50 Popular Gujarati Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

For centuries, Gujrat, a culturally rich state in Western India, has been treating us with its unique dance forms and lip-smacking delicacies. The interesting and popular Gujarati surnames make them stand out from the rest. These last names are rooted in ethnic, topographic, and occupational backgrounds. If you wish to know more about it, delve into this list as we share a list of Gujarati last names with meanings.

List Of Gujarati Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

1. Acharya

Acharya, a common Gujarati surname, derives its name from ’Acarya,’ a Sanskrit word for a spiritual leader, or the ‘one who teaches conduct.’

2. Adhvaryu

The surname originates from a Sanskrit word that means ‘best among priests who perform Yagna.’

3. Ambani

Ambani has a religious origin, given to individuals belonging to ‘Modh Bania Religion.’ Individuals with the Ambani surname are Baniya (Vaishanav), and belong to the business community.

4. Amin

Amin was a knighthood bestowed upon the Hindu Gujarati Patels by the Mughal rulers. Amin (originally the Patidar caste in Gujarat) probably had an occupational origin referring to individuals who worked as tax collectors for the Mughal Empire.

5. Amroliwala

The surname is a toponymic one and refers to those who originally belonged to the Amroli region of Surat in Gujarat.

6. Barot

Barot was originally the name of a community that derived itself from the Bhat community. Individuals from the Barot community would usually work as genealogists (one who studies and makes a pedigree) and as bards.

7. Choksi

Choksi, assayer of gold and silver

The Gujarati surname ‘Choksi’ derives its name from the Gujarati word ‘Coksi,’ which means ‘assayer of gold and silver.’

8. Chowdhury

The surname Chowdhury is likely a title of honor bestowed by a king to a warrior or a nobleman. Chowdhury in Sanskrit refers to ‘holder of four,’ where four probably indicated the measure of land granted by the king.

9. Dalal

Dalal derives from the Arabic word ‘dallal’ or ‘aldilal,’ which means an ‘auctioneer.’ The surname Dalal would have been an occupational one for those who worked as traders, brokers, or merchants.

10. Daruwala

Daruwala is a composite of the Gujarati words ‘daru,’ meaning  alcohol, and ‘wala,’ which means seller or maker. It was originally an occupational name for someone who produces or sells alcohol.

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11. Dave

The surname originates from ‘dvivedi,’ a Sanskrit word referring to one who has studied and mastered two Vedas.

12. Desai

Desai is a frequently used Gujarati surname composed of the Sanskrit  words ‘desa’ meaning country, and ‘swami’ meaning master or lord. The name Desai thus means ‘landlord.’

13. Dholakia

Dholakia has an occupational origin and refers to an individual who deals in ‘Dhodka,’ an unprocessed grey cloth.

14. Doshi

Doshi is a common Gujarati surname, which means  a ‘cloth-selling hawker.’  The surname likely would have been an occupational one.

15. Gandhi

Gandhi, popular Gujarati surnames

The surname is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘gandha,’ meaning  fragrance. ‘Gandhi’ refers to someone who is a seller of fragrances, that is a perfume seller.

16. Gajjar

The surname Gajjar represents a Gujarati sub-caste from the Suthar community. The Suthar community is mostly involved in the field of carpentry.

17. Ganjawala

The exact meaning of the Ganjawala surname is unknown. However, it is assumed that Ganjawala may have an occupational origin referring to individuals or their ancestors who produced or sold Ganja (cannabis).

18. Gupta

Gupta is a common Gujarati surname that derives its name from  ‘Gupt,’ a Sanskrit word meaning, protected or secret.

19. Hathiwala

The surname is probably derived from the word ‘Hathi,’ which means elephant. Thus, Hathiwala could mean someone who looks after or trains elephants.

20. Jain

It is quite a common Gujarati surname, and indicates that the person is a believer of Jainism. The word Jain comes from the Sanskrit word ‘jina,’ which means victory.

21. Jariwala/Zariwala

The Gujarati surname probably derives its name from the word ‘Jari/Zari,’ which refers to the shining gold and silver threads used in Indian apparel. The surname Jariwala or Zariwala probably refers to someone who produces and sells jari/zari.

22. Joshi

Joshi derives its name from ‘Jyotisha,’ a Sanskrit word that means an ‘astrologer.’

23. Kapadia

A common surname in Gujarat, Kapadia, in Gujarati means, ‘cloth merchant.’

24. Kothari

Kothari derives its name from the words ‘Kotha’ or ‘Kothar,’ which means treasury or godown. The surname thus refers to a treasurer.

25. Kotadiya

The surname is a toponymic one, and refers to those who originally belonged to the village of Kotadiya, in Jamnagar district of Gujarat.

26. Kotecha

Kotecha is likely an occupational surname referring to a business community whose ancestors were merchants.

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27. Lakhani

The surname Lakhani means ‘descendant of Lakh.’ The word ‘Lakh’ comes from ‘Laksmana,’ a Sanskrit word which means, ‘one who has auspicious marks.’  Lakhani is also a common surname among Sindhis.

28. Mehta

Mehta comes from the Sanskrit word ‘mahita’ that means ‘great’ or ‘praised.’

29. Mistry

Mistry, popular Gujarati surnames

The surname likely comes from the Hindustani word ‘mistri,’ which comes from the Portuguese word ‘mestre,’ meaning an expert or a master. ‘Mistri’ is used to refer to a mason or any other skilled artisan. The surname thus is an occupational one and refers to someone who comes from a family of masons or artisans.

30. Modi

Modi has an occupational origin, and refers to those who came from the community of ‘Bania,’ which originally consisted of merchants, traders, money-lenders, and shopkeepers.

31. Munim

The surname comes from the Hindustani word ‘Munim’ that refers to the head accountant at a shop, factory, or any other business establishment. The surname thus has an occupational origin.

32. Ojha

The surname originates from a Sanskrit word that means ‘he who does meditation for entire life.’

33. Panchal

This Gujarati surname is considered to have derived from the Hindustani word ‘panch’ meaning ‘five.’ The name Panchal likely referred to those who belonged to any of the five artisanal communities of blacksmiths, goldsmiths, coppersmiths, carpenters, and stonemasons.

34. Pandya

The surname is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘pandit’ that means teacher or a scholar.

35. Parekh/Parikh

Parekh derives from the Sanskrit word ‘pariksaka,’ meaning an examiner. In Gujarat, the surname likely referred to those who worked as an assayer of gold, silver, and other precious items.

36. Patel

Patel comes from the word ‘Patlikh,’ which was a title given by the king to someone who worked as a record keeper of crops and taxes from a piece of land. The surname ‘Patlikh’ evolved into Patel to denote a village chief or the headman of a village.

37. Popat

Popat, parrots or birds keeper

It is the Gujarati word for a parrot. The surname may have been associated with those who loved parrots or someone who took care of parrots or birds, in general.

38. Purohit

Purohit means a ‘family priest’ or a priest who always stays at the forefront of a pooja (a prayer ritual). The surname refers to those who came from a family of ‘Purohits.’

39. Raval/Rawal

Rawal/Raval originates from the Sanskrit word ‘Raja,’ meaning king. Thus, Rawal/Raval refers to those who originally came from a family of commanders or kings.

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40. Rubberwala

The exact meaning of the surname is unknown. However, it is assumed that ‘Rubberwala’ probably has an occupational origin, and referred to individuals who sold or produced rubber.

41. Sarabhai

The exact meaning of the surname is unknown. It is assumed the surname would have been a title for a nobleman or noblewoman. The surname is likely composed of the Gujarati words ‘sara’ meaning good and ‘bhai’ referring to a brother, man, or any other person of significance.

42. Sanghavi/Sanghvi

Sanghvi derives its name from ‘sangha,’  a Sanskrit word that means ‘assembly.’ The surname ‘Sanghvi’ likely refers to ‘someone  who offers hospitality to Jain pilgrims.’

43. Screwvala

The exact meaning of the surname is unknown. It probably is a combination of the words screw and ‘wala’ meaning seller or maker. Therefore, the surname refers to someone who likely made or sold screws.

44. Shah

Shah derives its name from ‘sahukaar, ’a Gujarati word that means merchant, banker, or money-lender. The surname thus has an occupational origin.

45. Sheth

It comes from the Gujarati word ‘sheth’ or ‘seth’ that means master, chief, or the head. It is an occupational surname that referred to someone who worked as a supervisor or a proprietor.

46. Shroff

Shroff is derived from ‘seraf,’ a Gujarati word that means banker, cashier, or a money-lender. The surname thus has an occupational origin.

47. Thakkar

Thakkar likely derived from the word ‘Thakkura,’ a Middle Indo-Aryan or Sanskrit word, which means ‘God’ or ‘deity.’

48. Tripathi

Tripathi originates from ‘tripa,’ a Sanskrit word referring to the ‘one who has studied the three Vedas.’

49. Virani

Virani, popular Gujarati surnames

A common Gujarati and Sindhi surname, Virani means ‘descendant of Vir.’ The word ‘Vir’ derives from the Sanskrit word ‘Vira,’ meaning a hero.

50. Vyas

A surname comes from the Sanskrit word ‘vyasa’ meaning the ‘compiler.’ The surname would have been associated with those who worked as compilers of ancient texts.

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.

Key Pointers

  • Most Gujarati surnames are derived from Sanskrit or Gujarati language.
  • Gujarati surnames have occupational and topographic roots.
  • Some of the most common Gujarati surnames include Desai, meaning ‘landlord,’ and Purohit, meaning ‘family priest.’

Article written by Baby Plumbing

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