Origin of Konkani Surnames...

Mythologically, we are descendents of clan brought by Lord Parsurama, who created Goa by throwing his axe into the sea,and reclaimed the land mass and arrange to settle ninety six families from ten gothras he had led to the new land. Historically, when the religion was reaching its nadir, the king who had learned that highly educated and spiritual commune can be found in Trihut region (present day Mithila in Bihar), he sent his emissary with a request to loan him such persons for uplift of his subjects. The king of Trihut sent ninety-six (is it a coincidence?) families from ten gothras to the new land to propagate religion and philosophy. These families were settled in two different parts of the region. Thirty families were grouped in one commune,and sixty-six in other. The first commune was known as Tiswadys, and the other Shashatis among themselves, and the locals used to call them as a member of Shanavis. Saha means six and Navi means ninety, and our ancestors were known as a family of ninety-six. The word sahanavi later became Shenvi, and then to modern Shenoy or Shanbhag. There exist regions known as Tisuary and Salcettem (Portuguese pronunciation of Shashasti) in Goa. The families from Trihut mingled with the locals taught them and imparted knowledge for which they were brought, and in return started amassing wealth, buying lands, learnt feudalism and slowly became owners of village and rule over the locals. They built temples, started trading and became one of the locals, but with a difference. The difference was the Name. The strongest survives or rules over, and our ancestors were no different. Pai in our language means foot or leg. The common person who had not amassed wealth or power was known as Pai. Their job was menial in maintaining ledgers, doing clerical and odd jobs. The promotions were also there and your surname will change according to the promotion. The Pai who was writing ledgers, were promoted to become Shanbhags (clerks), and to other titles. A person maintaining statistics was called Karni. Land was called Nadu,and the person maintaining land records was known as Nadkarni, and Kulkarni maintained census, and social register. The main source of income was from agriculture, and the person experienced in soil mechanics, afgro-science was called Kamathi. Mathi means soil and Kama is work, that is working in soil ( Kama + Mathi). In Konkani even today we call kamathi not kamath or kamat. Cultivation of herbs for medicinal purpose was rule of the day. The concoction was prepared and dispensed by Vaidya, and the herbs were cultivated by Kinvis, presently called Kini or Keni. The animals required for tilling, transportation and other works were under Haya- Gade (actually Horse tenderer), modernized to Hegde.The daily requirements of every family for survival, presentations, etc were the responsibility of the Ballo. There is another theory that reveals that the foot soldier with a spear was called Ballo. The soldier Ballo(Baliga) was under the command of Nayak. The Brahmins from Trihutpura became feudal lord, and fancied himself as "The Lord" and was called Prabhu. He lived in a palatial home called mahal, and the caretaker was known as Mahalyar, presently modernized to Mallya. The religion was the center of attraction, and every hamlet, village;town had one or more temples. Poojas were performed in every home almost daily. There used be a congregation in the temple everyday to listen to recitation of puranas or other subjects. The poojas in the big temple and its rituals were under Acharya, and in small temples conducted by Bhat. Every family had exclusive priest to perform the rites, and he was the family Purohit. Puraniks recited the kathas and puranas in the temples. The temples were administered by Mahajans and its stores by Bhandari. The village godown was also under the Bhandari or bhandarkar. Kudva did fabricating tools

and tackles (the village blacksmith). Every hamlet had the same profession and hence the limited family names. To differentiate between two prabhus or pais, the person started calling himself from the particular hamlet or village, such as Gokul Shenvi Kakodkar, or Prakash Pai Angle. The word 'Kar" means "From" or citizen of.Thus kakodkar means person from village kakod. This enabled one to identify the profession and the domicile. The Portuguese invasion made people migrate to Ratnagiri in North and entire coast in the South, and slowly the local influence crept into the culture. In Karnataka, the village of refuge was used as a prefix to call oneself Padbidri Mohandas Prabhu, KARKALA ANANTH KINI, TONSE RAJENDRA KINI, KOTTACHERI DEVDAS SHENOY, or Kinnigoli Ramanath Kamath, et all. The kerala civilization induced the name of the house or the exact area rather than the village, and in some places, the present profession was also added to the name. So we have today, Thayyil Muralidhar Kamath ( Thayyil means tailoring house), or Kannaparambil Gopalakrishna Pai ( Parambil means garden or farm belonging to kannan). Today the name has no links with the profession. Mallya owns land, and Kini is a soldier; prabhu works for kamath, and Pai owns the land. The names are stuck; even tough the profession is not. But then what's in a name. A rose is a rose is a rose, even if called by any other name…!!!

Article By Panchkadai Yogi

What is "Goud Saraswat Brahmin" means

Goud Saraswat Brahmin

Goud (also written as Gowd or Gaud) Saraswat Brahmins are a Konkani or Marathi speaking Hindu Brahmin community in India and a part of the larger Saraswat Brahmin community. They are popularly referred to as GSBs.

History

Saraswats are people of Aryan descent who settled on the banks of the Saraswati River. The river eventually dried up and this led to the migration of the Saraswats from the plains of northern India. Though the exact dates of this migration are unknown, the Rig Veda eulogises the river Saraswati as being huge. It is believed that Lord Parshuram, a Brahmin, also counted as an avatar of Lord Vishnu brought the Saraswats from the northern Indian plains to Goa for the purpose of religious functions.
 
Lord Parshuram with Saraswat brahmin settlers commanding Lord Varuna to make the seas recede to make the Konkan .
96 families of the Goud (meaning northern) Saraswats came to the southern half of India and hence carried the appellation of 'northern' in the form of the word Goud. In view of the 96 families who formed 96 settlements in Goa - Sasashti (66) (Salcette) + Tissuari (30) (Tiswadi), they were also called Shenoy or sinai or shenvis. There were further settlements in Baradesh (12 settlements) (Bardez), Goa.
The Gowd Saraswats have built many temples in Goa like the Ramnathi temple in Loutolim, and the Mangueshi and Shantadurga temples in Kushasthali and Quellosim along with people from the other Hindu castes. Muslim invasions in the 14th century disrupted their peaceful existence. However, peace was regained when Goa came under the sway of the Hindu Vijaynagar kingdom. This period lasted for about 150 years, until the first European settlers, the Portuguese, landed on India's western coast. The Portuguese, for religious and political motives annexed Goa in 1510. During the Portuguese rule, due to forced conversions to Christianity and extreme oppression by the Jesuits and the Franciscans, the Gowd Saraswats along with their kunbi and gavde Hindu brethren fled to the Canara (in Karnataka), Kerala and Maharashtra. The temples of the Saraswats were destroyed by the Portuguese; however, some courageous people carried the idols of their deities across the Agranashini river (Zuari) into the territory of the Sonde Rajas. Here, they were slowly rebuilt. The Portuguese eventually took over these territories of Antruz Mahal, but their religious zeal had weakened and the temples stood firm.
The Gowd Saraswats have sub-communities such as the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmins, who were Saraswats from the villages of Kushasthali and Quellossim in Goa. They follow the Chitrapur Mutt. Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins/Balavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmins from Rajapur and Balavali village who follow the Kavle Mutt (Ponda, Goa), they are spread over coastal Karnataka, Coorg and Kasaragod taluk in Kerala.
The Gowd Saraswats consider Konkani and sometimes Marathi as their mother tongue, though their generations of sojourn in Karnataka (Kannada) and Kerala (Malayalam) have made them fluent in the major languages of their adopted provinces.
There are many GSB families in Maharashtra [migrated from Goa during Portuguese rule in the 16th century] scattered across the Konkan and all the other major cities - who have "Marathi" and/or "Malwani/Vengurla Konkani"as their mother tongue. GSBs from the southern Konkan region of Maharashtra can, in addition to their mother-tongue Marathi, speak very fluent Malwani Konkani, while those from north Konkan and non-Konkan regions speak only Marathi. Maharashtra has the maximum number of Marathi-speaking GSB's. GSBs from Goa consider Konkani as their true mother-tongue.

The sub-sects of the Goud Saraswats

1. Shenavi and Sasashtikars [Rajadhyaksha,Gavaskar,Ginde,Satoskar,etc]

2.  Shenavi Paiki

3.  Bardeshkars [Vengsarkar,Asgaonkar,etc]

4. Pednekars

5.  Lotlikars

6.  Kudaldeshkar Adya Gaud Brahmins(Ajgaonkar, Khanolkar,Samant, Bawkar, Desai,dabholkar....etc.)

7.  Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins/Bhalavalikar Gauda Saraswat Brahmins[Sakhalkar, Tendulkar,...etc]

Rajapur-Bhalavalikars call themselves RSB's. Kudaldeshkars call themselves Kudaldeshkar Brahmins.

GSB Mutts

•  Sri Goudapadacharya Kavale Mutt (Kavlem, Goa)

•  Sri Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Mutt (Partagali, Poinginim (Canacona Taluka, Goa); Gokarn, in Karnataka)

•  Sri Chitrapur Mutt (Chitrapur, Bhatkal, Karnataka)

•  Sri Kashi Mutt (Varanasi,Uttar Pradesh)

kudaldeshkar community have their Mutt in dabholi in vengurla.

GSBs in Pune

Many GSBs migrated to Pune during period of Maratha rule. They even established a large settlement colony at Somwar Peth in Pune which is known as the Saraswat colony. During the period of British colonial rule, Pune became a major center of education, military and administration of the Deccan (Desh) region. Many GSBs played a role in the transformation of City which is evident from institutions such as the BORI founded by Prof. Bhandarkar, the newspaper Sakal by Dr. Parulekar. Many GSBs in Pune at that time were hailed from Kolhapur district of south Maharastra and Northern Karnakata,which is nothing but the "Desh" region thus, the British counted them as "Deshastha bramhins" in the census of 1885.

Present

There are about 340,000 GSBs in India and all over the world. The GSB population is declining due to a high number of marriages outside the community as well as emigration have led to this decline.

Surnames

GSB Surnames include

•  Acharya

•  Ajgaonkar

•  Akerkar

•  Asgaonkar

•  Bale/Baliga

•  Bhadri

• Bhagat

•  Bhandarkar

•  Bhandare

•  Bhandary

•  Bhat

•  Bhaktha

•  Bhende

•  Bhise

•  Bhobe

•  Bhujle

•  Chitnis

•  Deshpande

•  Desai

•  Diwadkar

•  Dubhashi

•  Galvankar

•  Gavaskar

•  Gangokar

•  Ghanekar

•  Ghotage

•  Gole/Goli/Goli-Shanbhag

•  Gude

•  Hegde

•  Joshi

•  Kaisare

•  Kamat(h)

•  Kaamat

•  Kakodkar

•  Kanvinde

•  Kaplish

•  Karande

•  Karnataki

•  Kasbekar

•  Kotnis

•  Kudva

•  Kulkarni

•  Kini

•  Laud/Lad/Laad

•  Mathkar

•  Mhalsekar

•  Mallya/Mahale

•  Mulgaonkar/ Mulgaokar

•  Muzumdar

•  Nabar

•  Nadkarni

•  Neurekar

•  Nevrekar

•  Nerurkar

•  Nayak

•  Padiyar

•  Padukone

•  Pai

•  Pai Angle

•  Palekar

•  Prabhu

•  Prabhudesai

•  Phene

•  Puranik

•  Rajadhyaksha

•  Rao

•  Rege

•  Sonde

•  Sabnis

•  Salgaonkar

•  Samant

•  Sambari

•  Sanzgiri

•  Saraf*

•  Sardesai

•  Shanbhag/Shenoy

•  Senai

•  Shenvi

• Shenoy 
• Shetye

•  Shinkar

•  Shirodkar

•  Sinari

•  Sukhtankar

•  Telang/Patil

•  Tendulkar

•  Usgaonkar/Usgaokar

•  Wagh

•  Wagle

•  Warty*

•  Zantye

Famous GSBs

•  K. V. Kamath - Ex. CEO, ICICI Bank

•  Dr. Vijay Mallya - Chairman, United Breweries/ Kingfisher Airlines

•  Shrimati.Shirish Atre-Pai Marathi writer (GSB by marriage - she is Deshastha from her paternal side, daughter of Acharya Atre)

•  Dilip Prabhavalkar

•  Madhur Bhandarkar

•  Nandan Nilekani - co-chairman and co-founder of Infosys Technologies Ltd.

•  Dr. M. V. Bhatt - world-renowned organic chemist (retd.) from the Indian Institute of Science

•  P L Deshpande - most popular Marathi author

•  Sunil Gavaskar - legendary batsman and cricket captain

•  Ashok Saraf - popular Marathi cinema actor

•  Gurudas Kamat - Mumbai Indian National Congress politician, & Minister of State, GOI 

•  Guru Dutt - famous hindi film star was born Gurudutt Padukone. He dropped his surname in films

•  Suresh Prabhu - Shiv Sena leader, former Power Minister

•  Vitthal Mallya - father of Vijay Mallya

•  Dr. M. V. Kamath - Indian journalist, editor and columnist

•  V. S. Kudva

•  Mr. Alke Shantharam Pai - philanthropist, communist politician

•  Dr. T. M. A. Pai - educationist, banker, huminatarian, founder of Manipal Group

•  N.K.Shinkar - Former Chairman Life Insurance Corporation of India

•  U Srinivas Mallya - Indian politician and Member of Parliament

•  Ulhas R. Padiyar

•  Amol Palekar

•  C.T. Khanolkar - popular Marathi poet from Vengurla

•  Dilip Vengsarkar

•  Purushottam Shivram Rege - Marathi poet, author & educationalist

•  Dadasaheb Rege

•  Madhav Mantri

•  Shyam Benegal

•  Late Bipin Warty- actor/producer of Marathi movies

•  Priya Tendulkar-Razdan

•  Prakash Padukone Famous badminton player

•  Meena Prabhu - noted Marathi writer

•  Rashtrakavi M. Govinda Pai(KB)

•  Ammembal Subba Rao Pai - founder of Canara bank and Canara group of academia

•  Dr V A Pai Panandiker - founder of Inter National Centre Delhi and Goa)

•  Kotacheri Manmohan Shenoi - Chairman UCo Bank 1986-1990)

•  Shri R V Deshpande - former Karnataka Minister)

•  Late Bantwal Srinivasa Dayanand Baliga (BSD Baliga) - former Chairman Railway Board

•  Shobha De nee Rajadhyaksha

•  Dr. T Ramdas M Pai - son of Dr. TMA Pai, founder of Manipal

•  Sachin Tendulkar

•  Late Shri Ramdas Nayak

•  Kamalakar Rajaram Rege (K.R.Rege)- A scholar graduate of J.J.Architecture in 1952- went to London on govt.scholarship in Town Planning and RIBA. Worked on many prestigious architectural projects. One of the last remaining architect from the 'Old School of thoughts'.

History
Brahmins of India were divided into two sections, "Pancha Gowda" and "Pancha Dravida". Saraswats belong to the "Pancha Gowda" category.

Kuldevs of GSBs

Normally Saraswats believe in the concept of "Panchayatan" - worshipping 5 gods like form of Shiva, Vishnu, Durga, Surya and Ganapati. Some GSB Temples still maintain this concept, while others have a single deity instead of five. "Kuldev" or "kuldaivat" are the deities which a set of families primarily worship. Their temples are built and maintained by these families, also called "Mahajans" (or Kulavis) of their respective temple.
Many Kuldevs/Kuldevatas are situated in Goa. However, during the early Portuguese persecutions, many GSBs and Saraswats fled Goa along with their Kuldevs to nearby regions of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala. Hence, besides Goa, there are many GSB Temples in Karnataka (South & North Canara), in Maharashtra (Konkan side like Malwan, Vengurla, Savantwadi, Kudal, Ratnagiri, etc.), in Kerala (Purakkad, Cochi, etc.).
The Popular kuldevs of Gouda Saraswats are:
Kuldevtas located in Goa:

•  Shri Mangesh Mahalakshmi,Ponda,Goa

•  Shri Mangesh Maharudra (Mangeshim/Priyol, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Shantadurga (Kavalem, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Navadurga (Madkai, Goa)

•  Shri Mahalakshmi (Bandiwadem/Bandora, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Nagesh Maharudra (Nageshim, Bandiwadem/Bandora, Ponda Goa)

•  Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Mardhol, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Ganapati Khandola (Khandola, Goa)

•  Shri Kaveri Kamakshi Rayeshwar (Shiroda, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Ramnath Shanteri Kamakshi (Ramnathim, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Shantadurga Ravalnath (Mulgaon, Goa)

•  Shri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath Bhumikadeo (Marcela, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Lakshmi Narsimha (Veilinga, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Damodar (Zambavalim, Goa)

•  Shri Shankleswari Shantadurga (Gotna, Veiling, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Vijayadurga (Kerim, Ponda, Goa)

•  Shri Saptakoteshwar (Narve, Goa)

•  Shri Ravalnath Mahalakshmi (Mulgao, Goa)

•  Shri Laxminarayan (Khola, Canacona)

•  Shri Navadurga (Kundaim, Goa)

•  Shri Navadurga ( Poinguineim, Goa)

•  Shri Navadurga (Bori, Goa)

Kuldevtas located in Maharashtra:

•  Shri Navadurga (Vengurla, Redi, Maharashtra){shifted from Goa during Portuguese rule}

•  Shri Shantadurga, Malwan, Maharashtra

•  Shri Shantadurga, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra

Kuldevtas located in Karnataka:

•  Shri Kundodari Mahamaya Chamundeshwari (Shedgeri, Ankola, Karnataka)

•  Shri Aryadurga (Ankola, Karnataka)

•  Shri Lakshmi Narayan Mahamaya also known as Nagoa Mahamaya (Ankola, Karnataka)

•  Shri Ganapati Mahamaya (Shirali, Karnataka)

•  Shri Katyayni Bhaneshwar (Aversa, Karnataka)

•  Shri Ganapati Ravalnath Mahamaya (Asnoti, Karnataka)

Shifted Kuldevta Temples during the Portuguese rule:

•  Shri Ramnath Shanteri Kamakshi (Kumta, Karnataka)

•  Shri Kaveri Kamakshi Rayeshwar (Kumta, Karnataka)

•  Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Kumta, Karnataka)

•  Shri Shri Lakshmi Narsimha (Moolki, Karnataka)

•  Shri Devaki Krishna Ravalnath (Kagal, Karnataka)

•  Shri Mahalsa Narayani (Moodabidri, Karnataka)

The above Kuldevtas are of the Shenavi, Bardeshkars, Sasashtikars, Pednekars, Shenavi Paiki, Lotlikars and of the Goud Brahmins of Karnataka.
The Kudaldeshkar & Rajpur Saraswats Kuldevtas are different than those of the above:

•  Shri Sharvani-Mahadev Maharudra Vetal (Goa)

•  Shri Ravalnath (Valawal, Kudal)

•  Shri Vetal or Vetoba (Goa Canacona Taluka & Maharashtra)

•  Shri Kaleshwar (Nerur, Sindhudurg Dist, Maharashtra)

•  Shri Aadinarayan (Parule, Taluka Vengurla, Maharashtra)

•  Shri Narasimha (Narasinghe, Karnataka)

•  Shri Bhavani-Shankar (Kavle Mutt, Goa)

•  Shri Durgaparameshwari (Montimaru, Karnataka)

•  Shri Durgaparameshwari (Bantakal, Karnataka)

•  Shri Durgaparameshwari (Mogeru, Karnataka)

•  Shri Adishakti Mahalaxmi (Laxmipura, Karnataka)

•  Shri Bhagvati Vana devi (Goa)

•  Shri Aryadurga (Kudal, Maharashtra)

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