Districts of British India

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Colonial India
British Indian Empire
Imperial entities of India
Dutch India1605–1825
Danish India1620–1869
French India1668–1954
Portuguese India
(1505–1961)
Casa da Índia1434–1833
Portuguese East India Company1628–1633
British India
(1612–1947)
East India Company1612–1757
Company rule in India1757–1858
British Raj1858–1947
British rule in Burma1824–1948
Princely states1721–1949
Partition of India
1947

The districts of British India were key administrative units of the British Raj, or Indian Empire, serving as subdivisions of the provinces and divisions of British India.[1] These districts, often referred to as zillas in vernacular languages, played a crucial role in the governance and administration of British India, managing local affairs such as revenue collection, law enforcement, and public works. Most districts established during the British period became the foundation for modern districts of India and districts of Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947.

History[edit | edit source]

The district system in British India evolved from earlier administrative structures under the Mughal Empire, where regions were divided into sarkars and parganas.[2] The British East India Company, after gaining control over Bengal in the mid-18th century, began formalizing districts as administrative units to streamline governance and revenue collection.[3] By the early 19th century, districts were firmly established across British India, each headed by a district collector or magistrate responsible for local administration.

Districts were further grouped into divisions, which were overseen by commissioners, and these divisions were part of larger provinces.[4] This hierarchical structure allowed the British to maintain control over vast territories with diverse populations. The districts' boundaries and administrative functions evolved over time, reflecting changes in British policies and local needs.

Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British Crown assumed direct control over India, and the district system was further standardized.[5] By the early 20th century, districts were the primary units for local governance, with responsibilities including judicial administration, public health, education, and infrastructure development.[6]

At the time of the partition of India in 1947, most districts were reorganized into the newly independent nations of India and Pakistan, with some districts split along religious lines.[7] Today, the legacy of these districts continues in the administrative frameworks of both countries.

List of districts in British Toritary[edit | edit source]

Below is a list of districts in British India as of 1947, organized by province and division. This list includes only those districts that were active at the time of the partition of India.

Districts in the Assam province[edit | edit source]

Assam Valley division[edit | edit source]

Surma Valley and Hills division[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Baluchistan Province[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Bengal Presidency[edit | edit source]

The Bengal Presidency had 28 districts across five divisions at the time of partition.

Burdwan division (Chuchura)[edit | edit source]

Chittagong Division[edit | edit source]

Dacca division[edit | edit source]

Presidency division (Calcutta)[edit | edit source]

Rajshahi Division (Jalpaiguri)[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Bihar Province[edit | edit source]

Bhagalpur Division[edit | edit source]

Chota Nagpur division (Ranchi)[edit | edit source]

Patna division[edit | edit source]

Tirhut division (Muzaffarpur)[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Bombay Presidency[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Central Provinces and Berar[edit | edit source]

Berar division (Amraoti)[edit | edit source]

Chhattisgarh division (Raipur)[edit | edit source]

Jubbulpore division[edit | edit source]

Nagpur division[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Madras Presidency[edit | edit source]

Districts of North-West Frontier province[edit | edit source]

Districts of Orissa province[edit | edit source]

Districts of Punjab province[edit | edit source]

Ambala division[edit | edit source]

Jullundur division[edit | edit source]

Lahore division[edit | edit source]

Multan division[edit | edit source]

Rawalpindi division[edit | edit source]

Districts of Sind province[edit | edit source]

Districts of United Provinces[edit | edit source]

Agra division[edit | edit source]

Allahabad division[edit | edit source]

Benares division[edit | edit source]

Faizabad division[edit | edit source]

Gorakhpur division[edit | edit source]

Jhansi division[edit | edit source]

Kumaon division (Nainital)[edit | edit source]

Lucknow division[edit | edit source]

Meerut division[edit | edit source]

Rohilkhand division (Bareilly)[edit | edit source]

Other districts[edit | edit source]

List of districts in Princely state[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Gwalior State[edit | edit source]

Gwalior Division[edit | edit source]

Malwa Division[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Hyderabad State[edit | edit source]

Aurangabad division[edit | edit source]

Gulbarga division[edit | edit source]

Gulshanabad division (Medak)[edit | edit source]

Warangal division[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Jammu and Kashmir State[edit | edit source]

Jammu division[edit | edit source]

Districts[edit | edit source]

Jagirs

Kashmir Division[edit | edit source]

Frontier Division[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Indore State[edit | edit source]

Malwa division[edit | edit source]

Nimar Division[edit | edit source]

Districts in the Mysore State[edit | edit source]

Former districts of British Toritary[edit | edit source]

The following districts were active at various points during British rule but were dissolved or reorganized before 1947:

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Imperial Gazetteer of India. Published under the authority of His Majesty's Secretary of State for India in Council. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907-1909.
  2. ↑ Chaudhuri, B. B. (2008). Peasant History of Late Pre-Colonial and Colonial India. Pearson Education India. pp. 45–50. ISBN 978-8131716885.
  3. ↑ Metcalf, Barbara D. (2006). A Concise History of Modern India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 56–60. ISBN 978-0521682251.
  4. ↑ Imperial Gazetteer of India, vol. V, 1908.
  5. ↑ Cohn, Bernard S. (1996). Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge: The British in India. Princeton University Press. pp. 100–105. ISBN 978-0691000435.
  6. ↑ Bayly, C. A. (1988). Indian Society and the Making of the British Empire. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120–125. ISBN 978-0521386500.
  7. ↑ Talbot, Ian (2006). Divided Cities: Partition and Its Aftermath in Lahore and Amritsar, 1947-1957. Oxford University Press. pp. 15–20. ISBN 978-0195472264.

External links[edit | edit source]

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