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Early Names of Chennai
September 7 , 2025
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- Madraspatnam was first mentioned in 1639 in a land grant by Venkatadri Nayak, referring to a port called Medraspatam.
- The grant was translated and recorded in H.D. Love’s book Vestiges of Old Madras as the site where the British arrived.
- In 1645, Raja Sriranga Raya of Chandragiri granted the British land around Madraspatnam and an area later called Narimedu.
- The fort built by the British was believed by the Raja to be named after him and referred to as “Zera Renga Rayapatam.”
- At this time, there was still no mention of Chennapatnam in official records or grants.
- H.D. Love surmised that Chennapatnam was the name of the land where Fort St. George came to be built.
- By 1673, Madraspatnam was described as an “Indian town with flat houses” located to the north of the fort.
- Chennapatnam was first recorded in 1646 in a donation by gunpowder maker Nagabattan to the Chennakesava Perumal Temple.
- The temple was located in Old Black Town, where the Madras High Court now stands.
- In 1648, Beri Thimmappa, who built the temple, also recorded its location as Chennapattanam.
- In 1672, a land grant by Neknam Khan under Golconda rule mentioned the “Fort and Town of Chinapatam” separate from Madrassapatam.
- The town began to include areas like Black Town along with the Fort under the Chinapatam name.
- In 1802, C.V. Boria, working with Col. Colin Mackenzie, found a Marathi manuscript detailing four areas of the city.
- The areas were named Madras Coopom, Chennaik Coopom, Arkoopom, and Maleput in that document.
- Madras Coopom was where the fort was built, and Chennaik Coopom became Muthialpet and Pagdalpet (George Town).
- Arkoopom was located near the mouth of the Cooum River, and Maleput was near the Salt Cotaurs area.
- This manuscript reversed earlier narratives by stating the fort was in Madras and the town was called Chennai.
- From then, Madras came to be seen as English and Chennai as Tamil, though some sources suggest the name could be Telugu.
- This version was later used to justify renaming the city from Madras to Chennai in official records.
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