Indian Submitted Surnames
Submitted names are contributed by users of this website. The accuracy of these name definitions cannot be guaranteed.
ADVANI Sindhi, IndianSindhi Hindu surname meaning "descendant of
Adu", most likely referring to the name of a past ancestor of the clan.
ALAM Bengali (Muslim), Indian (Muslim), Hindi, Pakistani, Urdu, Arabic, Indonesian, AfghaniMeans "flag, banner, emblem", derived from the Arabic علم
('alam).
ALVI Urdu, Bengali (Muslim), Indian (Muslim)Derived from Arabic علوي
(ʿalawiyy) meaning "pertaining to
Ali (1)". The Alvi are a Muslim clan from India and Pakistan claiming descent from Ali ibn Abi Talib (601-661), a cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic Prophet
Muhammad.
ANNE IndianIndian (Andhra Pradesh); pronounced as two syllables: Hindu name of unknown meaning.
ARADHYA Indian, SanskritMeans "one who worships god". Commonly seen in India, Karnataka and other parts of India like kashi. They wear holy thread (yagnopaveetha).
ARIGE TeluguThis name is famous surname in telugu states of South India.
ARORA Indian, Hindi, Punjabi, SindhiHindu and Sikh name derived from اروهڙ
(Aror), the name of the former capital of Sindh, India (now a part of Pakistan and known as Rohri). The name itself is derived from Hindi and Punjabi
Aur meaning "someone else", used by the past Aroras to escape persecution.
ASHIQ Pakistani, Punjabi, UrduFrom Arabic عَاشِق
(ʿāšiq) meaning "in love with, enamored, infatuated" or "admirer, lover, adorer", ultimately from عِشْق
(ʿišq) "being in love".
AZMAT UrduDerived from the Arabic عَظَمَة
(ʿaẓama) meaning "majesty, glory".
BALIJA Indian, TeluguIt is a Telugu name, denoting either "traders/merchants" or "agriculturists".
BANGLA BengaliFrom বাংলা
(Bangla), the endonym of the Bengali people, the region of Bengal (including Bangladesh), and the Bengali language. The word itself is derived either from
Vanga, the name of an ancient kingdom on the Indian subcontinent, or from an Austric word meaning "sun god".
BASUMATARY Indian, Bodo, AssameseFrom a Sanskritized form of the Bodo name बसुमातारी
(Baisamatari), which meant "mother earth" or "earthly folks". The name was originally used by landowners or landlords.
BAWA PunjabiSikh name based on the name of a Jat clan. It is also a title given to the male descendants of the first three Sikh gurus.
BHARUCHA Indian (Parsi)Refers to the city of Bharuch in Gujarat, India, which is thought to be derived from the name of a figure in Hindu mythology.
BOURASSA IndianSeems to be an Indian name. I am in touch with a relative whose family were Pottawatomi Indians in Oklahoma. This name comes from that reservation.
BULSARA Indian (Parsi)Indian Parsi surname derived from the name of the city of
Bulsar (today known as
Valsad) in Gujarat, which served as a centre for Zoroastrian culture in the 17th century. A notable bearer was British singer and songwriter Freddie Mercury (1946-1991), who was born as
Farrokh Bulsara.
BUTT Punjabi, UrduMost likely derived from Sanskrit भटट
(bhatt) meaning "scholar".
CHAKRABORTY Indian, Bengali, AssameseMeans "ruler of a country" or "emperor", from Sanskrit चक्र
(cakrá) meaning "wheel, circle" combined with वर्तते
(vártate) meaning "to turn, to roll". The name literally means "turning wheels" or "rolling wheels", but metaphorically denotes a ruler whose chariot's wheels roll without hindrance or obstruction.
CHANDIA PunjabiSurname rarely used in Pakistani Punjab. The origin of Chandia is Pali. Chandia is a variation of the name Chanda (English and Indian).
CHANDRASEKHAR IndianA Hindu name meaning literally "holder of the moon" (an epithet of the god Shiva). A notable bearer of this surname was the Indian-born US physicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (1910-1995); the Chandrasekhar limit, i.e. the upper limit for the mass of a white dwarf star beyond which the star collapses to a neutron star or a black hole, is named after him.
CHATTOPADHYAY BengaliFrom the name of the village of
Chaṭṭa combined with Sanskrit उपाध्याय
(upadhyaya) meaning "teacher, instructor, priest".
CHEEMA PunjabiMeaning unknown. This is the name of a Punjabi-speaking subclan of the Jat people found in India and Pakistan, with most members being either Muslim or Sikh.
CHOPRA Indian, Punjabi, Indian (Sikh), HindiMeaning unknown. This is the name of a Khatri Sikh Punjabi clan, but the surname is also used in Punjabi Hindus and Jains. A notable bearer is
Priyanka Chopra (1982-), an Indian actress and former Miss World of 2000.
CHOUREY Hindichourey surname basically belongs to kurmi caste
CHUCKLER Indian, TeluguTelugu occupational name for a leather worker, a job historically considered spiritually polluting and impure in India, where the surname belongs to
Dalit, or "Untouchables" - members of the lowest caste.
CONTRACTOR Indian (Parsi)Parsi occupational surname for a contractor, or someone who works on the basis of a contract. As the British rule of India demanded for all Parsees to adopt a surname, many adopted English vocabulary based on their occupation (i.e.
Engineer or
Merchant).
DESAI Indian, Marathi, GujaratiFrom Sanskrit देश
(deśá) meaning "province, country, kingdom" combined with स्वामिन्
(svāmin) meaning "lord, master, owner".
DEVI Indian, Hindi, Punjabi, Assamese, Telugu, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam, OdiaFrom Sanskrit देवी
(devī́) meaning "goddess, female deity" (see the given name
Devi). It is used as a surname by women who did not originally have a family name. In 2014, this was the second most common surname in the world and the most common in several Indian states.
DEWAN Indian, PakistaniStatus name for a treasurer or court official, from Arabic
diwan "royal court", "tribunal of justice", or "treasury". Under the Mughal administration in India the dewan was usually the highest official in a state.
DEY Indian, Bengali, Assamese, OdiaEither a variant or
Dev or
Deva meaning "deity, god" (from the Sanskrit देव
(devá)) or derived from the Sanskrit
deya meaning "suitable for a gift".
DHAR Indian, BengaliMost likely from Bengali ধার
(dhāra) meaning "credit"; ultimately from Sanskrit उद्धार
(uddhara) "deliverance, salvation, release".
DOSHI GujaratiHindu name meaning ‘hawker selling cloth’ in Gujarati, from Persian dush ‘shoulder’ + the agent suffix -i (because the cloth was carried over the hawker’s shoulder).
DWIVEDI IndianThis surname has multiple meanings, the most commonly accepted etymology is that Dwivedi means a person who has the knowledge of two Vedas, but there exists a conflicting view since Dwivedis are given higher status than Chaturvedis or Chaubeys...
[more] ENGINEER Indian (Parsi)Parsi name literally meaning "engineer", referring to someone who made machines or engines. As the British rule of India demanded for all Parsees to adopt a surname, many used English vocabulary based on their occupation.
GANDHI Indian, Marathi, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, TamilMeans "perfume seller", derived from Sanskrit गन्ध
(gandha) meaning "odour, fragrance, perfume". Notable bearers include Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948), an Indian civil rights and independence leader, and Indira Gandhi (1917-1984), the first female Prime Minister of India.
GANGOPADHYAY BengaliFrom the name of the Ganges River (also the name of a villge) combined with Sanskrit उपाध्याय
(upadhyaya) meaning "teacher, instructor, priest".
GANJOO Indian, Urdu, PersianGanjoo is a surname from Kashmiri Pandit clan . The original name was
Ganwar, meaning Person in charge of Treasury in Kings court. This name gradually changed to Ganjoo or
Ganju.
GHOSH Bengali, IndianMeans "cowherder" or "milkman" from Sanskrit गो
(gó) meaning "cow, cattle, ox".
GOEL IndianIndian (northern states): Hindu (Bania) and Jain name of unknown origin, based on the name of a clan in the Agarwal Bania community.
HAZRA Indian, BengaliPossibly from the name of a location near Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
IRANI Persian, Indian (Parsi)Denotes an Iranian person or something from Iran, as well as the Irani Zoroastrian ethnic group in India. It is widely used among Indian Parsis.
KAJAL Indian, Gujarati, BengaliDerived from Sanskrit कज्जल
(kajjala) meaning "collyrium, lotion" or "ink, soot", though it also refers to
kohl, a dark powder used as a eye makeup.
KALITA Indian, AssameseMeaning unknown. This is the name of a Hindu caste in the Indian state of Assam.
KAPADIA Gujarati, Hinduism, Indian (Parsi)Indian (Gujarat, Bombay city, Rajasthan): Hindu (Bania, Vania) and Parsi name meaning ‘cloth merchant’ in Gujarati, from kapə̣d ‘cloth’ (Sanskrit karpạta) + the adjectival suffix -ya.
KAPOOR Indian, Punjabi, HindiPunjabi Kshatriya name derived from Sanskrit कर्पूर
(karpūra) meaning "camphor" (referring to a white crystalline substance used in medicine), itself possibly of Proto-Austronesian origin.
KARAL Indian, BengaliThis Surname was given in honour by the Britishers to Nikhil Chandra Banerjee to recognize his efforts in constructing The Karali Kali temple in Dhaka,now the capital of Bangladesh. It was a very expensive construction and still attracts tourists every year...
[more] KARMAKAR Indian, Bengali, AssamesePerhaps derived from Sanskrit कर्म
(kárma) meaning "action, performance, deed". This is the name of a Bengali Hindu caste of blacksmiths.
KHALSA Indian (Sikh), PunjabiTheorised to be derived from Arabic خَلَصَ
(ḵalaṣa) meaning "to be pure, to be clear". In Sikhism, the term refers baptised or initiated Sikhs.
KHATUN Indian, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, OdiaDerived from Persian خاتون
(xātūn) referring to a title of nobility and the feminine equivalent of the Turkic title
khan meaning "leader, ruler".
KRISH IndianShortened form of Krishna or of any other name beginning with Krishna (such as Krishnan, Krishnaswami, Krishnamurthy, etc.), used in the U.S. by families from southern India. It is not in use in India.
KRISHNAMURTHY IndianHindu name from Sanskrit kṛṣnamūrti meaning ‘manifestation of the god Krishna’, from krisna ‘black’ (epithet of an incarnation of the god Vishnu) + murti ‘image’, ‘manifestation’...
[more] KUMARI Indian, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Sinhalese, PakistaniFrom the given name
Kumari, the feminine form of
Kumar. It is exclusively used by women.
KUNNATHUPARAMBIL Malayalam (Rare)Elamkunnapuzha-Kunnathuparambil Family has a rich history of around 200 years and traces its origins to a small village called Elamkunnapuzha in Ernakulam District. It was at that time one of our ancestors migrated from Elamkunnapuzha to a small village called Vennoor, near Mala in Thrissur District for his livelihood...
[more] LAL Indian, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Malayalam, Nepali, BengaliMeans "darling, precious, beloved", from Sanskrit
lala meaning "cajoling". It can also mean "boy" or "red, ruby" in Hindi, Urdu, and Bengali.
LUND IndianLund is also a Punjabi last name (i.e. from Punjab state of India/Pakistan)
MADIGA Indian, TeluguTelugu occupational name for a leather worker, a job historically considered polluting and impure in India, where the surname belongs to
Dalit, or "Untouchables" - members of the lowest caste.
MAHAPATRA Indian, OdiaFrom the Sanskrit महत्
(mahat) "great, large, big" possibly combined with पात्र
(pātra) "drinking-vessel, goblet, bowl, cup".
MAHARANA Indian, OdiaFrom a title meaning "king of kings" or "great king", derived from Sanskrit महा
(mahā) meaning "great, large, big" combined with राणा
(rana), a Rajput title meaning "king" (see
Rana (2))...
[more] MANAN IndianManans come from Lahore . They belong to Punjabi Brahmin caste of Hinduism.
MARAGH IndianMeans "king" in Hindu. Due to the vast amount of Indian emigrates in Jamaica, this is a common name there and also refers to a teacher of Rastafarianism.
MATHARU Indian (Sikh, Modern)Matharus were fierce warriors especially during, the time when the Matharu tribe, had converted to Sikhism; they fought numbers of wars for Guru Gobind Singh, Banda Singh Bahadur and Jassa Singh Ramgarhia....
[more] MIRZA Urdu, Bengali (Muslim), Indian (Muslim), ArabicFrom the Persian title میرزا
(mirzâ) denoting a prince or nobleman, ultimately from the Persian words میر
(mir) meaning "master" and the suffix -زاده
(-zâde) meaning "child (of), offspring (of)".
MONDITHOKA Telugu (Modern)they are honest people and having helping nature. at history one person has bull cart some time it was went into dig then all people was trying and trying for lift the cart. but no use from those,after that people were shouting as a bigger like come on 'mondithoka' this word not surname of farmer his bull has short tail...
[more] MUKHOPADHYAY BengaliFrom Sanskrit मुख्य
(mukhya) meaning "chief" combined with उपाध्याय
(upadhyaya) meaning "teacher, instructor, priest".
MUSLIM Arabic, Indonesian, Pakistani, Indian (Muslim)From the Arabic مُسْلِم
(muslim), the active participle of أَسْلَمَ
(ʾaslama) "to surrender, expose" (from the same root of the word
Islam). The term denotes a follower of Islam.
NAIK IndianHindu surname meaning ‘chief’, ‘leader’, from Sanskrit nayaka.
NAIR Indian, MalayalamFrom
Nair, the name of a group of Hindu castes concentrated in the Indian state of Kerala. The origin of the word itself is somewhat disputed. Some believe it is derived from
nayaka, an honorific meaning "leader of the people", while another theory suggests that is is derived from the Sanskrit
नाग (nāgá) "snake, serpent" (a reference to the practice of snake worship)...
[more] NAKAI PunjabiThis surname originates from the Punjab. It is a sub-cast of Sandhu Jats and are descendants of Nakai Misl, a principality of the Sikh Empire from 1748 to 1810.