[9] In the Yalpana Vaipava Malai composed during the Dutch colonial period, explains the etymology of the term Koviyar as deriving from Kovilar, meaning servants of the temple (Kovil).
The chronicle also speaks of a people of a "high caste" who due to poverty were sold off as slaves.
[12][4] The Vaiya Padal states that they were one of the castes who came from Tamil country in Southern India and were apparently herdsmen.
The political rise of the Vellalar under Dutch Ceylon, pushed the Koviyar along with the Pallar and Nalavar into slavery through the legalisation of the Thesavalamai law, who were a group initially bound to only serve the state as tenant farmers.
[14][15][16] They were after the abolishment of slavery considered as domestic servants or Kudimakkal for a section of dominant castes, and had the role as ceremony officiators.
Koviyar who were pushed to slavery by the Portuguese and oppressed during the Dutch, now saw a resurgence in the economical and socio-political arena.
[citation needed] The civil war and the Black July pogroms have retarded most of these gains and many have escaped the deprivations by seeking refugee status in India, Europe and North America.