Behind the Name: Indian Surnames

ABBASعبّاسArabic, Urdu
From the given name ABBAS.

ABBASIعبّاسیPersian, Urdu
From the given name ABBAS.

AHMADاحمدArabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name AHMAD.

AHMEDاحمدArabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name AHMAD.

ANANDआनंद, आनन्द, आनंद, ਆਨੰਦIndian, Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi
Means "happiness, bliss" in Sanskrit.

BACHCHANबच्चनIndian, 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).

BANDYOPADHYAYবন্দ্যোপাধ্যাযBengali
From the name of the village of Bandoghat combined with upadhaya "instructor, priest".

BANERJEEবন্দ্যোপাধ্যায, ব্যানার্জীBengali
Variant of BANDYOPADHYAY.

BHATTACHARYAभट्टाचार्य, ভট্টাচার্যBengali
From a Bengali title composed of the Sanskrit words भट्ट (bhatta) "scholar, lord" and आचार्य (acharya) "teacher".

CHAUDHARIचौधरी, ચૌધરીIndian, Marathi, Gujarati
Variant transcription of CHAUDHARY.

CHAUDHARYचौधरी, ચૌધરીIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
From a title meaning "holder of four", from Sanskrit चतुर् (chatur) meaning "four" and धुरीय (dhuriya) "bearing a burden".

CHAUDHRIचौधरीIndian, Hindi
Variant transcription of CHAUDHARY.

CHAUDHURIচৌধুরীBengali
Variant transcription of CHOWDHURY.

CHOUDHARYचौधरीIndian, Hindi, Marathi
Variant transcription of CHAUDHARY.

CHOUDHURYচৌধুরীBengali
Variant transcription of CHOWDHURY.

CHOWDHURYচৌধুরীBengali
Bengali form of CHAUDHARY.

DASदास, দাস, ଦାସBengali, Indian, Assamese, Odia, Hindi, Marathi
Means "servant, devotee" in Sanskrit.

D'CRUZIndian (Christian)
Variant of CRUZ more common among Christians from India.

D'CRUZEIndian (Christian)
Variant of CRUZ more common among Christians from India.

GADHAVIગઢવીIndian, Gujarati
Meaning unknown, related to the Charan caste of Gujarat.

GUPTAगुप्त, গুপ্তা, ગુપ્તા, ਗੁਪਤਾ, గుప్తాIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Telugu
Means "protected" in Sanskrit.

IYERஐயர்Tamil
Referred to a person belonging to the Iyer subcaste of the larger Brahmin caste. The Iyer subcaste is traditionally devoted to the God Vishnu.

JAINजैन, જૈનIndian, 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).

JOSHIजोशी, જોષીIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Nepali
From Sanskrit ज्योतिश (jyotisha) meaning "astronomer".

KAURਕੌਰIndian (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.

KORRAPATIIndian, Telugu
Locational surname, from an area called Korra or Korrapalem. In Telugu the word pati means "belongs to".

KULKARNIकुलकर्णीIndian, Marathi
Means "village clerk, revenue collector" in Marathi.

KUMARकुमार, কুমার, কুমাৰ, કુમાર, କୁମାର, ਕੁਮਾਰ, குமார், కుమార్, കുമാർ, ಕುಮಾರ್Indian, Hindi, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Odia, Malayalam, Tamil
Means "boy, prince" in Sanskrit.

MHASALKARम्हैसाळकरIndian, Marathi (Rare)
Derived from the name of the town of Mhasla in Maharashtra, India.

MISHRAमिश्रIndian, Hindi, Marathi
Means "mixed, mingled, honourable" in Sanskrit.

MISRAमिश्रIndian, Hindi
Variant transcription of MISHRA.

MOHAMMEDمحمّد, মুহাম্মদArabic, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name MUHAMMAD.

MUHAMMADمحمّد, মুহাম্মদArabic, Urdu, Bengali
Derived from the given name MUHAMMAD.

NAGARKARनगरकरIndian, Marathi
Derived from the name of the town of Nagar in Maharashtra, India.

NARANGनारंगIndian, Hindi
From the name of a town in Pakistan which was in undivided India.

NIBHANUPUDIనిభానుపూడిIndian, Telugu
From the name of a village in Andhra Pradesh, India.

PATELપટેલIndian, Gujarati
Means "landowner" in Gujarati.

PATILपाटीलIndian, Marathi
Means "village chief" in Marathi.

RAO (1)రావు, ರಾವ್Indian, Telugu, Kannada
From Sanskrit राज (raja) meaning "king".

SHARMAशर्मा, শর্মা, শৰ্মা, શર્મા, ਸ਼ਰਮਾ, சர்மா, శర్మ, ശർമ്മ, ಶರ್ಮಾIndian, Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, Nepali
Means "joy, shelter, comfort" in Sanskrit.

SHERAZIشیرازیUrdu
Urdu form of SHIRAZI.

SINGHसिंह, ਸਿੰਘHindi, Marathi, 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.

SULTANAسلطانہ, সুলতানাBengali, Urdu, Maltese
Bengali, Urdu and Maltese form of SULTAN.

TAMBOLIतांबोळीIndian, 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.

VEMULAKONDAవేములకొండIndian, Telugu
Indicated a person from the city of Vemula in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

ZAMANزمانArabic, Urdu
Derived from the given name ZAMAN.

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	Initial letter
	Source
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