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Names: Surnames

Surnames (or family names) are hereditary and are often common to all members of a family.

Occupational surnames are derived from an occupation. Examples include Taylor, Smith, and Baker.

Toponymic surnames are derived from a place. Examples include Ayers (a person from Ayers, Scotland) and Bach (German for a person who lives near a stream).

Religious surnames are derived directly or indirectly from religious texts or traditions. Examples include Christian biblical names, Hebrew names from the Torah, and Muslim names from the Quran.

Nickname derived surnames are those based upon appearance, temperament, or personality. An example is the German surname Schwarzkopf (in German, schwarz=black, Kopf= head) meaning a person with dark hair.

Ornamental surnames are those that were adopted or forced upon individuals (and families) under political pressure.

Patronymic surnames are derived from the given name of a male ancestor. An example is the English patronymic surname Peterson, meaning son of Peter.

Female patronymic surnames (also known as female possessive suffix surnames) are a female form of a patronymic surname, most typically a patronymic surname with a feminine suffix added. For example, in Russian, the wife of Mikhail Gorbachev is Raisa Gorbachova, -ev is replaced with ova.

Matronymic surnames are derived from the given name of a female ancestor. An example is the English matronymic surname Tiffany.

Popular Surnames (Family) in

Rank Name Translation Meaning Distribution
34 अंसारी Ansari Arabic surname derived from the male (direct) Quranic given name Ansar which means "supporters" and "defenders." The word Ansari was used to refer to the supporters of Prophet Mohammad who helped in his movement from Mecca to Medina. When used as a surname, it can refer to people who trace their lineage to the followers of Prophet Mohammad. 2,291,250
11 अली Ali Surname based on the male (direct) Quranic given name Ali which means "superb" or "lofty." 5,796,790
51 अहमद Ahamad Surname derived from a spelling variation of the male (direct) Quranic given name Ahmad. The original meaning of the name is "more commendable." 1,635,540
58 आलम Alam Arabic surname derived from the male and female (indirect) given name Aalam which means "world." The word alam also means "pain" in Urdu and is used as an ornament in poems. 1,499,690
85 इसलाम Islam Arabic surname derived from the male (direct) Quranic given name Islam. It means "submission" and "self-surrender" and refers to the religion followed by Muslims. 915,923
99 उद्दीन Uddin Surname based on a variation of the combination of the direct Arabic article al meaning "the" and the Arabic word for "faith" (din), meaning "of the faith." 797,217
64 उरांव Oraon Surname common among members of the Oraon (also called Kurukh) tribe of central and east India. While its exact meaning is currently not clear, it could have originated from the ancient Dravidian language word "Ur" meaning "chest." 1,322,780
81 कांबले Kamble While the exact meaning and origin of this surname are currently unknown, it has been common for members of the Buddhist community and certain Brahmin caste members in the Maharashtra province of India. 967,072
4 कुमार Kumar Surname based on a title or the male Indian given name Kumar. The name derived from the Sanskrit word kumar (कुमार) which means "young, unmarried boy" or "prince." 31,014,300
9 कुमारी Kumari Surname based on a title or the female Indian given name Kumari. The name derived from the Sanskrit word kumari (कुमार) which means "young, unmarried woman" or "princess." 6,280,210
6 कौर Kaur Surname based on a title, occupational surname, or moniker. It derived from the Sanskrit noun Kumĝri which means "princess." The name was common among female followers of the Sikh religion. 10,382,100
13 खातून Khatun Surname based on a spelling variation of the surname Khatoon. It developed from a title, occupational surname, or moniker. It derived from the Persian noun khatun (خاتون‎‎ ) meaning "empress" or "queen." 5,510,720
49 खातून Khatoon Surname based on a title, occupational surname, or moniker. It derived from the Persian noun khatun (خاتون‎‎ ) meaning "empress" or "queen." 1,747,670
17 खान Khan Arabic surname derived from the originally Mongolian title meaning "king" or "ruler." The English surname King is a relative. 4,442,330
97 गायकवाड़ Gayakwad Indian surname adopted by a ruling clan of ancient Western India and also pronounced Gaikwad. The name derived from the Marathi word gāyǎkǎvāḍǎ गायकवाड; its meaning is currently unknown. 839,757
28 गुप्ता Gupta Indian surname based on an occupational surname meaning "protector or governor." This meaning derived from the Sanskrit word goptri. The name was common for members of the ruling class across India. 2,730,990
39 घोष Ghosh Indian surname based on the occupational surname for a writer. It derived from the Bengali verb ghokhana which means "to write" or "to publish." It was used to refer to a group of scribes belonging to the Kayastha Caste of Bengal. 2,102,800
71 चंद्रा Chandra Surname derived from either chandra (चन्द्र) meaning "Moon God" in Hindi or chandraa (चंद्रा) meaning "an open courtyard." The female version of the word is spelled the same but is pronounced as Chandraa (चंद्रा). 1,109,020
44 चांद Chand Surname based on the male given name Chaand. It derived from the Hindi and Urdu word chaand which means "the shining moon." The name can also be part of a compound name, e.g. Harichand. 1,969,070
72 चाहन Chahan Surname based on the male Indian given name Chahan. It derived from the Hindi word chahna (चाहना) which means "to desire" or "to want." 1,078,170
90 चौधरी Chaudhary Surname based on the male Bengali given names Chaudhari, Choudhry, or Choudhury (চৌধুরী) or a title. The name means "holder of Four" across Hindi, Urdu, and numerous other languages of the region. 943,539
77 चौधरी Chaudhari Surname based on the male Bengali given names Chaudhari, Choudhry, or Choudhury (চৌধুরী) or a title. The name means "holder of Four" across Hindi, Urdu, and numerous other languages of the region. 1,002,760
54 चौहान Chauhan Chauahan and its common spelling variation Chohan is a surname referring to a sub-caste within the Rajput Community, primarily Kshatriyas. The members of this ruling clan in many northern Indian provinces were believed to have been brave warriors. 1,619,320
37 जाधव Jadhav Indian surname based on the name of the mythological Hindu King Yadu who is thought to be the ancestor of the Hindu God Krishna. 2,111,100
101 जेना Jena Indian surname based on the female (direct) Quranic  given name Jannah (جنّة‎ ). The name derived from the Arabic word for "garden" or "paradise." 893,719
79 जैन Jain Indian surname referring to the followers of the religion of Jainism. The name and derived from the Sanskrit word jina meaning "to conquer." 976,003
75 झा Jha Indian surname probably based on an occupational surname for an instructor, scholar, or teacher. It derived from the Sanskrit noun upadhyaya which means "teacher" and was common for members of the Brahmin caste in northern India. 1,018,840
73 टुडू Tudu Surname probably based on a title or toponym referring to the Tudu clan of the Santhal tribe in India. 1,077,960
62 ठाकुर Thakur Indian surname derived from the Hindi word thakur (ठाकुर) meaning "god" or "leader." 1,741,550
50 ठाकोर Thakor Spelling variation of the Indian surname Thakur. It derived from the Hindi word thakur (ठाकुर) meaning "god" or "leader." 1,662,150
5 दास Das Occupational surname derived from the Sanskrit and Hindi word das (दास) meaning "servant" or "devout follower." It is pronounced as dash ( দাশ)in Bengali. 10,485,500
2 देवी Devi Surname based on the female Indian given name Devi. It derived from the Hindi, Sanskrit, and Assamese word devi (देवी) which means "goddess." When used in the Indian province of West Bengal, it can also refer to Goddess Durga who is the main deity of the region. 69,206,900
55 नाइक Naik Surname based on a title, status name, or moniker. It derived from the Sanskrit word nayak (नायक) which means "leader" or "hero" and has been used as a surname by various South Indian castes including the Kamma and Vaniyar. 1,567,250
68 नाथ Nath Surname derived from the Sanskrit word nātha (नाथ) which means "devotee" or "husband." 1,189,860
35 नायक Nayak Surname based on a title, status name, or moniker. It derived from the Sanskrit word nayak (नायक) which means "leader" or "hero" and has been used as a surname by various South Indian castes including the Kamma and Vaniyar. 2,173,370
83 पंडित Pandit Indian surname based on an occupational surname used by the Brahmin caste. It derived from the Sanskrit word pandita (पण्डित) meaning "scholar" or "expert." 949,854
20 पटेल Patel Surname based on an occupational surname or status name. It derived from the Sanskrit noun pat meaning "land" and then used for the Gujarati word patlikh meaning "record keeper of the land." 3,957,110
94 पठान Pathan While exact meaning and origin of this surname are currently unclear, it may have derived from the Persian toponym paktye meaning "people of the frontier" or from the Persian word pusht (back), ultimately meaning "people living on the back of mountains." This surname was especially common among people in Afghanistan and Khyber pass. 897,494
33 परमार Paramar Surname based on an occupational surname used by members of the Rajput caste. Its meaning "enemy attacker" derived from the combination of the Sanskrit words par (पर) meaning "alien" or "foreign" and maar (मार) meaning "killer" or "destroyer." 2,368,580
53 पवार Pawar Surname based on an occupational surname common in western India. Its meaning "enemy attacker" derived from the combination of the Sanskrit words par (पर) meaning "alien" or "foreign" and maar (मार) meaning "killer" or "destroyer." 1,622,950
89 पांडे Pandey Indian surname based on a variant of the occupational surname Pandit used by the Brahmin caste. It derived from the Sanskrit word pandita (पण्डित) meaning "scholar" or "expert." 934,495
21 पाटिल Patil Surname based on a status name, title, or occupational surname. It derived from the Sanskrit, Maratha, and Kannada word patil (ಪಾಟೀಲ) meaning "headman" or "village chief." 3,776,740
48 पाताल Patal Surname probably based on a variant spelling of the occupational surname or status name Patel. It derived from the Sanskrit noun pat meaning "land" and then used for the Gujarati word patlikh meaning "record keeper of the land." The Sanskrit word pataal (पाताल), on the other hand, means "underworld" or "hell." 1,787,590
70 पात्रा Patra Surname based on a status name, title, or occupational surname. It derived from the Assamese and Oriya word patra (পাত্ৰ) meaning "a minister of the royal court." 1,129,950
52 पासवान Paswan Surname based on an occupational surname for a Hindu caste in north India. It derived from the Persian word pasbaan (پاسبان) meaning "protector" or "guard." 1,809,950
29 पॉल Pal Surname based on an occupational surname derived from the Sanskrit word pala (पाल) meaning "guard," "protector," or "keeper." 2,542,230
88 प्रकाश Prakash Surname based on an affectionate moniker or an ornamental surname. It derived from the Sanskrit word parkasa (प्रकाश्) meaning "to illuminate" or "light." 1,057,910
56 प्रधान Pradhan Surname based on a status name, title, or occupational surname. It derived from the Hindi word pradhan (प्रधान) meaning "the chief." The surname was also common among members of certain higher castes in north India. 1,559,750
22 प्रसाद Prasad Surname based on the male Indian given name Prasad. It derived from the Hindi noun prasad (प्रसाद) meaning "an offering to god." 3,720,490
15 बाई Bai Bai (白)is a surname of Chinese origin meaning "white" or "pure." It can also refer to the descendants of King Pin who came from the territory of Chu. Certain Chinese minorities from the Yunnan province have also used this surname as a reference to the name of their tribe. The English surname White can be considered a relative. 5,401,650
57 बानो Bano Surname based on them female given names Bano and Banu. These names are common in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran; they derived from the Persian noun bânu meaning "bride," "little sister" or "princess." In India, Banno is another common variation; its meaning also being "bride." 1,554,760
31 बारमैन Barman Barman (and its variation Burman) is the Bengali and Assamese variant of the surname Varman (वर्मन्) meaning "a shield" in Sanskrit. This surname is used by the Kshatriya caste and when used in ancient times for kings meant "one whose kingdom touches the sky." 2,500,430
63 बिस्वास Biswas Surname from the Indian province of West Bengal. It derived from the Sanskrit word vishwas meaning "trust." The surname was bestowed upon people considered trustworthy during the Mughal and British regimes. 1,721,700
12 बीबी Bibi Surname based on the female given name Bibi (and its variation Biwi). The name could have Persian origins but is also found in Hindi and Urdu. The literal translation of the word is "wife" although it can refer to a grandmother as well. 5,669,410
32 बेगम Begam Begam (with its common variation Begum) is a name derived from Persian origins which literally means "the wife of a high official." These officials were known as baig, their wives and daughters would be named Begam or Begum. 2,476,970
38 बेगम Begum Begum is a variation of the name Begam which derived from Persian origins and literally means "the wife of a high official." These officials were known as baig, their wives and daughters would be named Begam or Begum. 2,108,680
45 बेहरा Behera Surname used by members of the Brahmin Caste in the Indian province of Orissa. The name could have derived from a toponym referring to the place Behera located in Orissa where the ancestors are believed to have originally lived. 1,958,100
59 बौरी Bauri Surname used by a tribe in the Indian state of West Bengal. The name could have derived from the Bengali word bahir meaning "outside"; Bauri literally means "someone who lives outside." 1,435,990
18 मंडल Mandal Surname based on the male given name Mandal. It derived from the Sanskrit noun mandal (मण्डल) meaning "sphere," "zone," "circle," "confederation," or "halo." 4,408,830
19 मंडल Mondal Surname based on a spelling variation of the male given name Mandal. It derived from the Sanskrit noun mandal (मण्डल) meaning "sphere," "zone," "circle," "confederation," or "halo." 4,042,430
96 मकवान Makavan Surname derived from the Thai noun mák-waan (มัฆวาน) referring to Indra, the Hindu God of rain and thunderstorm. 880,833
66 मलिक Malik Surname derived from the male Arabic (indirect) Quranic given name Maalik which means "owner." The name could have also derived from the Arabic noun malik 1,286,490
41 महतो Mahto While the exact meaning of this name is currently unknown, the name could have derived from a toponym referring to the native lands of the Kurmi Mahato tribe of the Indian Orissa province or of a group called Madheshi of the Terai region in Nepal. 2,065,400
30 महतो Mahato While the exact meaning of this name is currently unknown, the name could have derived from a toponym referring to the native lands of the Kurmi Mahato tribe of the Indian province of Orissa or of a group called Madheshi of the Terai region of Nepal. 2,530,950
78 मांझी Manjhi Surname based on a toponym or an occupational surname. It derived from the Hindi and Bengali word manjhi (মাঝি) which means "boatman" or "boatswain." Also name of a caste of Terai Region, Nepal. This name was common among the Majhawar and Musahar castes in the Indian provinces of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. 992,318
47 माझी Majhi Surname based on a toponym or an occupational surname. It derived from the Hindi and Bengali word manjhi (মাঝি) which means "boatman" or "boatswain." Also name of a caste of Terai Region, Nepal. 1,793,460
46 मिश्रा Mishra Surname based on an occupational surname for members of the Brahmin Caste in north, central, and east India. The name probably derived from the Hindi and Sanskrit word mishr (मिश्र) meaning "mixed." It could have also derived from the Sanskrit word mitra meaning "friend." 1,806,530
65 मुंडा Munda Surname based on an occupational surname or title. The name means "headman" and derived from the Sanskrit word mund (मुंड) meaning "head." The name was used to refer to members of the Munda ethnic group of central India. 1,307,690
43 मुर्मू Murmu Exact meaning and origin of this surname are currently unknown. However, as a toponym, the name could have referred to the native lands of the Murmu clan members in the Indian Orissa province. 1,999,890
80 मुहम्मद Mohammed Arabic surname derived from the male (direct) Quranic given name Muhammad which means "praiseworthy." It is the name of Islam's prophet. 969,314
100 मोरे More English surname probably based on a spelling variant of a toponym referring to a moor or fen. It could have also derived from a moniker for someone of dark complexion or from an old male French given name based on the Roman name Maurus (dark skinned). 783,187
8 यादव Yadav Indian surname derived from the name of the mythological Hindu King Yadu who is thought to be the ancestor of the Hindu God Krishna. 7,061,030
84 राई Rai Hindu surname based on the Sanskrit noun raja meaning "king." The English surname King is a relative. Raj is also a Hindi verb meaning "to rule." 930,766
67 राउत Raut Surname based on a toponym or occupational surname. It refers to members of the Raut caste in northern India who were traditionally involved in herding cows. 1,218,740
91 राज Raj Hindu surname based on the Sanskrit noun raja meaning "king." The English surname King is a relative. Raj is also a Hindi verb meaning "to rule." 1,023,030
36 राठौड़ Rathod Surname probably based on a toponym referring to the native lands of the Rathore clan, one of the branches of the Rajput caste, a ruling caste in ancient India. 2,140,780
86 राना Rana Surname with a variety of possible origins and meanings. It may be based on the female Arabic given name Rana which means "beautiful" and "gorgeous." It could also be based on a moniker for a pompous person or on a title or status name for Indian rulers as the male version of the Sanskrit word rani which means "queen."  This would make the Indian surname Rana the equivalent of the English surname King. 911,096
40 रानी Rani Surname based on a on a moniker or on a title or status name for a queen. It derived from the Sanskrit word rani which means "queen."  The English surnames Queen and McQueen can be considered relatives. 2,076,680
7 राम Ram Surname based on an affectionate moniker for someone charming, pleasant, and loving. It is also the name of one of the most important Hindu gods, Rama (राम). 7,412,410
24 रे Ray Anglicized version of the title Roy conferred by the British government on landowners called Zamindars in the Bengal province of then British India. 3,323,460
23 रॉय Roy Surname based on the title Roy conferred by the British government on landowners called Zamindars in the Bengal province of then British India. 3,435,700
10 लाल Lal Surname based on the male given name Lal. It derived from the Hindi word laal (लाल) meaning "red," "a son," or "someone very dear." 5,751,670
76 वसाव Vasav Surname derived from the Sanskrit noun vasava (वासव) which is another name for the Hindu god of thunder and rain, Indra. 1,009,400
14 शर्मा Sharma Surname based on the male Hindi given name Sharma. It derived from the Sanskrit word for "comfort" and "protection." 4,887,180
74 शाह Shah Surname derived from the Persian surname Shah meaning "king" or "emperor." The English surname King is a relative. 1,044,320
61 शिंदे Shinde Surname based on a toponym referring to the Sind region in Pakistan. The name is also common among certain prominent royal families of the Indian province of Maharashtra. 1,387,540
26 शेख Shaikh Surname derived from the Arabic title or occupational surname for a scholar. It has also been used for an elder of a tribe. 2,874,000
69 शेख Shaik Surname derived from the Arabic title or occupational surname for a scholar. It has also been used for an elder of a tribe. 1,149,420
25 शेख़ Sheikh Surname derived from the Arabic title or occupational surname for a scholar. It has also been used for an elder of a tribe. 2,917,620
42 सरकार Sarkar Indian surname based on an occupational surname or status name. It probably derived from the Persian word sarkaar (سرکار) which means "chief" or "headman." This meaning of the surname is also found in the western Bengal province of India. The name could have also developed from the Hindi word sarkar (सरकार) meaning "government." 2,013,790
93 सरदार Sardar Surname based on the male given name Sardar. It derived from the Persian word sardaar (سردار ) meaning "commander" or "chief" and therefore could have been used as a title or status name. The name Sardar could have also derived from a Sikh title. 1,187,700
16 साह Sah Surname based on the male Indian given name Sah. It derived from the Javanese and Indonesian word sah meaning "valid," "legal," or "legitimate." 4,519,690
60 साहा Saha Surname probably based on the male Indian given name Saha which derived from the Sanskrit word sah (सह) meaning "enduring" or "resisting." The name could also be based on an occupational surname for a trader, especially in the Indian province of Bengal. It derived from the Sanskrit word sadhu meaning "merchant." 1,408,250
27 साहू Sahu Indian surname based on an occupational surname derived from the Sanskrit word sahukar (साहूकार), meaning "moneylender." 2,832,340
92 सिंह Sinh Indian surname based on a moniker. It derived from the Sanskrit word sinh (सिंह) meaning "lion" or "powerful and brave one." 1,028,480
3 सिंह Singh Indian surname based on a spelling variation of the surname Sinh, developed from a moniker. It derived from the Sanskrit word sinh (सिंह) meaning "lion" or "powerful and brave one." 36,059,000
82 सोरेन Soren The exact meaning and origin of this surname are currently unknown. The name is common for members of the Soren clan, one of the twelve clans of the Santhal tribe of India. 958,056
87 सोलंकी Solanki The exact meaning and origin of this surname are currently unknown. The name is common for members of the Solanki clan of the Rajput caste of India. 902,972
98 हंसदा Hansda Surname probably based on an affectionate moniker or ornamental name. It derived from the Sanskrit noun hans meaning "swan." The surname was particularly common among members of the Munda tribe in India. 803,351
95 हुसैन Hussain Surname derived from the male Arabic (indirect) Quranic given name Hussein which is a synonym of the name Hasan and means "beautiful" and "virtuous." 890,303