Brahmins, known for their long lineage of priests (also referred as pujaris, purohits, or pandits) and teachers (often called acharyas or gurus), have surnames deeply rooted in their heritage. These surnames often reflect aspects such as their place of birth, community, beliefs, or professions. Indian literature shows that while some Brahmins were responsible towards priestly duties, others pursued various professions, including trading, poetry, agriculture, authorship, and landholding.
This article explores a list of popular Indian Brahmin surnames, spanning from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. It’s fascinating to note that Brahmin surnames across the country exhibit diverse beliefs, food habits, and regional distinctions. Brahmin castes are broadly categorized into two main regional groups: Pancha-Gauda Brahmins and Pancha-Dravida Brahmins. The Pancha-Dravida group includes Brahmins from Karnataka, Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, and Gujarat, while the Pancha-Gauda group encompasses Saraswata, Kanyakubja, Gauda, Utkala, and Maithili Brahmins.
Kannada Brahmin Surnames
Kannada Brahmins are Kannada-speaking Brahmins, who belong to Karnataka, some of them have even moved to Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. There are Vedic and Non-Vedic Brahmins and Vedic Brahmins are further classified as Gaudiya and Dravida. Dravida brahmins are followers of one of trio of acharyas – Shankara, Madva or Ramanuja and are known as Smartha Brahmins, Madhva Brahmins and Sri Vaishnava Brahmins.
Kananda Brahmins fall under the Panch Dravida Brahmin division of the Brahmin community of India.The classification of Kannada brahmins is done based on their region known as “Kannada region” and Tulu region known as “Tulu Nadu”.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airani | A name for those who belong to the village of Airani in Central Karnataka |
| 2 | Garge | Surname used by Deshath Brahmin |
| 3 | Hegde (Bharadwaja) | This Kannada Brahmin surname comes from the Old Karnataka region |
| 4 | Kulkarni | Surnames found both in Karnataka and Maharashtra |
| 5 | Rao (Kaundinya) | It means Raja and is a Kannada, Marathi as well as Telugu surname |
Tamil Brahmin Surnames
Tamil Brahmins are Tamil speaking Brahmins who belong to Tamil Nadu with many settled in different parts of South India like Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and some live in Sri Lanka as well. They are divided into three sects – the Gurukkals who follow Saivism, Iyers who follow the Srauta and Smartha tradition, and Iyengars who follow Sri Vaishnavism. Most of the Tamil Brahmin population comprises of Iyers and are Smarthas, while Iyengars are Vaishnavas and Gurukkals are Saivas.
Tamil Brahmin cuisine follows the concept that food is the basis of how the personality is shaped and so is the mind and the mood. They are primarily vegetarians, and a great amount of attention is focused on cleanliness, nutrition, variety, flavour as well as texture.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dikshitar | It is the surname of a group of Shaivite Brahmins who are priests and administrators of the historic Nataraja temple. |
| 2 | Gurukkal | Gurukkals are usually priests at Shiva and Ganesha temples |
| 3 | Iyer/Aiyer (Shrauta-Smarta) | The Iyer Brahmins are a prominent community in Tamil Nadu. They are Srauta-Smartha Brahmins, who follow Advaita philosophy |
| 4 | Iyengar | Iyengars are a prominent Vaishnavite Tamil Brahmin community |
| 5 | Rajan | The name means king or royal in Sanskrit |
| 6 | Raman | Raman means the descendants of Lord Rama, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu |
| 7 | Vadama | “Vadama” came from “Vadakku, ” meaning The North. This suggests the Vadama Brahmins came from the North. |
| 8 | Vathima | The term “Vadhima” may come from the distorted version of “Madhyama” which means the central part. |
Telugu Brahmin Surnames
Brahmins who stay in the Telugu region for many years are the Aryans. They do pujas and offer prayers to the gods. They used to work in temple complexes but due to advancement are now seen in technological fields, yet they do not leave the surnames or the gotras.
In Andhra Pradesh, Brahmins are classified in two groups; Vaidika (ones who are well versed with Vedas and perform religious duties) and the Niyogi (who perform some secular duties only). Both are further divided in many other sub-castes.
In Kerala, Brahmins are classified into three groups: Namboothiris, Pottis and Pushpakas. (Pushpakas are often clubbed with the Ampalavasi community). Most of the priestly activities are performed by Namboothiris while others by Pushpaka. The Namboothiri Brahmins, Potti Brahmins and Pushpaka Brahmins in Kerala follow the Philosophies of Sri Adi Sankaracharya.
A list of Brahmin Telugu surnames and gotras are given below and only used by the Telugu Brahmins. They are the Aradhya Brahmins, Madhavas Brahmins, Niyogi Brahmins, Smaarta Brahmins, Sri Vaishnavas Brahmins, Vaidiki Brahmins. The Vaidiki Brahmins are further divided into more groups depending on the region where they live. They are Koslanadu Vaidiki Brahmins, Muluknadu Vaidiki Brahmins, Velanadu Vaidiki Brahmins, and Venginadu and Vaidiki Brahmins. All have different surnames, yet all are Brahmins and are related to each other in various ways.
They all are spread across parts of Puducherry and in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. They look different and speak a different dialect than the regular Telugu people, yet all are Brahmins.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bhagavatula | Brahmin surname found in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
| 2 | Bhattula | Means soldier or warriors |
| 3 | Chaturvedula | They are known for their logical thinking, bravery, and compassion for righteousness |
| 4 | Deekshitulu | Famous Brahmin surname |
| 5 | Josyula | found in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, denotes self-discipline |
| 6 | Navuluri | People belonging to Navuluri, a village between Vijayawada and Guntur |
| 7 | Sarma | Common surname amongst Telugu Brahmins |
| 8 | Sastry | A scholar, can be written as Shastri or Sastri |
| 9 | Saurashtra | The surname literally means “the land of the sun”. They are the worshippers of sun and once built sun temples |
| 10 | Vishnubhotla | A popular Telugu Brahmin surname |
| 11 | Upadhyayula | Denotes Guru or someone who teaches in Gurukula |
| 12 | Cheedella | Another popular Telugu surname |
| 13 | Vedula | Proficient in Vedas |
| 14 | Jonnalagadda | Belong to a village called Jonnalagadda in the Andhra region. |
Marathi Brahmin Surnames
Marathi Brahmins refers to the communities that are native to the Maharashtra state. These are further divided into five sub-sects depending on the place of origin-Karad, Desh and Konkan. Altogether these divisions constitute the members of different gotras which are Deshastha, Konkanastha, Saraswat, Karhade, and Devrukhe. The Konkanastha are even known as Chitpavan and are even considered the migrants, the ones who stay in Konkan and the Deshastha Brahmins are the original Brahmins of Maharashtra. Karhade brahmins are from Karhatak comprising of present-day northern Karnataka and southern Maharashtra. Devrukhe brahmins on the other hand, are from Devrukh near Ratnagiri.
Marathi brahmins differ from other brahmins in terms of occupation. The brahmins in Maharashtra have a wider spectrum. They were not only priests and scholars but even courtiers and warriors. Maharashtrian Brahmins, Deshasthas, Chitpavans and Karhades have primarily been pure vegetarian while Saraswats are seen eating fish, mutton and even egg.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desai | A honorary title given to the leader of a village in Maharashtra |
| 2 | Deshmukh (Deshastha) | Refers to the head of region or state in Marathi language |
| 3 | Deshpande | The head of finances for a kingdom |
| 4 | Fadnavis | Refers to an administrative position in kingdoms of Maharashtra, also spelt as Phadnavis or Phadnis |
| 5 | Garge | surname used by Deshastha brahmin from Maharashtra |
| 6 | Gokhale | Came from the Marathi word “gokhla” meaning “cow eye”. They belong to the Chitpawan community in Maharashtra |
| 7 | Joshi | Refers to astrologer |
| 8 | Kulkarni | Title of head of accounts, found in Maharashtra and Karnataka |
| 9 | Patil | Refers to chief in Marathi |
| 10 | Padhye | Meaning priest or teacher |
| 11 | Rao | Means king, surname in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana |
| 12 | Shrirame | Refers to Lord Rama or Lord Vishnu |
| 13 | Vaidya (Konkanasth clan) | One who has knowledge of medicines |
| 14 | Varne | Refers to a highly knowledgeable person |
Gujarati Brahmin Surnames
Gujarati Brahmins are very influential and a well -to do community, not like other brahmin classes in different parts of the country. They believe in involving relationhips within the closed doors. Gujarati Brahmins come under the classification of Pancha Dravida as the customs and traditions are like those of Dravida Brahmins. These Brahmins are mainly Brahmbhatt/Bhatt Brahmins who come under the Saraswat Brahmin Division of Panch Gaud.
It is seen that under the varna system Brahmins are majorly priests, but a temple priest is a low position, and no Gujrati Brahmin family wants their sons to achieve that, rather the focus is on good education in engineering and computer science. The Gujarati Brahmins have a strong work ethic and are seen as leaders in political, intellectual, spiritual, or social fields. They are mainly vegetarians as they follow Vaishnavism traditions which is one amongst the four major Hindu traditions that stick to vegetarianism.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bhatt | Refers to priest, teacher, or scholar |
| 2 | Dave | This surname is predominant among the Audichya Brahmins |
| 3 | Pandya | Refers to the scholarly and heroic personas of the past |
| 4 | Thaker | Means master |
| 5 | Upadhaya | Refers to the chief priest |
| 6 | Vyasa | Meaning the compiler |
[Read : Top 100 Gujarati Surnames or Last Names in India]
Assamese Brahmin Surnames
Bamun is the name given to the Brahmins of the Assamese society. There are two classes prevalent in Assam – Ganaks also known as Astrologers and Daivajna who follow the solar cult. Originally, priests are referred to as Bamun or Brahman in their society. They even promote learning. The second are the Indo Aryans of Assam who migrated from the Gangetic Valley.
It is believed that Brahmins as well as Kayastha came to Assam from Kannauj and Mithila. The Brahmins of Assam are less rigid than Brahmins from other parts of the country. They follow deity worship and may even worship saints of the Assamese community. The biggest difference between Assamese Brahmins and other Brahmins are that they are non-vegetarians.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acharya/Acharjee | Refers to a teacher or an instructor |
| 2 | Baruah | The title was given to ones who held military positions in history |
| 3 | Bhagvati | Meaning prosperity, also a name for Goddess Durga |
| 4 | Bora | Almost 88 % of Assamese Brahmins have this surname which suggests a high military position |
| 5 | Gayen | Surname for ones who sang hymns |
| 6 | Goswami | A sanskrit word, go means cattle and swami means the lord |
| 7 | Pathak | Means scholar |
| 8 | Siddhantha | Meaning principle |
| 9 | Bardalai | A surname from Assam |
| 10 | Khound | Common surname in Assam |
| 11 | Shruthikar | Popular Brahmins in Assam |
| 12 | Tamuli | Common Brahmin surname in Assam |
Malayali Brahmin Surnames
The term Malayali Brahmins or Malayala Brahmanar refers to a group of Brahmins from the Indian state of Kerala. They comprise the Nambudiris, Pushpaka Unnis, Nambidis, Moos’, Ilayaths, Nambeesans, Chakyars, Sivadvijas, and the Pottis. The caste system in Kerala is different than in other parts of the country where the division was done in four groups of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras.
In Kerala, the Malayali Brahmins comprise the priest class whereas Kshatriyas, Samantha Kshatriyas and Nairs are from the military elite class and the ruling class, rest all were Shudras. Nambootris have an influential position in the caste system, Pushpakars are employees of temples who make garlands, Warrier community is famous for their knowledge in Sanskrit literature, Marans are from the Nair community who are temple musicians. Nambidis are also Brahmins but cannot do puja.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kurukkal | Belonging to the kingdom of Travancore, a group of people from the Ambalavasi community from Kerala |
| 2 | Namboothiri | A Vaishnavite brahmin community from Kerala |
| 3 | Nambissan | Belonging to Kerala’s Pushpakar Brahmin community |
| 4 | Pillai | The surname denotes “the son of a king” or “prince”. |
| 5 | Plappally | Surname for people migrating from Plappally in Kerala |
| 6 | Potti | Used by the community of Malayali Brahmins |
| 7 | Unni | Refers to a group of Brahmins from the Pushpakar community |
Kashmiri Pandit Surnames
The Kashmiri Pandits even known as Kshamiri Brahmans are a great part of the Saraswat Brahmin community and are a group of Kashmiri Hindus. They are from Kashmir Valley. They were original inhabitants of Kshmir Valley till Muslim influence entered here and most of them turned to Islam. Currently they are the only Hindu Community left which is native to Kashmir. They are non-vegetarians and eat mutton and fish but avoid eating meat of forbidden animals that are restricted in their Shastras.
The Kashmiri Pandits are divided into three main sub-castes: Guru/ Bachabat or the priests, Jotish(astrologers) and Karkun (the ones who are employed in government service). All the castes can mix up and eat together however, only Jotish and Karkun castes can intermarry as per rules.
[Read : 150 Most Popular Indian Last Names For Your Baby]
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bhan | The term comes from the word “Bhajana” which means Utensil. The surname suggests people related to utensil making in the past |
| 2 | Bhat | Means the scholar |
| 3 | Dhar | Ones with honorary titles |
| 4 | Haskar | Means caterpillar in Kashmiri |
| 5 | Kak | Refers to the elder brother |
| 6 | Kaul | One from the noble family |
| 7 | Kher | This Brahmin group is considered to be one of the highest in honour among the Hindu Brahmin caste |
| 8 | Hangloo | Ones who lived near Hangul |
| 9 | Mattoo | A distinct Pandit community from Kashmir |
| 10 | Raina | People who used to be deployed in the royal court in medieval Kashmir |
| 11 | Razdan | Refers to those who formed the king’s clique |
| 12 | Sapru | Name of a clan of Kashmiri Pandits |
| 13 | Sopori | Ones who belonged to Sopore a town in Jammu and Kashmir |
Odia Brahmin Surnames
Utkala Brahmins even referred as Utkal Brahmins are from a Brahmin community from Odisha. These Brahmins are caretakers of the Jagannath Temple of Puri. There are amongst the five Pancha Gouda Brahmins that were originally from the north of Vindhyas. They are from the upper level of the Hindu Caste system. Earlier Odias were called Kalingas or Odra and then known as Utkals. They constitute 7% of the Odishas population.
The Utkala Brahmins are of three types: Shrauta/ Vaidika, Sevayita/ Purohita and Halua Brahmin. The Shrauta Brahmins can read and teach Veda and perform Yajnas, the Sevayita can read and teach Vedas but cannot perform Yajnas or take Daan, while the Halua are the leaders and administrators of the brahmin ancestry who later started taking vocational jobs as well. The oriya brahmins can be lacto or pesco vegetarians, lacto referring to the ones who do not touch garlic, onion, Masoor daal, some variety of gourd and non -vegetarian food while pesco vegetarians do not eat any kind of meat except fish.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Behera | The commander |
| 2 | Dash | Means worshipper |
| 3 | Devasharma | Prosperity or joy |
| 4 | Mohapatra | Prime leader, a title used since Vedic period |
| 5 | Nanda | Surname from north and west of India, means delight |
| 6 | Nath | Refers to a group of Shaivite Brahmans |
| 7 | Padhi/Padhy | Knowledgeable in Vedic scriptures |
| 8 | Panda | Means spiritual and refers to those who were noble and had immense knowledge |
| 9 | Panigrahi | One who conducts ceremonies especially marriages |
| 10 | Pati | Means Lord |
| 11 | Rath | Refers to learned scholars and are descendants of Sage Atreya |
| 12 | Sahu | an occupational surname |
| 13 | Samanta | Used for a leader or a head of a province |
| 14 | Satapati | One who has mastered several books |
| 15 | Vedi | One who has knowledge and wisdom |
Bengali Brahmin Surnames
Hindu Brahmins who live in West Bengal are quite different from other Brahmins of India due to their non-vegetarian food choices mainly fish. Historically Bengal was not initially a part of Vedic culture but gradually shifted towards it under the influence of Mauryan and Gupta rulers. There are broadly three groups of Bengali Brahmins namely Kulina, Srotriya and Vamsaja. Kulina Brahmins are considered to be the most superior among other brahmins. Other subdivisions of Brahmins include Radhi, Saptasati, Varendra, Vaidika, Sakadwipi, and Madhyasreni.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adhikari (Kashyap) | Means chief officer |
| 2 | Bagchi (Sandilya) | Brahmins from Barendra Bhumi presently Bangladesh |
| 3 | Bandyopadhyay/Banerjee (Sandilya) | The Upadhyay or teacher from Bandoghat village |
| 4 | Bhaduri (Bharadwaj) | Brahmins belonging to Bhadur village |
| 5 | Bhattacharya/ Bhattacharjee (Sandilya) | Teacher or learned person |
| 6 | Chakraborty (Kashyap) | A ruler who has control over his land |
| 7 | Chattopadhyay/ Chatterjee (Bharadwaj) and (Sandilya) | Priest or teacher of Chatta village |
| 8 | Choudhary (Bharadwaj) and (Kashayp) | The beholder of four lands |
| 9 | Dasgupta (Sandilya) | The protectors of servants |
| 10 | Gangopadhyay/ Ganguly (Sandilya) | The guru or teacher who lives by the Ganga River |
| 11 | Ghatak (Bharadwaj) and (Kashayp) | One who conducts events |
| 12 | Ghoshal (Bharadwaj) and (Sandilya) | The rearer of cows |
| 13 | Kanjilal (Bharadwaj gotra) | Beloved one |
| 14 | Lahiri (Sandilya) | Brahmins of Laheria village |
| 15 | Maitra/Moitra (Bharadwaj) (Kashyap) | Friendship |
| 16 | Majumdar/Mazumdar (Bharadwaj) (Kashyap) | The keeper of records |
| 17 | Mukhopadhyay/ Mukherjee (Sandilya) | The headteacher |
| 18 | Roy (Bharadwaj or Kashyap) | King or ruler |
| 19 | Sanyal (Vatsa) | Brahmins from Sen Lal village |
| 20 | Tagore (Kashyap) | Lord or master |
Bihari Brahmin Surnames
The Brahmins belonging to Bihar are historically significant for their roles in preserving Hindu culture, ceremonies and traditions. Common clans or gotras among Bihari Brahmins are Kashyap, Shandilya, Bharadwaj, Vatsa, etc. In ancient times the Nalanda University of Bihar used to be the learning hub for not only the Indians but also for foreign scholars due to the unexceptional contributions of Bihari pandits and Buddhist monks. Bihari Brahmins had a significant contribution in producing and preserving Sanskrit texts and Vedic knowledge.
| Sl. No | Surname | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chaturvedi (Bharadwaj ) | One who knows four Vedas |
| 2 | Kashyap (Kashyap gotra) | Descendants of Rishi or Sage Kashyap |
| 3 | Mishra (Bharadwaj and Kashyap) | Mixed or manifold |
| 4 | Ojha/Jha (Bharadwaj and Kashyap) | The learned priest |
| 5 | Rai (Bharadwaj and Kashyap) | The King |
| 6 | Shandilya (Shandilya ) | The descendants of Rishi Shandilya |
| 7 | Tripathi (Bharadwaj ) | The person who has read three Vedas |
This brings us to the end of the list of popular Brahmin surnames from all regions of the country. Brahmins represent a very vast lingual, cultural, geographic history of the different regions of the country. Most of these surnames have not been altered for ages now, which makes it an interesting read.
Read Also: Top 100 Punjabi Surnames or Last Names With Meanings
