Indian Surnames

Indian names are used in India and in Indian communities throughout the world. See also about Indian names.
usage
Abbas عبّاس Arabic, Urdu
From the given name Abbas.
Abbasi عبّاسی Persian, Urdu
From the given name Abbas.
Ahmad احمد, আহমদ, अहमद Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indian (Muslim)
Derived from the given name Ahmad.
Ahmed احمد, আহমেদ, अहमद Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Indian (Muslim)
Derived from the given name Ahmad.
Anand आनंद, आनन्द, ਆਨੰਦ Indian, Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi
Means "happiness, bliss" in Sanskrit.
Bachchan बच्चन Indian, Hindi
From Hindi बच्चा (bachcha) meaning "child", a word of Persian origin. This surname was adopted by the Indian poet Harivansh Rai Srivastava (1907-2003).
Bandyopadhyay বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায Bengali
From the name of the village of Bandoghat combined with upadhaya "instructor, priest".
Banerjee বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায, ব্যানার্জী Bengali
Variant of Bandyopadhyay.
Begam بیگم, बेगम, বেগম, ਬੇਗਮ Indian (Muslim), Bengali (Muslim), Urdu, Punjabi
Alternate transcription of Urdu بیگم, Bengali বেগম or Gurmukhi ਬੇਗਮ (see Begum).
Begum বেগম, बेगम, بیگم, ਬੇਗਮ Indian (Muslim), Bengali (Muslim), Urdu, Punjabi
From a title traditionally used as an honorific for Muslim women in India and other parts of southern Asia. It is derived from a feminine form of the Turkic title beg meaning "chieftain" (modern Turkish bey).
Bhattacharya ভট্টাচার্য, भट्टाचार्य Bengali
From a Bengali title composed of the Sanskrit words भट्ट (bhatta) meaning "scholar, lord" and आचार्य (acharya) meaning "teacher".
Chaudhari चौधरी, ચૌધરી Indian, Marathi, Gujarati
Alternate transcription of Marathi चौधरी or Gujarati ચૌધરી (see Chaudhary).
Chaudhary चौधरी, ચૌધરી Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
From a title meaning "holder of four", from Sanskrit चतुर् (chatur) meaning "four" and धुरीय (dhuriya) meaning "bearing a burden".
Chaudhri चौधरी Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi चौधरी (see Chaudhary).
Chaudhuri চৌধুরী Bengali
Alternate transcription of Bengali চৌধুরী (see Chowdhury).
Choudhary चौधरी Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Alternate transcription of Hindi/Marathi चौधरी (see Chaudhary).
Choudhury চৌধুরী Bengali
Alternate transcription of Bengali চৌধুরী (see Chowdhury).
Chowdhury চৌধুরী Bengali
Bengali form of Chaudhary.
Das দাস, ଦାସ, दास Bengali, Indian, Assamese, Odia, Hindi, Marathi
Means "servant, devotee" in Sanskrit.
D'Cruz Indian (Christian)
Variant of Cruz more common among Christians from India.
D'Cruze Indian (Christian)
Variant of Cruz more common among Christians from India.
Devi देवी, ਦੇਵੀ, দেবী, দেৱী, దేవి, தேவி, ദേവി, ଦେବୀ Indian, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Odia
From Sanskrit देवी (devi) meaning "goddess". It is used as a surname by Indian women who did not originally have a family name. This is the most common surname in several Indian states.
Gadhavi ગઢવી Indian, Gujarati
Meaning unknown, related to the Charan caste of Gujarat.
Gupta गुप्त, গুপ্তা, ગુપ્તા, ਗੁਪਤਾ, గుప్తా Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu
Means "protected" in Sanskrit.
Hassan حسّان Arabic, Persian, Urdu
From the given name Hassan.
Iyer ஐயர் Tamil
Referred to a person belonging to the Iyer subcaste of the larger Brahmin caste. The Iyer subcaste is traditionally devoted to the God Vishnu.
Jain जैन, જૈન Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati
Referred to a person who followed the principles of Jainism, a religion practiced in India. Jains are the followers of Lord Mahavira (599-527 BC).
Joshi जोशी, જોષી Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
From Sanskrit ज्योतिश (jyotisha) meaning "astronomer".
Kaur ਕੌਰ Indian (Sikh)
Means "princess", ultimately from Sanskrit कुमारी (kumari) meaning "girl". In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gave all his Sikh female followers the surname Kaur and all males Singh. In many instances, it is also used as a middle name with the family name serving as the surname.
Khan خان, খান Urdu, Pashto, Bengali
From a title meaning "king, ruler", probably of Mongolian origin but used in many languages.
Korrapati కొర్రపాటి Indian, Telugu
From an area called Korra or Korrapalem combined with Telugu పతి (pati) meaning "belongs to".
Kulkarni कुलकर्णी Indian, Marathi
Means "village clerk, revenue collector" in Marathi.
Kumar कुमार, కుమార్, ಕುಮಾರ್, ਕੁਮਾਰ, কুমার, কুমাৰ, કુમાર, କୁମାର, കുമാർ, குமார் Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Odia, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "boy, prince" in Sanskrit.
Mahmud মাহমুদ Arabic, Bengali
From the given name Mahmud.
Mhasalkar म्हैसाळकर Indian (Rare), Marathi (Rare)
Derived from the name of the town of Mhasla in Maharashtra, India.
Mishra मिश्र Indian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "mixed, mingled, honourable" in Sanskrit.
Misra मिश्र Indian, Hindi
Alternate transcription of Hindi मिश्र (see Mishra).
Mohammad محمّد, মুহাম্মদ Persian, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name Mohammad.
Mohammed محمّد, মুহাম্মদ Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name Muhammad.
Muhammad محمّد, মুহাম্মদ Arabic, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name Muhammad.
Nagarkar नगरकर Indian, Marathi
Derived from the name of the town of Nagar in Maharashtra, India.
Narang नारंग Indian, Hindi
From the name of a Pakistani town that was in undivided India.
Nibhanupudi నిభానుపూడి Indian, Telugu
From the name of a village in Andhra Pradesh, India.
Patel પટેલ Indian, Gujarati
Means "landowner" in Gujarati.
Patil पाटील Indian, Marathi
Means "village chief" in Marathi.
Rao 1 రావు, ರಾವ್ Indian, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit राज (raja) meaning "king".
Shah شاہ Persian, Urdu
Derived from Persian شاه (shah) meaning "king".
Sharma शर्मा, শর্মা, শৰ্মা, શર્મા, ਸ਼ਰਮਾ, శర్మ, ಶರ್ಮಾ, ശർമ്മ, சர்மா Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Means "joy, shelter, comfort" in Sanskrit.
Sherazi شیرازی Urdu
Urdu form of Shirazi.
Singh सिंह, ਸਿੰਘ Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Punjabi, Indian (Sikh)
From Sanskrit सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion". In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh gave all his Sikh male followers the surname Singh and all females Kaur. It is among the most common surnames in India.
Sultana সুলতানা, سلطانہ Bengali, Urdu, Maltese
Bengali, Urdu and Maltese form of Sultan.
Tamboli तांबोळी Indian, Marathi
From the Sanskrit word ताम्बूल (tambula) meaning "betel leaves". These leaves are used in rituals and worship, and the name was originally given to a person who grew or sold them.
Umar عمر Arabic, Urdu
From the given name Umar.
Vemulakonda వేములకొండ Indian, Telugu
Indicated a person from the city of Vemula in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Zaman زمان Arabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name Zaman.