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Generally By the period 1816-1820 there were more European women in India in the period 1816-1820. By 1820 it had become socially unacceptable for any officer or official to marry an Indian.
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This definition is a constitutional one and makes no reference to female ancestry. It has been argued as being somewhat limited and it is not unusual for those with such European descent lying in the female line to regard their ancestress as Anglo Indian for genealogical purposes.
The term Anglo Indian meaning a person of mixed race heritage was used in the Schedules of the 1911 Census,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=DEAlCTxJowUC&pg=PA81 “Anglo-Indian”] page 81 ''People of India: Maharashtra, Part 1'' by B. V. Bhanu Google Books</ref> and from that time became the accepted term. Prior to that terms such as Eurasian, East-Indian, Indo-Briton, Country-Born, and 'Blue-skin' were used.<ref>Murphy, Sylvia . [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2010-03/1267951549 The East Indian Community near Vasai and Mumbai] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'', 7 March 2010. Retrieved 19 February 2015.</ref>
==Marriage==
The only way a British man could marry legally in India was for both bride and groom to be Christian, and to marry in a Christian church ceremony. In some cases a European groom became a Moslem, and married in a Moslem ceremony. However, in terms of British law, he was not considered to be married.
Prior to about 1815, there were many mixed race marriages between British soldiers and Indian, or Indo-Portuguese women. However the opinion in Britain was strongly against such mixed marriage, and a soldier with an Indian wife could not return to Britain with her.
Almost as bigger barrier to intermarriage was the Indian attitude. Any Hindu women who went with a British man lost caste immediately. She was cast out of her family and village. Consequently only those at the bottom of Indian society could ever see a British soldier as a advantageous marriage candidate.<ref>Balmer, Nick . [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/india/2008-03/1205053809 Anglo-Indians and the established churches] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 9 March 2008. Retrieved 19 February 2015.</ref> However, for those with financial resources, it appears that it may have been possible to regain caste, as one will specifies an amount "for the purpose of restoring to her her cast".<ref>Murphy, Sylvia. [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/india/2008-11/1226618472 Loss of Cast] ''Rootsweb India Mailing List'' 14 November 2008. Retrieved 26 December 2015.</ref>
== FIBIS Fact Files No 1 ==
