[1][2] Born in Jaffna, his was the son of Karthigeyan Kadirgamar an interpreter Maudaliyar who became the first Ceylonese Registrar General of the Supreme Court.
[1] Samuel Kadirgamar came to Colombo and was educated at St. Thomas' College, Mutwal.
He became a proctor and formed the law firm Kadirgamar and Wilson.
He was appointed as a Justice of the Peace and an Unofficial magistrate.
Their sons were S.J.C.Kadirgamar Jr., QC who became an eminent lawyer in commercial law; Rear Admiral Rajan Kadiragamar, who became the head of the Royal Ceylon Navy; Major Selvanathan "Bai" Kadirgamar, who served as the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General (DAQMG) of the Ceylon Army; Thirumalan "Mana" Kadirgamar a planter who died in a motor accident very young and the youngest was Lakshman Kadirgamar, PC, who became the Minister of Foreign Affairs.