Origin of the District:
On acquisition from the Nawab of Arcot in 1801, the Britishnamed it as Tinnevelly district though their headquarters was first located in Palayamkottai the adjacent town, where they had their military headquarters during their operations against the Palayakars. Two reasons may be attributed for naming it after Tirunelveli. One is because, it was and is the chief town of the district and the other is that it was already called Tirunelveli Seemai under the Nayaks and Nawabs. Both Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai grew as the twin towns of the district.
Geographical Location:
The Tirunelveli District is located in the world map, between 8o8‟ and 9o23‟ latitude and 77o09‟ and 77o54‟ longitude. The total geographical area of the district is 6,823 sq.km. The district is surrounded by the State of Kerala, Gulf of Mannar and the districts of Virudhunagar, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari.
Administrative Setup of Tirunelveli District:
The district administration is headed by