Kashmiri kinship and descent is one of the major concepts of Kashmiri cultural anthropology. Hindu Kashmiris and Muslim Kashmiris living in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India and other parts of the country and the world are from the same ethnic stock.
Following is a list of Kashmiri surnames.
The Kashmiri Pandits are a group of Kashmiri Hindus and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community of India. They belong to the Pancha Gauda Brahmin group from the Kashmir Valley, located within the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits are Hindu Kashmiris native to the Kashmir Valley, and the only remaining Hindu Kashmiris after the large-scale of conversion of the Valley's population to Islam during the medieval times. Prompted by the growth of Islamic militancy in the valley, large numbers left in the exodus of the 1990s. Even so, small numbers remain.
Kak is a Kashmiri Pandit surname originating in the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Munshi is a Persian word, originally used for a contractor, writer, or secretary, and later used in Mughal India for native language teachers, teachers of various subjects, especially administrative principles, religious texts, science, and philosophy and were also secretaries and translators employed by Europeans.
Kashmiris are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group speaking the Kashmiri language and originating from the Kashmir Valley, which is today located in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
Dhar is a surname commonly found among the Hindu Bengali Kayastha community in West Bengal, India. Dhar or Dar is also used by some Kashmiri clans and communities native to the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, India, and common today among Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims.
Sapru, also spelled as Sipru or Saproo is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Mattoo, also spelled Mattu, is a Kashmiri clan and surname. They are native to the Kashmir Valley within the Jammu & Kashmir, India.
Jalali is a Kashmiri surname. Notable people with the surname include:
Madan/Madaan/Madhan is a Hindu surname. In India, it is found among Parsis, Kashmiri Pandits, Punjabi Aroras and Sindhi Lohanas. It is also found among Europeans.
Bhan is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The Bhan Brahmin dynasty founded an erstwhile tribal hill state of Kashmir in the 10th century AD. It was ruled by the Bhan dynasty for two hundred years. Currently, all the territory of this state of Bhan is found in the Sidhnuti district of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Bhan, as a surname, is also used by Punjabi Saraswat Brahmins.
Razdan is a Kashmiri Pandit surname and clan that refers to the royal or aristocratic bloodline of old Kashmir, mostly attributed to the warriors of the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. They are Saraswat Brahmins from the Kashmir Valley, belonging to the larger community of Pancha-Gauda Brahmins, and are widely known for their allegiance to Lord Shiva.
Pandit is an Indian and Nepalese Brahmin surname. When prefixed to a name, it denotes a scholar, for example, Pandita Ramabai or Pandit Nehru. A Hindu priest is also respectfully called Pandit ji.
Wali is a Kashmiri surname. Notable people with the name include:
Bazaz is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Tikoo, also spelt as Tickoo, Tikku, Tikhu or Ticku is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thussu, also spelt as Thusu, Thusoo or Thussoo is a Kashmiri clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Thussu as a last-name is used by both Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims.
Fotedar or Fotadar is a Kashmiri Pandit clan, kram and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Parimoo or Parimu is a Kashmiri Pandit clan and surname native to the Kashmir Valley of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is used by both Kashmiri Hindus and Kashmiri Muslims.
Ganjoo, also spelt as Ganju is a Kashmiri Pandit clan or surname, native to the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, India.
Drabu or Draboo is a Kashmiri Pandit clan or surname, native to the Kashmir Valley in Jammu and Kashmir, India. Drabu or Draboo as a last name is shared by both Hindus and Muslims in Kashmir.
The But/Butt of Punjab were originally Brahmin migrants from Kashmir during 1878 famine.
...the Muslims also retained their Hindu caste-names known as Krams e.g. Tantre, Nayak, Magre, Rather, Lone, Bat, Dar, Parray, Mantu, Yatoo/Aitu
One would come across among Muslims of Kashmir any number of surnames that are equally common among the Pandits. Among these are Bhat, Raina, Nath, Langoo, Malla, Bazaz, Saraf, Munshi, Watal, Wali, Khar, Shangloo, Nehru, Gagar, Kharoo, Aga, Jalali, Peer, Pandit, Parimoo and Mattoo.
A variety of Hindu surnames such as Dar, Bhatt, Handoo, Kachru, Kichlu, Matoo and Pandit persist in Muslim families.
Similarly, Mirza, Dhar or Dar, Bhat, Kaul, Akhoon, Chakoo, Durrani, Kachroo, Draboo, Kaloo, Kanna, Kaw, Khar, Khuda, Kitchloo, Munshi, Machama, Mirza, Padar, Parimoo and Raina are a few typical surnames that are used by both Hindus, and Muslims of Kashmir!
Similarly, Mirza, Dhar or Dar, Bhat, Akhoon, Chakoo, Durrani, Kachroo, Draboo, Kaloo, Kanna, Kaw, Khar, Khuda, Kitchloo, Munshi, Machama, Mirza, Padar, Parimoo and Raina are a few typical surnames that are used by both Hindus, and Muslims of Kashmir
Among the leading Krams may be mentioned the following names:— Tikku, Razdan, Kak, Munshi, Mathu, Kachru, Pandit, Sapru, Bhan, Zitshu, Raina, Dar, Fotadar, Madan, Thusu, Wangnu, Muju, Hokhu, and Dulu.
Among the leading Krams may be mentioned the following names: Tikku, Razdan, Kak, Munshi, Mathu, Kachru, Pandit, Sipru, Bhan, Zitshu, Raina, Dhar, Fotadar, Madan, Thusu, Wangnu, Muju, Hokhu, and Dulu. Of these the members of the Dhar family have probably been the most influential.
...looms rose to 24,000 by 1813. Despite the religious oppression that many hindus were subjected , they were however, useful to the Afghans because of their administrative experience. Kashmiri Pandits were not prevented into entering into government service & there were some families whose names consistently appear in public service - the Dhars, Kauls, Tikkus & Saprus.
Kashmiri Hindus are all Saraswat brahmins, known by the exonym Pandit (the endonym being Batta), a term first reserved for emigrant Kashmiri brahmins in Mughal service. Their surnames (kram) designate their original professions or their ancestors' nicknames (e.g., Hakim, Kaul, Dhar, Raina, Teng).
Meaning of surnames found on the Kashmiri Pandit tree: Bakaya, Sapru, Bakshi, Munshi, Wazir, Chalkbast, Bhan, Langar or Langroo, Wattal, Bazaz, Taimini, Mattu, Chak, Zalpuri, Khar, Hazari, Zutshi, Razdan, Tikhu, Kathju, sopori, Thussoo, Haksar, Raina, Waloo or Wali, Wantu/Wanchu, Gamkhwar, Kakh, Mushran, Sharga, Handoo, Gurtu, Kitchlu, and Ganjoo.
The Kesarwani Bania, or simply the Kesarwani, as they are popularly referred to, are an important group of the Vaishya or business community. They were also referred to as Baniya, Bani and Bakkal in the British time. From Kashmir, they came to Kara- Manikpur at the end of the twelfth century.
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