Patel is an Indian surname or title, predominantly found in the state of Gujarat, representing the community of land-owning farmers and later (with the British East India Company) businessmen, agriculturalists and merchants. Traditionally the title is a status name referring to the village chieftains during medieval times, and was later retained as successive generations stemmed out into communities of landowners. There are roughly 500,000 Patels outside India, including about 150,000 in the United Kingdom and about 150,000 in the United States. Nearly 1 in 10 people of Indian origin in the US is a Patel. [1]
The Gujarati term paṭel, along with its cognate Marathi terms pāṭel and pāṭīl, are derived from the Prakrit word paṭṭaïl(l)a- "village headman", itself derived from the Sanskrit word paṭṭakila "tenant of royal land", a term first appearing in the Vetālapañcaviṃśatikā. [13]
The surname historically originated in the Indian state of Gujarat, where it is amongst the most common of surnames. [14] Today, the name is found across India, as well as in the Indian diaspora.
In 2009, The Telegraph released a news article indicating that, in the United Kingdom, the surnames Patel and Singh now rank amongst native ones such as Smith and Jones. [15] With those who immigrated to Germany during British colonial rule in India, Gujaratis used the variation "Pätel", with an umlaut, to better integrate with German society. [16]
Parmar, also known as Panwar or Pawar, is a Rajput clan found in Northern and Central India, especially in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and North Maharashtra. The clan name is also used by Kōḷīs, Garoḍās, Līmaciyā Valands, Mōcīs, Tūrīs, Luhārs, Kansārās, Darajīs, Bhāvasārs, Cūnvāḷiyās, Ghañcīs, Harijans, Sōnīs, Sutārs, Dhobīs, Khavāsas, Rabārīs, Āhīrs, Sandhīs, Pīñjārās, Vāñjhās, Dhūḷadhōyās, Rāvaḷs, Vāgharīs, Bhīls, Āñjaṇās, Mer and Ḍhēḍhs.
Leva Patel is a sub-caste of Patidars in India, situated mainly in Charotar region of Gujarat. Compared to other Patidar subcastes such as the Kadavas, they had greater wealth and control of positions in commerce, education, and producer cooperatives.
Patidar, formerly known as Kanbi, is an Indian land-owning and peasant caste and community native to Gujarat. The community comprises at multiple subcastes, most prominently the Levas and Kadvas. They form one of the dominant castes in Gujarat. The title of Patidar originally conferred to the land owning aristocratic class of Gujarati Kanbis; however, it was later applied en masse to the entirety of the Kanbi population who lay claim to a land owning identity, partly as a result of land reforms during the British Raj.
The Nayak, or Naik is a historic Indian title conferred on military generals and governors of feudal states in the Middle Ages. Today it is also a surname. Nayaks are mostly Hindu and few Sikhs, who follow Hinduism and Sikhism respectively.
Desai is an Indian administrative, princely or honorary title and surname.
Jethwa is a clan of Rajputs and Koli castes of Gujarat. Jethwa surname is also found among Darji, Mistris of Kutch, Gurjar Kshatriya Kadias castes of Gujarat
The Rathva or Rathwa also spelled as Rathava and Rathawa is a Subcaste of the Koli caste found in the Indian state of Gujarat. Rathava Kolis were agriculturist by profession and turbulent by habits but now lives like Adivasis such as Bhil because of their neighborhood
The Kotwal also spelled as Cotwal, or Kotval, was a title used in medieval and early modern India for the leader of a Kot or fort. Kotwals often controlled the fort of a major town or an area of smaller towns on behalf of another ruler. It was similar in function to a British Indian Zaildar From Mughal times the title was given to the local ruler of a large town and the surrounding area. However, the title is also used for leaders in small villages as well. Kotwal has also been translated as Chief police officer. The post of Kotwal was known since ancient times as Kota pala who was the chief of Police.
The Dabhi is a Rajput clan of Gujarat in India. The name is also found among the Indian Kolis.
The Koli is also known as Koliya in ancient India. Mahawar also known as Mahor and spelled as Mahaur, Mahour and Mahavar is a sub-caste of the Koli caste in the Indian states of Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Mahawar kolis Inter-marry with Shakya kolis but not with any other subcaste of Kolis. The Mahawar kolis along with other Koli subcastes Shakyawar, Jaiswar, Kabirpanthi and Shankhwar kolis of Uttar Pradesh tried to uplift the social status in Hindu society by supporting the 'All India Kshatriya Koli Mahasabha' leaders of Ajmer.
Baria, or Baraiya,Bareeya and Bariya is a clan (Gotra) of the Koli caste found in the Indian State of Gujarat and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. the Devgad Baria was their Stronghold or given their name to Baria State in Gujarat. according to the historian Y.V.S Nath, the ruling royal family of Baria State is original Koli by caste but later they claimed to be of Rajput origin to be in high status among other Princely States.
The Koli is an Indian caste found in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, Odisha and Jammu and Kashmir states in India. Koli is an agriculturist caste of Gujarat but in coastal areas they also work as fishermen along with agriculture. In the beginning of 20th century, the Koli caste was recognised as a denotified tribe under Criminal Tribes Act by the Indian Government because of their anti-social activities during World War I.
The Mewasi, or Mevasi, Mehwasi is a title of Koli caste found in Indian state of Gujarat. The Koli chieftains who ruled over villages populated by turbulent Kolis were titled as Mewasi because of their rebellious activities against Maratha and Mughal rulers.
KHAM stands for Koli Kshatriya, Harijan, Adivasi and Muslim. Here Kshatriya is taken to include the Kolis. In the KHAM combine, Kolis were the largest caste represented at different levels of politics, and Madhavsinh Solanki increased the reservation quota for Other Backward Classes in Gujarat. The theory was propounded by Madhavsinh Solanki in 1980s in Gujarat to create vote bank for Indian National Congress and prepared by Jhinabhai Darji. Using the formula, Congress was able to capture 149 seats in the 182-member Assembly. However the formula alienated Patels permanently from Congress. during the Kham alliance, castes such as Bania, Patidar and Brahmins lost their importance in the state, so they propounded the Anti reservation agitation in 1981 and 1985 in Gujarat to get rid of the power of OBC castes.
The Raghojirao Ramjirao Bhangre also spell Bhangaria was an Indian revolutionary who challenged and defied the British power in Maharashtra. He was the son of Ramji Bhangare, a Koli who also resisted the British rule and was subsequently hanged in Cellular Jail. He was only ten years old when he took up arms against British rule in Maharashtra.
The Meghani is a clan of Koli caste in the Indian state of Gujarat.
The Darbar, Durbar or Darbar Sahib is a honorific title of Koli caste in the Indian state of Gujarat. During the reign of Maratha Empire and British Indian Empire, Koli Darbars were petty rulers of several villages and jagirs and known as Pallavi Darbar Sahib and Koli Thakor for their landholdings. The Kolis who were enjoying the power called Koli Darbar often use Sang, Singh and Sinh as their middle name. according to the Harald Tambs-Lyche, the Kolis who respected as Darbar Sahib were not agriculturist like other Khedut Kolis of Gujarat and generally follow the Kshatriya ways of Koli society.
The Talapada, or Talpada, is a subcaste of the Koli caste of Gujarat state in India. Talapada Kolis are agriculturists by profession. they were members of the Gujarat Kshatriya Sabha, an organisation launched by Natwarsinh Solanki who was a Koli elite. In 1907, they were classified by the British as a Criminal Tribe, ascribing to them a range of anti-social activities such as highway robbery, murder, and theft of animals, cattle and standing crops. They were also alleged to be blackmailers and hired assassins.
The Muslim Koli, or Musalman Koli is a religious subgroup of Hindu Koli caste in India and Pakistan. Most of the Muslim Kolis lives in Maharashtra and Gujarat of India and Sindh province of Pakistan. Muslim Kolis were Hindu by religion but later they were converted to Muslim and accept Islam.
The Koli is a native caste of India, Pakistan and Nepal with the largest number of Kolis lives in Gujarat and Kathiawar of Gujarat. During times of unsettled British government, the coasts of Kathiawar have swarmed with Koli pirates, who, from the shelter of every creek and headland, took toll on all merchandise ships on the Arabian Sea. Along the southern coast the leading pirates were Shial Koli, Baria Kolis, while, in the Gulf of Cutch and near Dwarka and Porbandar, other Kolis made their names a terror to merchants.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link){{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link){{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link){{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date and year (link)