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Punjabis are known for their brave and hospitable nature, reflected in their surnames. Punjabi surnames can be traced to topographic, occupational, or ancestral clans’ origins within a community.
The three central communities in Punjab include the Khatri (primarily consisting of merchants and warriors), the Arora (mostly the merchants), and the Jatt (mainly the landlords). And, most of the Punjabi surnames belong to these communities.
This post lists some interesting surnames with their meanings and origins.
List Of Popular Punjabi Surnames With Meanings
Punjabi surnames represent lineage and clans among the families, providing insights into their cultural and historical aspects. All the Punjabi surnames belong to different Punjabi clans or communities, such as Jatt, Khatri, and Arora. However, many are further categorized as occupational, ancestral, and toponymic surnames within a community. Below are some popular Punjabi surnames listed under various categories.
Toponymic Punjabi Surnames
1. Ahluwalia
It has a toponymic origin referring to those who originally belonged to a village named “Ahlu,” a village believed to be situated near Lahore during the Sikh Confederacy. The surname also contains the “walia,” a common Punjabi suffix.
2. Arora
The surname Arora has a toponymic origin, referring to those who originally belonged to the ancient city of “Aror,” which is presently known as Rohri, situated in Pakistan.
3. Attwal/Atwal
The surname Attwal/Atwal has its name derived from “Attalika,” a Sanskrit word meaning, “high hill-tops.” The surname Attwal has its origin from a Jatt clan name from the Punjab region.
4. Basra
Basra probably has a toponymic origin and refers to individuals whose ancestors migrated from Basra, a place in Iraq.
5. Bhatti
This surname has its origin in the Sanskrit word “bhatta,” which means “lord.” It might even have a toponymic origin referring to individuals that originally belonged to the region called Bhattiana, situated across Punjab and Haryana.
6. Bindra
It has origins in “Bindranath,” a Sanskrit word that refers to the “high hill-tops.” It is a common surname among Khatris and Jatts.
Did you know?7. Dosanjh
A surname common among the Jatt Sikh, Dosanjh, probably has a toponymic origin, deriving its name from “Dosanjh,” a village situated in Punjab. The name Dosanjh also “means a union of two.”
8. Juneja
It is a surname from the Arora community. Juneja likely comes from the name of a tribe or clan that originally belonged to the Sindh region, which is now located in Pakistan.
9. Khanna
It refers to those who originally belonged to the city of Khanna in Punjab. It is a popular Punjabi surname from the Khatri community.
10. Puri
It refers to those who originally belonged to the village of Puri in Punjab. The surname is found in the Khatri community.
Occupational Punjabi Surnames
11. Bajaj
It probably has its origin from a Punjabi word, which refers to a “clothier.” It is a common surname among Punjabi Arora and Khatri community.
12. Bedi
The surname is derived from “vedi,” a Sanskrit word referring to an individual “who knows the Vedas.” The surname is also the name of a clan within the Khatri community.”
13. Bhatia
The surname likely comes from the name of a clan or community of landlords or merchants located primarily in western to northwestern India.
14. Chopra
The surname likely referred to those belonging to a merchant clan within the Khatri community.
15. Choudhary
The surname Choudhary has an interesting origin and is known to be derived from “chadhur,” which means “four” combined with “dhar,” which means “to own” or “possess.” Choudhary probably means “holder of four,” where four, being indicative of a measure of land. The surname was common among zamindars or landlords.
16. Grover
The surname Grover, has its origin from “Guruvara/Gorovare,” which, in turn, is derived from “guru,” a Sanskrit word meaning “a teacher or an instructor.” The surname is common among Khatri, Jatt, and Sikh communities.
17. Malhotra
The surname Malhotra has its origin in another surname, “Mehrotra,” which itself comes from “Mehra,” meaning a “chief” or a “master.” The surname Mehra comes from Mehr Chand, the founder of the Mehra clan within the Khatri community.”
18. Malik
A Punjabi surname, Malik, has its origin from a status name indicative of a “ruler” or a “king.”
19. Mehta
The surname has its origin in “Mahita,” a Sanskrit word meaning “appreciation.” The surname Mehta may also have been derived from “Mehta,” a word that means “chief.”
20. Sahni/Sawhney
The Khatri surname Sahni/Sawhney is likely derived from a word that means, “companion” or “commander.”
21. Sood
The surname likely comes from the “soot” or “sood,” which means “interest” or “gain.” It likely referred to those who belonged to a community of merchants or traders.
22. Suri
It is derived from “Suri,” a Sanskrit word which means “a priest” or “the Sun.” The surname is found among those belonging to the Khatri community.
Ancestral Punjabi Surnames
23. Ahuja
A surname with a patronymic origin, Ahuja refers to the “descendants of Ahu.”
24. Anand
Its origin is probably in the name of “Anand,” who was the founder of the Anand clan in the Khatri community.
25. Aneja
The surname has its origin in the name of a clan within the Arora community.
26. Babbar
The surname has its origin in the clan name “Babbar” within the Jatt community.
27. Bajwa
It is derived from “Baaz,” a word that originally came from Persian and refers to a hawk or a falcon.
28. Batra
The surname Batra has its origin in the name of a clan in the Arora community.
29. Behl
It is derived from “bahala,” a Sanskrit word which means “strong.” It is also the name of a clan within the Khatri community.
30. Bhalla
It is derived from “bhalla,” a Sanskrit word which means “bear” or “auspicious.” The surname is common among Punjabi Khatris and Sikhs.
31. Bhasin
It is derived from “Bhasin,” a Sanskrit word which means “the sun.” The surname is the name of a clan within the Khatri community.
32. Brar
The surname has its origin in the name of a tribe from the Jatt community.
33. Chawla
It is the name of a clan within the Arora community. Chawla surname is also found in Khatri and Jatt communities.
34. Deol
A common Punjabi Jatt surname, Deol was originally the name of a warrior clan and has its origin in the name of a place called Diraval.
35. Dhillon
The surname Dhillion probably has its origin in the name of a clan within the Jatt community.
36. Duggal
It is derived from the name of a clan within the Khatri community.
37. Gambhir
The surname Gambhir comes from the name of a clan within Arora community.
38. Ghai
The surname Ghai is common among Punjabi Khatri and probably has its origin in a Khatri clan name.
39. Gill
The surname likely has origin in the name of a clan within the Jatt community. The name “Gill” likely has origin in a word, which either means “moisture” or “prosperity.”
40. Gulati
It is a surname from the Arora community. The origin of the surname is unknown, and it likely would have been the name of a clan.
41. Handa
It is likely derived from a word which probably refers to a “cooking pot.” The surname Handa is common in the Khatri community.
42. Hans
It is an Arora community surname that is derived from “Hamsa,” a Sanskrit word which means “a swan.”
43. Kakkar
It comes from the name of a clan in the Bahri subdivision of the Khatri community.
44. Kamra
It is derived from a Sanskrit word, which means “beautiful.” The surname is the name of a clan within the Arora community.
45. Kapoor
It is a popular surname among the Punjabi Khatris. Kapoor likely originates from the Sanskrit word “Karpura,” which means “camphor.”
46. Kaushal
The surname likely refers to those who descended a sage named Kaushal. The name Kaushal comes from Sanskrit and means “efficient” and “competence.”
47. Khurana
It is the name of a clan within the Arora community.
48. Kohli
A popular Punjabi Surname, Kohli has its origin in the name of a clan in the Khatri community.”
49. Nanda
A surname common among Punjabi Khatri, Nanda, has its origin in a clan name in the Khatri community.
50. Narang
It is derived from “naranga,” a Sanskrit word which means “orange.” The surname is found among those from the Arora community.
51. Narula
It originates in the name of a clan within the Arora community. The surname is also common among Sikhs.
52. Sagar
It comes from the Sanskrit word “sagara,” which means “ocean.” The surname is found among those from the Khatri community.
53. Sehgal
It is the name of a clan within the Khatri community.
54. Singh
The surname “Singh” has its origin in a Sanskrit word, which means “lion.” Singh was originally an ornamental title adopted by warriors. Later, with the advent of Sikhism, the surname became mandatory for all Sikhs.
Did you know?55. Sobti
The surname was originally the name of a clan within the Punjabi Khatri community.
56. Sodhi
It is derived from a Sanskrit word, which means “one who has endured.” The surname is found in the Khatri community and among Sikhs as well.
57. Soni
It is common among Punjabi Khatris, the surname Soni has its origin from in a Khatri clan name.
58. Talwar
It is derived from “Taravari,” a Sanskrit word, which means “a sword.” The surname is the name of a clan from the Khatri community.
59. Tandon
It was originally the name of a clan of warriors with in the Khatri community.
60. Taneja
The surname is derived from a Sanskrit word, which means “blade of grass.” Taneja is the name of a clan within the Arora community.”
61. Thapar
Thapar originally referred to the name of a clan within the Khatri community.”
62. Tuli
It was originally the name of a warrior clan in the Khatri community.
63. Vij
A popular surname among Punjabi Khatris, the surname Vij probably has its origin from the name of a clan.
64. Vohra
It probably has its origin in “Vyuha,” a Sanskrit word, which means “battle array.” The surname is common among Punjabi Khatris and Sikhs.
65. Wahi (Wahie)
The surname Wahi has its origin in a Khatri clan name.
Discover More Names
When you have to choose a name for your baby, a few hundreds of names may not be just enough. Keep digging our mine of baby names until you find that one precious gem.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the meaning of the Punjabi surname ‘Kaur’?
Kaur means ‘princess’ in Punjabi and is the second name given to female Sikhs.
2. What is the significance of the Punjabi surname ‘Bhullar’?
Bhullar surname belongs to the Jatt community. It is the name of a village in Batala in Gurdaspur, Punjab.
3. What does the Punjabi surname ‘Bhandari’ mean?
The surname ‘Bhandari’ is derived from the word ‘Bhandar,’ which means ‘a storehouse or granary.’ Thus, the meaning of this surname is ‘treasurer or ‘keeper of the storehouse,’ belonging to the Khatri caste in Punjabis.
4. Why do Punjabi families often have the same surnames?
The Sikh Gurus wanted to abolish the caste system prevailing in India. To create equality amongst humans, they urged the Sikhs to adopt common surnames so people could not be discriminated against on the basis of their caste or community.
Punjabi surnames reflect the rich cultural history and heritage of the region of Punjab. Several Punjabis have migrated to various parts of the world, carrying their powerful last names with them. This has increased people’s curiosity about their surnames and their origins. Our post provides you a glimpse into the wonderful history and origins of Punjabi surnames, with some of them being around for centuries. Indian last names like Wadhwa, Sandhu, and Sethi are also common in the Punjabi community. Learning about these surnames and their origins can also help you better understand and appreciate the culture of the Punjabi community.
Infographic: Popular Punjabi Surnames
From Singh to Kapoor, Punjabi surnames are known worldwide and associated with many famous Indian celebrities. Also, a Punjabi surname represents a person’s familial background and culture. So, here is an infographic that tells you some of the most popular Punjabi surnames and what they mean. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- Punjabi surnames have occupational, ancestral, and topographical origins.
- They carry deep historical and social significance, and are recognized globally.
- Khatri, Arora, and the Jatt communities predominantly feature these surnames.
- Notable and culturally rich Punjabi surnames include Choudhary, Bedi, Kapoor, Ahuja, and Singh.
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