearly all provided with the IOR Catalogue Numbers and, where possible the LDS microfilm numbers, to enable your cross-checking, which is recommended.