The rich heritage and culture are what differentiates Indian culture from all. The culture of this country has deep roots and holds a strong influence on their food, traditions, languages, clothes, and dances to name a few. India is a prosperous land of varied cultures, traditions, cultures, languages, art and architecture, music, dance etc. Each culture has some distinctness. Even the names are influenced by the culture of the people.
The Indian culture inherits its last name, also referred to as the family name from the older generations to the coming ones. The last names or the surnames in India indicate a specific religion, home, birthplace, village, caste, town, profession, or community. Popular Indian surnames or last names even differ as per religion. It is seen that Brahmins among Telugus use Vaidik surnames like Kota Puranam and Nora while Tamils use their father’s name as a preference for the last name.
In the coming paragraphs, a list of 150 most popular Indian last names will be highlighted. These are the Indian surname list prevalent in different parts and the most common ones. It will also depict the surname and their caste.
List of 150 Most Popular Indian Last Names
The most popular Indian last names that have gained popularity are:
1. Acharya:
This is a Brahmin surname which is originally derived from the Sanskrit word “Acharya”, also meaning a man with great learning or a teacher, someone who can be a spiritual guide.
2. Agarwal:
Agarwal is a very common surname used by many famous communities in India. This surname is a bania community that is prevalent in northern, central, and western India especially in Rajasthan, Punjab, Chandigarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Gujarat. This surname finds its roots in the term “Agroha”, the capital of the old state of Agrasen at that time.
3. Khatri:
This is a Punjabi name for the Kshatriyas which is one of the five important castes. The Khatri surname represents hard-working nature and people belonging to this surname are generally very successful at what they do. Khatris get their name after the Sanskrit word “Satriya” which indicates “the warrior class”.
4. Ahuja:
The Ahuja surname is widely found in the region of Punjab. It is used by the Sikhs and refers to the “successor of Ahu”, who was an ancestor of the Arora community.
5. Anand:
As indicative of the name, this surname has been derived from the Sanskrit word” Ananda” which refers to joy, happiness, or bliss. This is a Hindu surname and most prevalent in India, after which it is mostly found in Fiji Islands. This surname is from the Khokharain clan and the people with this surname are very good looking and handsome.
6. Patel:
This is one of the commonest Gujarati surnames. In Gujrati Patel means “a headman of a village.” Most ancestors of this surname belong to the community of landlords. This surname is very common in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Surat, and Vadodara.
8. Reddy:
This is a common caste in Southern India. People with this surname are very good administrators. Added to this, they are also good at farming.
9. Bakshi:
Bakshi is a common surname both among the Punjabis and the Hindus. This last name finds its origins in the Persian word “bakhshi” which means “the paying master”. This title was originally given to officials who used to distribute wages in the Muslim armies.
10. Anthony:
This is a very common Christian surname mostly in Southern India. This last name or surname has been named after “Antonious”, who was a Roman ancestor.
11. Babu:
This is a Hindu surname that means father. This originates from the word “bappa” which indicates respect for addressing a man. It is even a connotation for a small baby.
12. Arya:
This is a Hindu surname and is derived from the Sanskrit word “Arya” which refers to an honourable man or any man of the Aryan race.
13. Balakrishnan:
This surname comes from the Sanskrit word “Balakrishna” that indicates Krishna as a child”. A very common one in South India.
14. Banerjee:
Banarjee is a popular last name for Bengalis. The first part “Ban” is an abbreviation for Bandoghat and the last part “Jee” comes from “jha”, which means a teacher.
15. Burman:
Another common Rajbanshi surname is derived from “Varman” meaning protection. This is also associated with “Verma”, another Hindu surname.
16. Bhatt:
This surname is associated with the community of goldsmiths based out of Punjab. It even means “the learned”.
[Read : Top 100 Punjabi Surnames or Last Names With Meanings]
17. Basu:
This surname Basu has a Bengali origin comes from the Sanskrit word “vasu” which indicates radiance, gem, and wealth. It is also a sonnet of Lord Shiva.
18. Bedi:
This surname has its name on the khatri community clan. This name comes after the word “Vedi”, which indicates a person with the knowledge of Vedas.
18. Varma:
This common Hindu surname is derived from the Sanskrit word” Armor” which indicates “protection”. Earlier it was only used by Hindu Kshatriyas but now even used by non-Kshatriya communities.
20. Dara:
This surname is common in the Parsi community. It originates from the old Persian name” Daravayahush” which signifies possessor.
21. Dalal:
This surname is from the Jat community, which is prevalent in the northern parts of India. This name traces its origin to the king named “Dalal”.
22. Chowdhury:
This surname belongs to the head of the community. A very common Hindu surname, it is even found in the Muslim community of India.
23. Chhabra:
This surname is based on the Arora clan and is prominent among Sikhs and Hindus.
24. Chadha:
This surname originates from the khatri community. There is a clan by this name among the Sikh community as well. It is a popular khatri Hindu surname.
25. Chakraborty:
This is a Bengali surname and comes from “chakravarti” which means “emperor”. It even signifies a ruler whose chariot wheels move freely.
26. Chawla:
This surname or last name is again based on one of the clans of the Arora community. A prevalent one with Hindus as well as Sikhs.
27. Ahluwalia:
A common surname among Sikhs originates from the name “Ahlu” which is a village near Lahore.
28. Amin:
This is a Muslim last name and finds its origins in the Arabic word” Amin” which refers to a reliable person.
29. Apte:
A very common surname in Maharashtrians and Konkans is Apte. It originates from the word” apta” which signifies a tree. It is a very popular one with the Brahmins of the Konkan region.
30. Datta:
A common surname among Bengalis as well as Punjabis, it is derived from the Sanskrit word “datta” which indicates “gift”. This name is related to the Vaishya caste in the puranas. The surname in Assam and Bengal is associated with the Kayastha.
31. Deol:
This surname is based on the name of a clan in the Jat community. The name is prevalent in the Punjab region of India.
32. Deshpande:
This is a surname that traces its origin from the Marathi word “Deshpande”. It is a brahmin last name. It is predominantly used in Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Also found in a few parts of Andhra Pradesh.
33. Dewan:
This last name gets its origin from the Arabic word “diwan” which refers to a court of the treasury. During the Mughal era, this term was used for the highest official of the state.
34. Lal:
This is a common surname used by the Hindu communities. It derives its origin from the Sanskrit word “lala” which even refers to darling. It is a nickname for Lord Krishna as well. It is very popular in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
35. Kohli:
This surname is again based on a clan of the Khatri community. Very prevalent with the Hindus and the Sikhs.
36. Mangal:
This last name derives its origin from the Sanskrit name “Mangala”. The bania community has a clan by this name which means auspicious.
37. Malhotra:
This surname has its basis in the clan of a Khatri community.
38. Mehrotra:
This is a surname common to the khatri community. It is also known as an added version of Mehras which originates from Mihir, which signifies sun.
39. Jha:
This surname gains immense popularity in the northern states of India. It is a short form of the Sanskrit word “Upadhyay” that refers to a teacher.
40. Joshi:
This surname is an abbreviation for the Sanskrit word “Jyothi” which refers to an astrologer. It is mainly used by Brahmins in Nepal as well as India.
41. Kapadia:
This surname is very famous in Bombay, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. It originates from the parsi word “kapad” which refers to a cloth merchant.
41. Iyer:
A very commonly observed south Indian surname from the Tamil Nadu region. A common one with the Hindu Brahmins. The Iyers are a significant community in this area.
42. Jain:
A common Jain surname that originates from “jaina”, the Sanskrit word which refers to the follower of Jina which means triumph.
43. Khanna:
This Sikh second name is based on the clans of the Khatri clan of Dhar community.
44. Grover:
This surname is used primarily by Hindu Khatri and Sikh community.
45. Kaur:
A common surname used by Punjabi women as well as Sikhs. This name can be found in Punjab, Chandigarh, Ludhiana etc.
46. Kashyap:
A Hindu surname that originates from the name of a Hindu sage “Kashyap” refers to deer and tortoise, also a gotra.
47. Gokhale:
A common Hindu last name is prevalent among Konkanasth Brahmins. It originates from the Marathi word “gokhla”.
48. Basu:
A very commonly found Bengali surname. It originates from the Sanskrit word: “vasu” which indicates one who resides in all and is also one of the names of Lord Vishnu.
49. Garg:
This is a common Jain as well as Bania surname. It is based on the name of an old Hindu sage and the Garg clan is found in both Agarwal and Oswals.
50. Dhar:
A Kayastha surname originates from the Bengali word “Dhar” which refers to credit.
51. Gandhi:
This surname indicates a “perfume seller” and is an occupational surname used by many to prosper.
52. Ganguli:
This surname is a variation of Gangopadhyay and refers to a teacher from the Ganga village. It is a common one with Bengalis.
53. Gupta:
A surname used by both the Jains as well as the banias. It originates from the Sanskrit word” gupt” which indicates protection. It is one of the ancient surnames of India tracing back to the Gupta Dynasty.
54. Das:
A Bengali surname and originates from the Bengali term “das” that refers to votary.
55. Chopra:
This is a common Sikh and Hindu surname and also belongs to the Chopra clan.
56. Dhawan:
Another surname is based on the khatri community clan. It originates from the Sanskrit term “dhav” which refers to a messenger.
57. Dixit:
A brahmin surname that signifies a priest doing rituals and originates from “diksita”
58. Dubey:
A north Indian last name was given to someone who knows the Vedas.
59. Haldar:
A brahmin surname that signifies “the one who holds a plow”, finds it is born from the Sanskrit word “haladhara”. It is a nickname for Balarama as well and is seen in West Bengal predominantly.
60. Kapoor:
This is a popular Sikh surname from the Khatri community.
61. Khurana:
Yet another Sikh surname based on the Arora community clan.
62. Kulkarni:
This is a Marathi surname and refers to a village clerk.
63. Madan:
This surname originates from the meaning “god of love”.
64. Bajwa:
A Sikh surname is common in the North Indian states of Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab.
65. Bhasin:
Another Sikh surname based on the khatri community, originates from the Sanskrit word” bhasin” which means sun.
66. Chandra:
It is derived from the Sanskrit word “candra” which refers to the moon or pleasant.
67. Chauhan:
This name has an ancient connotation, as the Chauhan dynasty used to rule in Rajasthan and neighbouring areas. It is a Hindu Kshatriya surname.
68. Deshmukh:
This Hindu surname is prevalent in Maharashtra and originates from the word “Deshmukh” which signifies “district chief”.
69. Dayal:
A Kayastha community surname.
70. Dhillon:
This is a common second name with Jats and Sikhs and is a very widely prevalent Jat tribe of India.
71. Goswami:
A surname that comes from the Sanskrit word” gosvami” signifies a religious monk. It is a common Brahmin Hindu last name.
72. Goel:
This is based on the Agarwal community clan. A very common surname in the northeastern states of India.
73. Mallick:
This surname is found both among Hindus as well as among Muslims. It originates from the Arabic word “malik” which signifies “a king”.
74. Mahajan:
This surname is popular among Banias and derives from”Mahajan”. This word refers to a banker or a money lender.
75. Kumar:
This second name is also found in many Indian communities. It is also a sonnet for Kartikeya, the son of Lord Siva.
76. Mani:
This surname is an abbreviation of the south Indian surname of “Subramaniam”. A common second name found in Kerala.
77. Gill:
This is a Punjabi surname and is derived from the Punjabi term that signifies a prosperous one.
78. Mannan:
This surname is a Muslim as well as a Hindu surname. It means king in Tamil language and bountiful in the Sanskrit language.
79. Biswas:
This is a Bengali Kayastha surname which means “trust” and comes from “visvasa.”
80. Batra:
A common Punjabi surname from the Arora community clan.
81. Bawa:
This is a Jat clan. This name is also given to the male successors of the initial three Sikh gurus.
82. Mehta:
This Rajasthani surname means chief in modern Indian connotation and teacher or accountant in Gujarati is common in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
[Read : Top 100 Gujarati Surnames or Last Names in India]
83. Mukherjee:
This surname is composed of “mukhya” which refers to “Upadhyaya” or the teacher. It is also the Sanskrit variation of Mukhopadhyaya.
85. Zacharia:
A first name to be used in families of Kerala and even used by Christians of Kerala. It is a Hebrew surname.
86. Shah:
This surname is both for Muslims as well as for Hindus. It means emperor in Persian terminology and merchant in Gujaratis and Jains.
87. Ray:
This is another variation of the surname “Rai”. It originates from the word “raja” which signifies a king.
88. Rao:
This surname is very common in western states of India like Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and even Orissa.
89. Purohit:
A brahmin surname signifies who is placed at the first or who is a family priest for the Hindi community.
90. Parekh:
Another variation of the word Parikh.
91. Thakur:
This surname refers to Lord and is related to Kshatriyas but prevalent with other communities as well as Brahmins.
92. Singh:
This surname is a Hindu Kshatriya and refers to a hero. These days adopted by many communities.
93. Sharma:
This surname refers to shelter. A very important name for Indians.
94. Seth:
This surname is used by both Jains and Parsis. It means merchant or banker. This name is common among merchants.
95. Sachdev:
This means “true god” and the last name is popular in the Arora community.
96. Ranganathan:
This Hindu surname is a nickname for Lord Krishna.
97. Puri:
A surname from the Khatri community clan. A small town in Punjab is also known by this name.
98. Pandey:
The name derives its origin from the Sanskrit word” pandita” which refers to scholars. It even signifies any brahmin who is engaged in cooking or teaching.
99. Naidu:
This surname is very popular in Andhra Pradesh. It is an amalgamation of two words, “naya” refers to a chief and “du” has a masculine connotation.
100. Modi:
This is a very common and popular surname of the Parsi and Gujarati communities.
101. Srivastava:
This surname is one of the twelve clans of the Chitragupta Kayastha.
102. Yadav:
This surname originates from “Yadavu”, who is a successor of Yadu is a Sanskrit term. Predominantly found in the North-Eastern states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
103. Kumari:
Another common surname used by many communities; is a feminine connotation of the wife of the warrior Bhima in the Mahabharata. It is also another name for Goddess Durga.
104. Mondal:
A surname predominantly found in Bangladesh, Nepal and India.
105. Ray:
A Bengali Kayastha last name. It is even a title honoured by zamindars.
106. Khan:
This is a very common Muslim surname based on a Turkish ruler.
107. Pal:
It is an alternative name used in India and Bangladesh. It is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit term “pala” which refers to the keeper.
108.Sahu:
A common last name in Maharashtra. It is common among Marwaris who have migrated to Vidarbha from Bundelkhand. This name is also common in Odisha.
109. Sarkar:
This is a prestigious title given to the zamindars of Bengal who used to serve both Britishers as well as Islamic rulers.
110.Rthaod:
This is also a Rajput clan and it was used as a surname by some other community who referred to them as Rathore Vaishyas. This is a popular last name in Rajasthan.
111. Mishra:
A common surname between Hindu Brahmins. Very commonly found in all parts of India as well as Nepal.’
[Read : Popular Indian Brahmin Surnames or Last Names]
112. Trivedi:
A very commonly used North Indian Brahmin surname in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra. It originates from the Sanskrit term “Trivedi”, one who knows all the three Vedas.
113. Roy:
One of the Bengali surnames which are used as titles as well. It originates from the word which means king.
114. Naik:
It originates from the Sanskrit word Nayak that signifies hero. This surname is predominant in Goa and Maharashtra. It is even found in Telangana, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
115. Shinde:
This surname is found in the Dalit community and it is a clan of Kunbi origin.
116. Raut:
This surname is prevalent in Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
117.Nath:
An Indian last name among Bengali Hindus and Assamese Hindus as well. The Nath surname also represents certain backward classes in West Bengal.
118.Pandit:
A common surname for Brahmins especially the kumhars.
119. Hussain:
It originates from the Arabic name “Husayn” that means “to be good”. It is a common Muslim surname.
120.Sinha:
This surname is very common and is from the eastern parts of India. It is common among Kayastha and the Bhumihar community. Prevalent in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Jharkhand.
121.Sahani:
A surname from the Khatri community, popular with the Hindu Sikhs.
122.Kale:
This is a common Maharashtrian surname and originates from a nickname given to Kahl, that signifies bald.
123. Shukla:
This surname means white or bright. A common surname used by the North Indian Brahmins.
124. Kundu:
A Bengali Kayastha surname. It is widely used in West Bengal.
125. Bahadur:
This surname is used by Hindu Kayastha and is widely found in the North Indian States.
126. Waghmare:
This surname is widely used by many people. It is a clan of Mahar and Arakh Gopal and represents a sub-caste in India.
127. Mahapatra:
People belonging to this surname are the natives of West Bengal and Odisha and are mostly Bengali Brahmins.
128. Biswal:
This surname is commonly found in India, especially in Odisha and West Bengal.
129. Bhonsle:
This surname belongs to the Maratha clan who are believed to be the successors of Sisodia Rajput. Found mostly in West Bengal and eastern parts of India.
130.Tripathi:
This is a Hindu brahmin surname, very commonly found in the North Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring areas.
131. Kalra:
Yet another Khatri/Arora community clan, it is a Sikh as well as a Hindu surname, mostly found in parts of Punjab.
132. Tandon:
A surname found in Punjabi Sikhs and Hindu Khatris.
133. Majumdar:
This surname means “a record keeper” and originates from a Persian word. It is a Hindu as well as a Muslim surname and is prevalent in Assam, Bengal, Bangladesh etc.
134. Kulkarni:
This surname is common in Maharashtra and Karnataka. It comes from two words; Kula referring to family and karanaika that refers to the archivist.
135. Rawat:
This surname is borne by many Rajput officials and is common in Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi.
136. Bohra:
This is a Brahmin Kshatriya surname that is prevalent in Uttarakhand and some other parts of India.
137. Mitra:
A common surname found in Bengali Hindus, it is also quite common with the Kayastha caste in West Bengal.
138. Maheshwari:
This surname is a Hindu caste and mostly from Rajasthan. They are mostly in commerce and form a large part of the Bania community.
[Read : 50 Baby Girl Names Hindu Modern And Unique]
139. Khandelwal:
This surname has its origins in Rajasthan from a place called Khandela. The Khandelwal surname is very common in the states of Gujarat, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, districts of Ajmer, Jaipur etc.
140. Ghosh:
This Indian surname is common among Bengali Hindus and especially the Kayastha caste of Bengal.
141. Jaiswal:
The Jaiswal surname is used by several Hindu communities including the Jains, Rajputs and alwars.
142. Shenoy:
This surname is from the regions of Goa and coastal Karnataka. This is common among Hindus of the Brahmin community.
143. Pillai:
The Pillai surname refers to a feudal group and has its origins in Tamil Nadu as well as Kerala. It is further divided into other castes and is relevant to the southern states of India.
144. Qureshi:
This surname has its descent from Arabic descendant Quraish who was the leader of Mecca when Prophet Muhammed was born. It is a common Muslim surname and is found all over the subcontinent.
145. Shetty:
This south Indian surname is from the coastal parts of Karnataka. It is an upper-caste and is found in Karnataka and Maharashtra as well.
146.Bajpayee:
This surname belongs to Hindu Brahmin.
147. Fernandes:
This last name has its basis from the Portugal name “Fernando”. It is prevalent in Goa and the coastal regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
148. Chourasia:
This is from the brahmin caste. It is commonly found in Uttar Pradesh, the Terai regions and Bihar.
149. Bisht:
This is very commonly seen in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand. It refers to a person who has a land grant from the government.
150. Varghese:
This is very common in the states of Kerala.
FAQ’s
1. Can I Give My Baby Any Last Name I Want in India?
The baby can be given the last name of the mother or the father. There is no compulsion on the same as any random last name can be used as well.
2. What is first Name and Last Name in India?
The first name is decided by the parents or grandparents after consulting the priest or pandit. In some castes, the letter is chosen while in others it is not. All cultures follow different rules. The last name however can be any name.
3. Do Indians Have Middle Names?
Some Indians, especially the ones in the north and south bear a middle name. It is not mandatory though and one can choose to have or not have middle names.
4.Is Surname Very Common in India?
Surnames are very common in India and they differ as per different cultures. Some surnames can be the last name of the father while some can be of the village one descends from or even their great grandfathers. The last name or the surname speaks volumes about the origin or the roots of a person. Last names or surnames define people more than their first names, so it is important to understand their significance. In fact, last names denote the identity of a person and their roots in a community and culture.
Read Also: 150 Most Popular Indian Last Names For Your Baby
