John,
Further thoughts. You said above, "John was sent to Sri Lanka to learn the tea trade but her name would indicate this would be an unlikely place to find her." What records do you have for his presence in Ceylon? There is a mention of him in the HEI Co's China bureau, in the The Asiatic Journal in the 1820s.
Ceylon was a Portuguese colony until 1658, so it is plausible that Maria H.P. and John J met there. This would be consistent with her being the descendent of a local potentate and a Portuguese colonial administrator. And translating "Ceylonese" to "Spanish", given a Portuguese connection, could be the family's way of "regularising" her ancestry. Also, Spain and Portugal were a single country up to 1640.
All speculation but may offer some leads.
DN