HazarikaহাজৰিকাIndian, Assamese From a military title used during the Ahom Kingdom that indicated an official who commanded over 1,000 soldiers. The title itself is derived from Assamese হাজাৰ (hazar) meaning "thousand".
SahotaਸਹੋਤਾIndian, Punjabi Derived from Punjabi ਸਹਿਆ (sahia) meaning "hare".
HuqueহকBengali Alternate transcription of Bengali হক (see Haq).
Bajajਬਜਾਜ, बजाजIndian, Punjabi, Hindi Occupational name for a clothier from Punjabi ਬਜਾਜ (bajaj) meaning "cloth merchant", ultimately derived from Arabic بزاز (bazzaz).
Barmanবর্মন, বৰ্মনIndian, Bengali, Assamese Derived from Sanskrit वर्मन् (varman) meaning "armour, shield, protection".
Ullahاللہ, উল্লাহArabic, Urdu, Bengali Means "of Allah, of God" from Arabic اللّٰه (Allah) referring to the monotheistic god in Islam. It is commonly used as a component in given names.
NairനായർIndian, Malayalam From 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]
Bulsaraબલસારા, बलसाराIndian (Parsi) From the name of the city of Valsad (historically known as Bulsar) in Gujarat, India. A famous bearer was British singer Farrokh Bulsara (1946-1991), better known as Freddie Mercury.
Asariअसारी, ആശാരിIndian, Hindi, Malayalam From a caste originating from Kerala, India. They belong to a larger group called Vishwakarma. The caste name is mostly linked to the community of people who do carpentry work.
ChokshiIndian From Gujarati čoksi ‘jeweler’, ‘assayer of gold and silver’, from čokəs ‘precise’, ‘circumspect’, a compound of čo- ‘four’, ‘four-way’, ‘all-round’ (Sanskrit čatus- ‘four’) + kəs ‘assaying’ (Sanskrit kạsa ‘rubbing’, ‘touchstone’).
CharIndian Name from Sanskrit āčārya "teacher, spiritual guide". Originated among Brahmins, members of the highest caste in Hindu society, who traditionally serve as priests and teachers.
Saxenaसक्सेनाIndian, Hindi Traditionally believed to be derived from Sanskrit सखिसेना (sakhisena) meaning "friend of the army", from सखा (sakha) meaning "friend, companion" and सेना (sena) meaning "army"... [more]
BlesseEnglish (British), Filipino, Indian, French The last name Blesse was first discovered in Oxfordshire and held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. In the Philippines, Blesse means "a blessing in the family." In India, Blesse means "bless you."
Tamrakarताम्रकारNewar, Indian Means "copper maker; craftsman" in Sanskrit. This is used by the Tamrakar caste of Nepal and India, and mainly of Newar ethnicity in Nepal.
ChakmaচাকমাBengali From the name of the Chakma people of Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, derived from Sanskrit शक्तिमान (shaktimana) meaning "powerful" (composed of शक्ति (shakti) meaning "power" and the suffix मत् (mana) meaning "as, like, having the qualities of").
ModiIndian Modi was borne by Gujarati and Parsi people. There is a clan called Modi among the Oswal Banias.
BasumataryIndian, Bodo From Sanskrit वसुमती (Vasumati), another name for the Hindu goddess Bhumi. She is believed to be the mythical mother of the Bodo people.
Chawlaचावला, ਚਾਵਲਾIndian, Hindi, Punjabi, Indian (Sikh) Derived from the name of a clan in the Arora community, which is apparently named with Sanskrit तांडुल (cawal) meaning "rice". Originating from the Punjab region of India and Pakistan, the name is also derived from Aror (now Rohri), a city in the Sukkur District, Sindh, Pakistan, and the community comprises both Hindus and Sikhs.
HaldarহালদারIndian, Bengali Probably from Sanskrit हलधर (haladhara) meaning "one who holds a plough", an epithet of the Hindu god Balarama.
MenonമേനോൻMalayalam Means "accountant" in Malayalam, itself derived from the title മേലവൻ (melavan) meaning "overseer, boss, exalted one", from മേല (mel) meaning "top, above, high" and the third person pronoun അവൻ (avan) meaning "he".
BourassaIndian Seems 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.
Sikderশিকদার, সিকদারBengali From a historical title used to denote a person who owned one quarter of land, derived from Bengali সিকি (siki) meaning "quarter, fourth".
Gaddamuగడ్డముTelugu Variant of Gaddam. This surname means "on the hill" It is derived from the Telugu words "gadda (గడ్డ)" which means hill and "meeda (మీద)/meedi (మీది)" which means on. The two words were put together and shortened to Gaddamu.
Singhalसिंघल, ਸਿੰਘਲIndian, Hindi, Punjabi Means "leonine, like a lion", derived from Sanskrit सिंह (sinha) meaning "lion".
Dwivediद्विवेदीIndian, Hindi From Sanskrit द्विवेदी (dvivedi) meaning "one who has studied two Vedas", from द्वि (dvi) meaning "two" and वेद (veda) meaning "Veda".
TeliतेलीIndian From Sanskrit तेली (tēlī) meaning "oily" in Sanskrit. This is used by the Teli caste who traditionally specialized in oil pressing and trade.
Waliولی, ওয়ালিUrdu, Pashto, Bengali, Arabic Derived from Arabic وَلِيّ (waliyy) meaning "helper, friend, protector", used in Islam to describe a saint.
Pathanপাঠান, پٹھان, पठानIndian (Muslim), Bengali, Urdu, Pashto Derived from Hindustani पठान (paṭhān) meaning "a Pashtun (person)", referring to the Pashtun ethnic group inhabiting present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is sometimes used by Pashtuns who ancestrally migrated to India.
KalitaকলিতাIndian, Assamese Meaning uncertain. One theory suggests that the name is derived from Sanskrit कुल (kula) meaning "family, caste" and लुप्त (lupta) meaning "lost, gone", though this has been criticised as a false etymology.
Shakyaशाक्यNepali, Indian, Hindi From the name of an ancient clan that inhabited parts of present-day Nepal and northern India. The name may have been derived from Sanskrit शाक (shaka) or शक (shaka) referring to the Sakas, a group of nomadic Iranian peoples, or from शक्य (shakya) meaning "possible, capable".
KalhoroSindhi From the name of the Kalhora (or Kalhoro) people, a Sindhi tribe residing in Pakistan. The name itself is of uncertain meaning.
PalliIndian, Tamil It is a Tamil name, meaning "agricultural laborers".
MadigaIndian, Telugu Telugu 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.
Contractorकाँट्रॅक्टरIndian (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).