Question


  • There is a bunch of related surnames that exist in different forms in various parts of the country – all over North India, South Kanara district of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu. Perhaps more, if I do more research.
  • It is not immediately apparent that the surnames are derived from the same source. But once I mention it, it will sort of “pop out”.
  • The people bearing the surnames aren’t really related, nor do they think of themselves as belonging to the same caste.
  • But typically, they belong to the business class.
  • The surname comes from a Sanskrit word, meaning “merchant”
  • One of the North Indian surnames is also a generic Hindi word which sort of means merchant.

Give me the bunch of related surnames. Just giving me the North Indian or South Indian versions will not do. I need at least one of both.
Bonus points if you can give me the Sanskrit word also.

96 responses to “Question”

  1. Midnight

    Hello

    I have a friend whose surname is [[ Shah ]]
    He is [[ Gujarati ]]
    and [[ Jain ]]

    In perspective to the Hindu Caste System, where would he most probably fall into?
    Brahmin? or Kshatriya? etc.

    Much appreciated! [[:

  2. vijay vandayar

    As quoted by venashree vandayar on august 24th 2006 The vandayar Nickname is very popular in Tamil Nadu particularly in Thanjavur District.There are thousands of families having the same Nickname ‘Vandayar’ in and around Tamilnadu including my family.It is a belief that the Vandayar Families belong to same blood relation and hence they are all considered to be Brothers and Sisters.It is a pleasure to me to contact venashree vandayar for further discussion (through vandayartrust@sify.com).Awaiting earlier positive response.

  3. vijay vandayar

    As quoted by venashree vandayar on august 24th 2006 The vandayar Nickname is very popular in Tamil Nadu particularly in Thanjavur District.There are thousands of families having the same Nickname ‘Vandayar’ in and around Tamilnadu including my family.It is a belief that the Vandayar Families belong to same blood relation and hence they are all considered to be Brothers and Sisters.It is a pleasure to me to contact venashree vandayar for further discussion (through vandayartrust@sify.com). Awaiting earlier positive response.

  4. Randall

    I really want to know what caste system sirju belongs to and the information on it. someone please tell me

  5. mulakalapally

    hi can pls give me information about MULAKALAPALLY surname.Is it belongs to kamma caste or not.

  6. gouthaman

    to Lorna
    subramanian
    is the name of Lord Muruga – Hindu God -
    second son of Lord siva.

  7. Kumar

    woukd u like 2 tell the surname byla belongs 2 which caste , I am from hyderabad , andhrapradesh.This surname belongs 2 West godavari district of Narsapore mandal.Plz mail me as early as possible,Thanking u

  8. Vikram Balaraman

    I am interested in getting the list of house names (intiperullu) of the kammas. I am a kamma (House name- Pamulapurthy). Funny PV Narasimha Rao (Former PM) also shares the same family name though he is a brahmin. Any one with any info on tracing origins using house name pl contact me at vikramkbalaraman@yahoo.com

  9. trillu

    I want to know under which caste category does “Choppavarapu” surname will be listed – Is it under kamma or Kapu .

  10. prasuna

    which caste does the initial prabala belong to?

  11. sunitha

    i want to know the caste of my friend whose surname is saladallu
    pls let me know as soon as possible
    its urgent

  12. raman v

    I am from balija naidu community from Tamil nadu. Balija is also a trading community. Known as kapus in Andhra pradesh. Even though using family names is not in vogue in Tamil nadu. My family name is Mingalu. As any other family with this name exists anywhere?

  13. trillu

    Is this website still active ? No reply is being given for my question posted on March 6th, 2007 at 5:52 pm . Can any of you please give your opinion .

  14. dee

    hi where does vellalar stand for in the heirachy of casts pls? I think it may be south indian?? And what did my folks do back in the day??

    srimahal@hotmail.com

  15. devija

    can some please tell me…
    My surname is “DEVIJA”
    i just came through a guy in IIT delhi with the same surname
    he’s belongs to a schedule tribe in andhra pradesh
    can someone tell me how can i find if my surname is there in any caste in andhra pradesh which belongs to an ST category
    if yes which?
    do i also belong to ST???

  16. palash

    hey i would like to know about surname”SUYAL”….
    can ny1 throw sum light n dis one…..
    i am much more eager to know what caste do dese Suyals belong????

    plz help mi out!!!!

  17. swapna

    Hai this is swapna.challa.i belongs to kapu community.
    is there any body matching with this surname “challa”in kapu community. if matches plz mail to my mail address chunnyfriend@yahoo.com.
    I would like to know all the surnames of naidu’s plz mail the
    source address to consisting naidu’s surname all over andhrapradesh to my mail address chunnyfriend@yahoo.com

  18. swapna

    Hai this is swapna.challa.i belongs to kapu community.
    is there any body matching with this surname “challa”in kapu community. if matches plz mail to my mail address chunnyfriend@yahoo.com.
    I would like to know all the surnames of naidu’s plz mail the
    source address consisting naidu’s surname all over andhrapradesh to my mail address chunnyfriend@yahoo.com
    be proud to be naidu

  19. Gary Vandayar

    alive and kicking in South Africa!!

  20. hai

    how can we find whether a person is of kamma caste plz reply me its urgent

  21. Rajesh Kumar kunki

    Hi,
    I am Rajesh Kumar Kunki,28 years old Telugu ,male Indian from Andhra Pradesh,visiting Johannesberg,South Africa on 12th March,2008, I am bringing lot of sir names details with me of ancient telugu and other languages speaking Indian people who migrated from INdia as indentured labour.I am very much interested in family tree studies and Interested on Gandhiji’s historical places in South AFrica
    please email me at to_help_others@yahoo.co.in

  22. abhinav

    Can somebody tell me about surname ‘nallaseth’.
    Is this a parsi surname ?

  23. abhinav

    One intersting surname is ‘patel’. although we refer to patel as gujarati people(generally traders), Patel’s are also there in eastern UP who are ‘Kurmi’ by caste and very different from Gujarati Patel’s.

  24. Indi

    Chauhan -from Rajasthan, as in the (in)famous Prithviraj Chauhan, a Rajput King. So it’s a Kshatriya surname.
    desai -I know one Maharashtrian Desai, but they speak Gujrati also, and wasn’t our (Prime Minister) Morarjee desai from Gujrat? So maybe somewhere on the border? Just guessing.
    Randall – Sirju sounds more like a name, never heard of this surname.

    One interesting surname is RAO. Andhra, Karanataka, Maharshtra, Tamil Nadu and Kerala have all got Raos. In the North, Haryana also has Raos. Anywhere else???

  25. Reena Vandayar

    I’m Reena Vandayar and live in Kwa-Zulu Natal in South Africa. Please keep in contact.

  26. Sara

    Hi Thiru, Vandayars are from tamilnadu , they are one of the three branches of Thevar community. There are lot of vandayars living in Tanjore district and they are very powerful land lords.

  27. Balasubpramaniam Retnam

    Hi All Vandayars,
    Im from Malaysia, my fore fathers came from Tanjore, TamilNadu. Thats all i know about my family tree but its nice to know that Vandayars are striving well all over the world.
    Regards.

  28. ramakrishna

    iam telugu brahmin vedic velanadu gotra haridasa surname is nadella.but the correct spelling is nadella or not we donot know so we request you to kindly inform us the correct surname with spelling and where is the place loctated in andhra districts

  29. ramakrishna

    iam telugu brahmin vedic velanadu gotra haridasa surname is nadella but the correct spelling is nadella or not we donot know so we request you to kindly inform us the correct surname with spelling and where is the place located in andhra districts

  30. ramakrishna

    kindly inform us the correct spellingandplace and districts of nadella velanadu haridasa gotra

  31. ramakrishna

    iam telugu brahmin vedic velanadu gotra haridasa surname is nadella nathella or nandela but the correct spelling we donot know we now request to kindly inform us district place in andhrapradesh

  32. ramakrishna

    kindly intimate surname nadella vedic velanadu telugu brahmin gotra haridasa we now request you to kindly intimate us where is nadella place and district inandhrapradesh

  33. Srinivas

    please send surnames belongs Kapu cast in Andhra pradesh and Tamilnadu
    to my mail

  34. Sasi

    Can any one please give the complete list of Gothrams for Balija community? My husnabd’s gotram is Akshaya pala gothram. I am not sure if it sis correct or not. He does not know his family name as well. Please….. help me.

  35. Ramesh

    Look at the human being. Not the caste or surname These are outdated concepts. We have to destroy the caste system if we want to progress. Caste does not really help people except in getting married faster. But with today’s newspapers and websites, one can do better with an “intercaste” match. The end of the caste system is already in sight…..

  36. ambalavanan

    i am AMBALAVANAN MUKULATHOR/KALLAR/VANDAYAR
    from Mannargudi Tanjavur Dt Tamilnadu. THIRUMANGALAKOTTAI
    in orathanadu taluk is full of vandayars.Plese do communicate name of your kula theivm . name of your father grand father great grand father and native place for my research work.

  37. srinivas

    Hi swapna

    Did u have relatives in kapu/Balija naidu with surname KONKA

    If u know please send mail to konkasmail@yahoo.com

    With regards
    srinivas

  38. Padmanaban

    Moppanar.
    G. K. Mooppanar – TMC President and Pothis Mooppanar. Mooppanar sub caste in Parkkavakulam. Most of the peoples living in and around Thanjavour District. But now living all the part global. U can find more peoples in South Africa also.

  39. janie

    hey can u tell me if the surname “missani” belongs to scheduled caste or not

  40. SIVAKUMAR MOOPPANAR

    Mooppanar is one of the sub-caste
    in parkkavakulam , nathaman,malayaman,suruthiman . udayar,Mooppanar,nayanar they are parivallal generation . PARIVALLAL is one of the most femiliar king. G.K,Mooppanar,RAMASAMY UDAYAR,Late SIR.A.T.PANNEER SELVAM The femiliar persons from this community

  41. Chaithu

    Hi

    How can i find out caste of the persons with surnames? Can you help me?

  42. g.murugaiyan

    Hi Mr Ambalavanan / Reena Vandayar abd other Vandayars happy to contact u.I am G.Murugaiyan Vandayar my Father is V.Govindaraj Vandayar my Grand father is G.Vadivel Vandayar and my Great Grand father is Govindasamy Vandayar the great great grand father is Narana Vandayar, we belongs to Thanjavur District of Tamilnadu,India.We are from agriculture family, fore fathers are land lords.My son is M.Anucharan Vandayar doing MS in Sydney, Australia and Daughter is M.Aarnica Vandayar in Infosys,Chennai living in Chennai and am working in Food Corporation of India.
    The Vandayar surname in Kallar community is famous in southern districts of Tamilnadu perticularly in Thanjavur.Many of them are running educational institutions on public.interest. Many of them are in the politics, Ministers in state and Central level and serving to the Nation.Originally the Vandayars are blood relatives to The grate King Rajaraja Cholan barambara.good wishes please keep in touch /contact.

  43. A.Kothandapni

    Pattammol or Pattamma rishi gothram , is it avoilable in the list of gothrams related to the balija naidu cummunity? If so pl.furnish the details

  44. Nivi

    Hey I was just researching some background into my family name and the caste I belong etc cos I was curious… I was just wondering can the inti peru-malla belong to Kamma Naidus? Also what Gotram would that fall under? Whenever we go to temple my dad says Veikalla Gothram but Ive been googling it for ages but I dont seem to find any gotras remotely similar.. Would really appreciate if u could help! =) Thanks!

  45. ishika

    Hi i want to know last name errawalla belongs to which caste?????

  46. laxmi

    Hi i am agarwal(baniya). I have a friend having surname ‘shah’. can sombody please tell me in which caste he falls into. Is it brahmin or baniya??
    please help me??

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