| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 6,075 (2012 census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Province | |
| Western | 5,427 |
| Northern | 348 |
| Central | 193 |
| Languages | |
| Sinhala
English Tamil | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic and Anglican), Hinduism
Types Sinhala Chetties (Sri Lankan) English Chetties Tamil Chetties (Indian) | |
Sri Lankan Chetties (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා චෙට්ටි, romanized: Śrī laṁkā Ceṭṭi, Tamil: இலங்கை செட்டி, romanized: Ilaṅkai Ceṭṭi) also known as Colombo Chetties, are an ethnicity in the island of Sri Lanka.[1] Before 2001, they were known as the Sri Lankan Tamil ( ශ්රී ලංකා දෙමළ) caste, but then after 2001, they were classified as a separate ethnic group in the 2001 census.[2][3] They are now collectively referred to as the Colombo Chetties. They were said to have migrated from India under Portuguese rule and were given special rights and representation during colonial rule.[4]
In modern times, the Chetties have been assimilated into Sinhala society. Most Chetties grow in Sinhala backgrounds. Hetti is another term used in this context, referring to the present generation of Chetties who do not have any relation to India but are solely from Sri Lanka.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing 2011". www.statistics.gov.lk. Retrieved 2018-01-24.
- ^ Reeves, Peter (2014-03-07). The Encyclopedia of the Sri Lankan Diaspora. Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore: Editions Didier Millet. p. 27. ISBN 9789814260831.
- ^ Holt, John (2011-04-13). The Sri Lanka Reader: History, Cultured , Politics. Duke University Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0822349822.
- ^ Wickramasinghe, Nira (2015). Sri Lanka in the Modern Age: A History. Oxford University Press. pp. 165, 174, 274. ISBN 9780190225797.