Are you aware that most Marathi surnames have the suffix ‘ kar’ at the end of them? This ‘kar’ suffix usually denotes the village the person belongs to. For example, some renowned celebrities from Maharashtra, such as Sachin Tendulkar, Bhimrao Ambedkar, and Lata Mangeshkar, have this suffix at the end of their names.
You would also be surprised to know certain surnames also denote ancestral family traditions or occupations. So, if you are curious about Marathi surnames and would like to know more about their origin, have a quick look at our list, compiled here.
List Of Popular Marathi Surnames Or Last Names
1. Aadekar/Ahale
This Marathi surname refers to a ‘building constructor.’ It would have originated from people who were involved in the construction of houses or buildings in general.
2. Ambedkar
It is derived from the surname ‘Ambavadekar,’ referring to a person belonging to the Ambavade village in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra
3. Bapat
It is a likely reference to the ‘father’ or ‘fathers.’ It probably originated from someone or with some group of people who were fatherly figures for a village; like a village chieftain.
4. Bhede
It means the ‘one who divides’ or the ‘one who discriminates’ in Marathi. It may have begun as a nickname and later transformed into a surname.
5. Chandekar
Chandekar means the ’owner of the silver mines’ or someone who ‘belongs to the land of silver mines.’ Hence, this was a likely occupational surname for people who owned or worked in silver mines.
6. Chaatre
The root word for the surname is ‘chatri’ meaning ‘umbrella’ in Marathi. This surname was likely given to those who worked as an ‘umbrella maker.’
7. Chitre
Chitre is another occupational surname which means ‘drawing maker’ or an ‘artist.’
8. Deo
Deo means ‘God’ in Marathi. This surname can also be seen as a suffix in many other Marathi surnames.
9. Deshmukh
It means the ‘head of the state’ or ‘head of the region.’ It likely referred to someone who was the head of the district or the chieftain for a region.
10. Deshpande
It means the ‘district accountant’ or the ‘head of finances’ for a region or a place. The surname was used to refer a learned and wise person.
11. Divekar
This is an occupational surname for someone who was an ‘owner of a lamp factory’ or ‘maker of lamps.’
12. Gaitonde
It means ‘someone with a face like a cow.’ It may have begun as a nickname and later transformed into a surname.
13. Gaonkar
It means ‘from a village.’ It would have referred to someone or a group of people who migrated from a village or villages.
14. Gavaskar
It refers to someone with their origins in the Gavaswadi village of Kolhapur district of Maharashtra.
15. Gawali
Gawali in Marathi means ‘milkman.’ It is an occupational surname for someone in the collection and distribution of milk.
16. Holkar
It is a surname for someone from the village called Hol in the Pune district of Maharashtra. The surname could also be for someone who has descended from the Holkar dynasty, which also gets its name from the village.
17. Kamat
Kamat in Marathi means ‘one who is always at work.’ It likely referred to someone who was a hard worker.
18. Kamble
It refers to a ‘blanket’ in Marathi. It is likely an occupational name for someone involved in the manufacturing or trading of blankets.
19. Kapse
It comes from the Marathi word ‘Kapus’ meaning ‘cotton.’ The surname likely referred to someone who worked in or owned cotton mills.
20. Kharche
It was likely a nickname for someone who was a ‘money-spender.’
21. Khare
It means ‘true,’ ‘sincere’ or ‘pure’ in Marathi.
22. Kolhe
It is the Marathi word for ‘fox.’ Just like Gaitonde, this surname may have begun its existence as a nickname.
23. Kulkarni
It refers to someone who ‘managed accounts’ or someone who ‘handled the finances of a village or kingdom.’ The surname was a title, which eventually transformed into a surname.
24. Landage
It is derived from the word ‘landaga,’ which means ‘wolf’ in Marathi. Like other animal-based surnames, this Marathi surname may have begun as a nickname.
25. Lokhande
It means ‘someone who is like iron.’ It probably referred to someone strong and well-built. Another use could be to refer a blacksmith or someone who dealt with iron.
26. Maali
It is the Marathi word for ‘gardener.’ It is thus an occupational surname.
27. Matkari
It refers to a ‘pot maker’ or someone who is a pot trader.
28. Manjrekar or Manjarekar
The root word for the name is the Marathi word ‘Manjar,’ which means cat. The surname means ‘someone who belongs to a place of cats’ or ‘a person who likes cats.’
29. Mangeshkar
It refers to someone who belongs to the Mangeshi village in Goa. The singer Lata Mangeshkar is probably the most famous bearer of this surname.
30. Mhalsalkar
It refers to someone from the place called Mhalsa in Maharashtra.
31. Mukadam
It means a ‘contractor,’ ‘supervisor,’ or could even refer to the ‘manager of a group of workers.’ It is an occupational surname.
32. Naik
It likely comes from the Marathi word ‘nayak,’ which means ‘chief,’ ‘head’ or the ‘commander.’
33. Nene
It means to ‘take away’ or ‘carry away’ in Marathi. It is not known how the word become a surname, but it may have begun as a moniker for someone.
34. Patil
The name refers to a ‘head’ or ‘chief’ in Marathi.
35. Pokharkar
It comes from the word ‘pokhar,’ which refers to a pond. The surname likely refers to someone who belonged to a place close to a pond.
36. Pujari
Pujari means ‘priest’ in Marathi. It is thus an occupational surname.
37. Raaje
It means someone who came from a ‘royal, ‘imperial,’ or ‘aristocratic’ family.
38. Ratnaparakhi
It means ‘assessor of gems.’ The surname is an occupational surname for a ‘jeweler.’
39. Sahasrabuddhe
This name means ‘someone who is 1000 times more intelligent’ than others. It originally could have referred to a learned and knowledgeable person.
40. Shahane
It means ‘wise’ or ‘smart.’ It referred to someone well-educated and highly-learned.
41. Shirke
It likely refers to someone from or around the place called Shirkoli in Maharashtra.
42. Shiwde/ Shimpi
It means ‘someone who stitches’ or a ‘tailor.’
43. Sonar
The occupational surname refers to a goldsmith.
44. Tendulkar
It refers to ‘someone from Tendul village.’ Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is probably the most famous bearer of the surname.
45. Tipnis
Tipnis in Marathi means a ‘stenographer.’
46. Vedpathak
In Marathi, it means ‘someone who has thoroughly learned the vedas’ or ‘someone who is a reader or orator of Vedas.’ Vedas are the collection of religious texts.
47. Vichaare
It refers to ‘someone who always thinks’ or ‘someone who always has and shares their thoughts.’ It may have been an epithet that later transformed into a surname.
48. Wagh/ Veerkar
‘Wagh’ is the Marathi word for ‘tiger.’ ‘Veerkar’ means ‘someone brave.’ Both surnames refer to someone who is ‘brave’ and ‘fearless.’
49. Waghdhare
It means a ‘tiger catcher.’ It is an occupational surname.
50. Waghmare
It means ‘tiger killer.’ It refers to someone in the occupation of exterminating tigers or a hunter.
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.
Marathi surnames are among those that are easily recognizable for their distinctive pronunciation. Their surnames can be traced back to their ancestral and occupational history. Once the surname was given, it stuck with them over generations and generations. Therefore, you can easily identify their origin from the surnames. So now, with the list of common and unique Marathi surnames, you can enlighten yourself about the people’s heritage and history.
Key Pointers
- An interesting way to identify a Marathi surname is the suffix ‘-kar,’ denoting the person’s native village.
- A different segment of last names also exists that originate from occupations or traditions followed by the ancestors.
- Most surnames come from the rich heritage of Maharashtra, including the Maratha Kingdom.
- Some common Marathi surnames include Bapat (Father), Kamat (One who is always at work), Waghmare (Tiger killer), and Deshpande (Head of finances).
