Chapter 3: Who were the People that Came to Singapore in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries?

Question 1

What is a ‘census’?

Answer 1

A census refers to an official survey or count.

Question 2

What is a ‘population census’?

Answer 2

A population census refers to an official survey or count that gives us the official count of a given population.

Question 3

When did the British government first begin to conduct a census of their country?

Answer 3

From 1801.

Question 4

When did the British government formally extend this practice of conducting a census to its colonies?

Answer 4

1840s.

Question 5

How did the conduct of a population census in Singapore help the British?

Answer 5

It helped the British to govern / rule Singapore by providing the British with a better understanding of the people under their control. They could then administer / rule the colony and keep law and order more effectively.

Question 6

Who were the different groups of people in Singapore?

Answer 6

1. Europeans and Americans
2. Eurasians
3. Chinese (of various dialects such as Cantonese, Hokkiens, Hylams (Hainanese), Khehs (Hakkas), Straits-born Chinese (Chinese Peranakans), Teochews
4. Native Groups of the Malay Archipelago, e.g. Achehnese, Bugis, Dayaks, Malays, etc.
5. Native groups of the Colonial Territories of British India (e.g. Bengalis, Parsees, Tamils)
6. Other groups, e.g. Africans, Arabs, Armenians, Burmese, Japanese, Jews, Persians (present day Iranians), Siamese (present day Thais), Sinhalese (present-day Sri Lankans).

Question 7

Name some of the places the immigrants who came to Singapore were from.

Answer 7

Europe, Arabia, India, China, Malay Archipelago

Question 8

Were the immigrants who came to Singapore from Southeast Asia only?

Answer 8

No, they came from different parts of the world.

Question 9

Who were most of the Europeans in Singapore?

Answer 9

British.

Question 10

Where were the other Europeans who emigrated to Singapore from?

Answer 10

Germany (Germans), Holland / The Netherlands (Dutch), Portugal (Portugese), France (French)

Question 11

Where did the Arabs who emigrated to Singapore mainly come from?

Answer 11

Hadhramaut / Southern parot of Arabia. Many came as traders.

Question 12

Where were most of the Indians who came to Singapore from?

Answer 12

1. South India, i.e. South Indian Tamils from Madras and Negapatam
2. Ceylon, i.e.Tamils and Sinhalese
3. North India, i.e. Punjabis and Sikhs from Punjab, Bengalis from Bengal, Gujeratis from Gujerat, Parsees from Bombay.

Question 13

Where were most of the Chinese from China from?

Answer 13

Southern provinces of China, i.e. Hokkiens came Fujian province; Cantonese, Teochews and Hakkas rom Guangdong province and the Hainanese from Hainan Island.

Question 14

Where were the Malays who came to Singapore from?

Answer 14

Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and the Celebes. The Javanese, Baweanese (from Bawean Island) and Bugis (from the Celebes) also came to Singapore.

Question 15

Name the groups of people who migrated from the Malay Archipelago to Singapore.

Answer 15

1. Malays
2. Eurasians
3. Straits-born Chinese (i.e. Chinese Peranakans)
4. Jawi Pekans (Jawi Peranakans)

Question 16

Who are the Eurasians?

Answer 16

People who descended from marriage between Asians and Portuguese, Dutch or British and were mostly from Melaka.

Question 17

Who are the Chinese Peranakans?

Answer 17

People of Chinese and Malay descent.

Question 18

Who are the Jawa Peranakans?

Answer 18

People of Indian-Muslim and Malay descent.