Indian Last Names; 40+ Unique Surnames With Meaning!

India is a land of culture, music, and art.

Traditions, forms of dressing in India, language, and spicy food also make it very unique.

But once you have a mini-you, you have to choose a unique first name, probably a badass boy names or maybe an adorable Greek girl name for your princes that could be complemented with and Indian Last names.

And in some cases, a middle one too. Whether going pink or blue for your baby gear, you have found the right place to explore Indian last names.

Typically, the family line passes down last names.

This may be related to the place of birth, community, religion, or even profession.

You may settle for famous Devi, Singh, Kumar, Kaur, and Das based on your religion or social class. And that’s okay!

What about Telugu Brahmins? Vaidiki surnames are most suitable, with examples such as Nora and Puranam.

However, for distinctive monikers, below is a list of Indian last names for grabs:

Indian Surnames and their meanings

Ahuja:

It is an excellent Sikh surname, meaning ‘descendant of Ahu.’ You probably know of the Arora ancestor, Ahu. 

Anand:

Initially, it was popular as a first name with its meaning ‘joy.’ However, recent years have seen it grace many homesteads as a Hindu surname. It is also related to the Sanskrit word ‘anada.’

Acharya:

Looking for Brahman Hindu surnames? Acharya results from the Sanskrit word ‘acarya,’ translated as ‘man of learning.’

Agarwal:

If you prefer Jain surnames from well-known communities of India, this one may be perfect.

It is a product of the word Agroha, the former capital of the prehistoric city, Agar Sen. It is also pretty popular.

Arya:

Several communities are into the Hindu surname. It is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘arya,’ meaning ‘honorable man.’

Bakshi:

Want a piece of both Hindu and Punjabi surnames? Bakshi is looking your way. It is a product of the Persian word ‘bakhshi,’ meaning ‘paymaster.’

Babu:

It comes from the Prakrit word, ‘bappa’ to mean ‘father.’ It is also a Hindu surname.

Balakrishnan:

If you hail from South India, this name is probably familiar. It is a product of the Sanskrit word balakrsna, meaning ‘Child Krishna.’

Banerjee:

It is a make-up of two components ‘Ban,’ and ‘jee.’

The first part is the short name of the village Bandoghat while the second is derived from ‘jha,’ which means ‘teacher.’ It is ideal if you are in search of Bengali surnames.

Bhatt:

Meaning ‘the learned one,’ the surname initially belonged to a subgroup of goldsmiths in the Punjab community.

Chowdhury:

For both Indian Muslims and Hindus, the popular surname is good to go. Previously, it was a status name for community leaders who were famous and respected.

Chadha:

It is one of the Khatri Hindu surnames. It is also a clan of the Ramgharia Sikhs in the Khatri community.

Chopra:

You probably know of Priyanka Chopra. The surname belongs to a clan named Chopra and is suitable for both Hindu and Sikh communities.

Dara:

It is a product of an old Persian royal name meaning ‘possessor’ and is a surname of the Parsi.

Dalal:

In northern India, we have the Dalal clan of the Jats community. Rumors have it that the name was adopted from a King with the same name.

Datta:

Thanks to the Sanskrit word ‘datta,’ we have this Bengali and Punjabi surname.

It means ‘gift.’ With Assam and Bengal, the name is set aside for the Kayastha caste. And on the other hand, the Puranas relate it to the Vaishya caste.

Deol:

It is a Sikh surname and a clan in the Jat community.

Haldar:

It results from the Sanskrit word ‘haladhara,’ meaning ‘one who holds plow.’ It is also a Brahman surname.

Goel:

It belongs to a clan in the Agarwal community. The Indian surname is quite a hit in the northeastern parts of India.

Goswami:

If you are searching for Brahmin Hindu surnames, Goswami is quite an excellent choice. Basing on the Sanskrit word ‘Gosvami,’ it means ‘religious mendicant.’

Gandhi:

Everyone knows about Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi, however, is an occupational name for perfume merchants. And ‘gandha’ in Gujarat refers to pharmacists and grocers.

Gupta:

Searching for ancient Indian Surnames?

Well, Gupta is perfect. It is obtained from the Sanskrit word ‘gupt,’ meaning ‘protected.’ It is also a Jain and Bania surname.

Iyer:

It belongs to the Brahmans community in Tamil Nadu and is generally accepted as a Brahmin surname.

Kumar:

It is a favorite in various Indian communities.

It could be because it was the title of Lord Shiva’s son, god Kartikeya. In some circumstances, it sits perfectly as a component of the first or middle name.

Mallick:

Sounds a little Muslim. However, it is also a Hindu surname. It is a product of an Arabic word, ‘malik’ meaning ‘king.’

Mahajan:

It comes from the Hindu word ‘Mahajan,’ meaning ‘money lender.’ It is a Bania surname, and in Sanskrit, it means ‘great person.’

Mani:

It is a short form of Subramanian, a South Indian surname. Nonetheless, it is popular as a given name in Kerala.

Mannan:

It is an extract of the Sanskrit word ‘mannan,’ meaning ‘the bountiful.’ It is also a Hindu surname in Tamil, meaning ‘king.’ It also fits ideally as a Muslim surname.

Mehta:

As a Rajasthani surname, it means ‘chief’ in modern Indian cultures. Nevertheless, in Gujarati, it means ‘teacher,’ and ‘accountant.’

Naidu:

It is favoured in the Andhra Pradesh communities and is a product of ‘naya’ and ‘du.’

The first element means ‘leader’ or ‘chief.’ At the same time, ‘du’ is a third-party suffix in Telegu.

Saxena:

It belongs to a subgroup in the Kayastha community.

Shah:

Initially, it was a Persian title of royalty to mean ’emperor.’ It is also good to go as a Hindu or Muslim surname. In Jain and Gujarati, it means ‘merchant.’

Singh:

Slowly diffusing to other communities, Singh was initially a Kshatriya surname. It means ‘hero’ or ’eminent.’

Sharma:

Talk of names with prestige written all over, and here is one for you. It means ‘joy’ or ‘shelter.’

Thakur:

The surname is popular with Kshatriyas. However, it is also found on the surname list of other communities, such as the Brahmins. It means ‘deity’ or ‘lord.’

Pandey:

It often stands for a Brahmin who teaches or cooks. It also comes from the surname, ‘Pandita,’ which means ‘scholar.’

Puri:

It is a clan’s name in the Khatri community. In Punjabi, however, it means ‘small town.’

Ray:

It is the moniker of the Bunt community. It also comes from the Sanskrit word ‘raja,’ meaning ‘king.’ It is also a variation of Rai.

Rao:

Rao is very popular in western parts of India like Goa and other regions such as Orissa.

Zacharia:

It is one of the few Hebrew and Indian surnames. Christians like it in Kerala, where it is also perfect as a first name.

Final thoughts on Indian last names

Fortunately, finding a suitable surname is not as exhausting as sourcing our babies’ first or middle names, especially if you are looking for something unique like boy names that start with j.

So, relax and go through the Indian surnames as you pair them with the given names.

Keep in mind their meaning and if they are perfect for your community.

(Visited 1,907 times, 6 visits today)