Exploring The Significance Of Indian Last Names And Their Meanings

One's last name often indicates the family or lineage that they come from, and Indian last names are no exception. Last names give a person their identity within the community. While it is unusual for non-Indians to give their children Indian surnames, modern-day parents can do so. Some adults may also want to adopt Indian last names for different reasons.

In ancient Indian culture, parents did not give their children surnames. This practice was introduced by the British during the era of colonization. Today, although not all Indians have surnames, many adopt a last name out of necessity. Usually, the surname reflects the community, caste, family, or village where one was born. So, what are the most common Indian surnames and their meanings?

Most Common Indian Last Names

The most common Indian last names are:

• Acharya: The meaning is "priest" or "man of learning."
• Agarwal: This surname comes from the word Agroha, which was formerly the capital city of Agar Sen.
• Asan: The meaning is "teacher."
• Ahuja: This Sikh surname translates to "the descendant of Ahu."
• Anand: This is one of the common Indian last names whose meaning is "joy."
• Babu: The name Babu is one of the most popular Indian surnames, showing respect for a man.
• Bakshi: This last name translates to "paymaster," originally given to officials responsible for distributing wages in Muslim armies.

• Balakrishnan: A common surname in South India meaning "child Krishna."
• Bandyopadhyay: It translates to "respected teacher."
• Basu: This name signifies wealth and radiance as an appellation of Lord Shiva.
• Bedi: This surname means "one who knows the Vedas."
• Bhat: The meaning is "the learned one."
• Chattopadhyay: Refers to a teacher from Chatta village in Bengal.
• Chandra: The meaning is "moon" or "shining."
• Chakrabarti: It means "emperor."
• Chaturvedi: Translates to "the one who is well-educated about all the four Vedas."
• Chauhan: Associated with prestige and honor in ancient Hindu communities.
• Chopra: This means the descendants of Chaupat Rai, a warrior.
• Chowdhury: Given to heads of communities in ancient times.

• Deshmukh: Translates to "one who is the leader of a country or territory."
• Desai: Means "landlord."
• Deshpande: Refers to the head or leader of a region.

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• Dhar: The meaning is "mountain" or "credit."
• Dhawan: Translates to "messenger" or "runner."
• Dhirwan: Refers to one who worships Maa Rajrajeswari and spreads teachings.
• Dubashi: This term refers to a person who knows two languages or a translator.
• Dwivedi: A person who has learned and mastered two Vedas.

• Gandhi: Means "the one who sells perfume," often used for pharmacists or grocers in Gujarati.
• Ganguly: Meaning "a teacher from the village of Ganga."
• Ghosh: Means "cowherd."
• Gill: Represents "prosperity," "moisture," or "lake."
• Gokhale: Means "the eye of a cow."
• Gupta: Meaning "protected" or "a ruler."
• Haldar: Refers to "the one who holds a plough," also associated with Balarama.
• Iyer: Means "noble."
• Iyengar: Refers to someone who has undergone all five purification rituals.
• Jain: Signifies "triumph" or "a follower of Jainism."
• Jha: Meaning "teacher."
• Jindal: Refers to "a king who is made of steel."
• Joshi: A short form of Jyotshi, meaning "astrologer."

• Kakkar: Refers to "a strong person."
• Kaniyar: Indicates people who think carefully before taking any step.
• Kapoor: Refers to the descendants of the moon or means "camphor."
• Kapadia: Means "cloth merchant."
• Kaviraj: Translates to "doctor."
• Khanna: Refers to descendants of the Khan clan and translates to "sword."
• Khatri: A popular family name meaning "ruler."
• Kocchar: Means "armour."
• Kori: The meaning is "clean."
• Kumar: An epithet of god Kartikeya, son of Lord Shiva.
• Lal: Means "darling."

• Mahajan: Means "a great or big person," also refers to a banker.
• Mahto: Indicates the leader of the village.
• Mangal: Means "auspicious."
• Maurya: Refers to one of the biggest and greatest empires in ancient India.
• Mehta: Means "chief" in modern Indian communities; translates to "accountant" or "teacher" in Gujarati.
• Mehra: Refers to descendants of the sun.
• Mishra: The meaning is "blended" or "mixed."
• Mukherjee: Means "teacher."
• Modi: Refers to a person from the Modi clan.
• Nai: Means "barber."
• Naidu: Means "leader" or "chief."
• Nayar: Means "soldier" or "leader."
• Nagarajan: Means "cobra king."

• Odda: Refers to agricultural laborers and workers.
• Pamireddy: Translates to "the snake killer."
• Qassab: