Armenian

Introduction

The Armenians came to India as traders, and established settlements in most major cities in India. Job Charnock allegedly invited the Armenians to Calcutta at the time of is founding in 1689. There was a large Armenian community in Calcutta.

Most Armenians were members of the Armenian Church, an ancient Christian denomination in the Orthodox tradition (i.e. the Church never recognised the authority of Rome). In Madras, St Mary's Armenian Church was located at 2/A Armenian Street, South Black Town (this area is now called Georgetown). The building still exists. It is not to be confused with St Mary's of the Angels Co-Cathedral at 64 Armenian Street, Georgetown, which is a Roman Catholic church and is very much functioning today.

In Calcutta, the Armenian Church of of St Nazareth was erected in 1724 at No.1 Armenian Street. The church still exists although the community is now quite small, possibly only numbering about 400 people.

The LDS has microfilmed records of the Armenian Apostolic Church. These include:

Calcutta 1793-1982 Microfilm #136031

Bombay 1917-1978 Microfilm #329692

Madras 1829-1908 Microfilm #90588

Tangra 1793-1979 Microfilm #273760

Dacca 1831-1981 Microfilm #86501

Rangoon 1857-1980 Microfilm #81844

Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy (Calcutta) Register of admissions and withdrawals, 1892-1979 Microfilm #136076

Common Armenian surnames are Aratoon (or Arrathoon), Avakian, Paul, Anthony, Apcar and Carapiet. Armenian surnames are usually handed down in the same manner as European surnames, but in the past the father's forename has been used as a surname.

Books

• Armenians in India by Mesrovb Jacob Seth. Hardcover edition (1993). There appear to be many inaccuracies in the book, but it is the only one available to date. The book was originally published in Calcutta in 1937 by its author. It was reprinted in New Delhi in 1992 by Asian Educational Services of New Delhi who sell it for 895 rupees. They also have an office in Madras. In Europe it is available from Bay Foreign Language Services of Ashford, Kent, England.
• Armenian Settlements in India from the Earliest Times to the Present Day by Anne Basil (1969). Published in Calcutta. Out of print.
• The Wandering Armenians by Father Aramais Mirzaian (1980). Published in Sydney. Contains two short chapters on India. Out of print.
• Dr Omar Khalidi of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has published two articles on the Armenians of India:
  
  • "Armenian Diaspora in India: the Case of the Deccan" in Islamic Culture LXXI, no.2 (April 1997), pp.77-88
  • "The Amazing Abid of Hyderabad and Devon" in Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries (Autumn 1999), pp.161-168
• Respected Citizens: The History of Armenians in Singapore and Malaysia by Nadia H. Wright
  Publisher: Amassia Publishing Size: 245mm x 175mm Pages: 392 including 24pp of black/white plates plus index, bibliography Cover: softback gloss laminated colour ISBN 0-9751082-0-4 Price $44 (Australian) postage extra if applicable. This is the first published account of the Armenians from Persia who ventured to Malacca, Penang and finally Singapore from the 1800s. Detailing the dynamics of the larger community in Singapore, it also focusses on St Gregory's Church, Raffles Hotel the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid and the major Armenian commercial concerns. In particular, the true role of Ashkhen (Agnes) Joaquim in breeding Singapore's national flower is explained. The final section of the book outlines the principal Armenian families, following their fortunes and fate in this part of the world. Based on extensive research from newspapers, church, cemetery and official records, interviews with Armenians and their descendants, this book by Nadia Wright provides a documented, social history of this hitherto neglected minority. Many of the Armenians in Singapore and Malaysia came via India, having lived there, traded there or been educated there. Usually it was in India that their names were anglicised into British sounding names such as Chater, Edgar, Gregory, Jordan, Martin and Stephens.