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.

101 thoughts on “Question”

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

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

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

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

  12. 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. 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 .

  15. 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. 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. 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. 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

  21. 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

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

  26. 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. 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. 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. 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

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

  34. 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. 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. 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.

  38. 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.

  40. 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

  42. 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. 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. 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!

  46. 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??

  47. Where does Ramakrishna surname come from? Would someone please help me with a bit of info?
    I know a person of that surname living in Canada and who studied in Bengalore long time ago…but don’t understanf cast system and all that…so I just want to know about Ramakrishnas. Where does surname originate from, which part od India? Thanks for the reply! 🙂

  49. Hi Can anybody let me know one boy address whose name is B.Ramesh and stays at Ramnthapur, Hyderabad. His father is a retired bank mamager.

  50. this is jaykumar.s some one has mensioned that rajaraja cholan comes from vandayar sorry king rajarajan sir name is thevar

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