Patel

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Patel (Gujarati: પટેલ, paṭel, pronounced [pəʈel]) is a surname of Indian origin, originally meaning village chief in Gujarati. It is found primarily in the Indian states of Gujarat^[1], Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa. Within the United Kingdom, it is the 24th most common surname nationally,^[2], and the third most common in the Greater London region.^[3]

Patil is the Marathi version of this same name.

Ethnicity

The Patels historically belonged to various Patidar sub-castes. Two main groups of Patels in Gujarat make up the Patidar community including: 1. Leva Patel/Patidar 2. Kadava Patel/Patidar. The Kadava Patidar sub-caste is found mostly in districts of the Saurashtra region like Rajkot, Junagadh, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar and also Mahesana. the Leuva Patidar sub-caste are mainly found in the Charotar Region (which are also known as Charotar Leuva Patidars) (Kheda, Anand), Kanam (Vadodara, Bharuch, Panchmahal), South Gujarat and Saurashtra region. The book titled "Patel a Life" by Rajmohan Gandhi throws some light on the ancestors of Sardar Patel: "His mother Labda gave him birth in the house of her brother Doongerbhai Desai.. Labda's husband Jhaverbhai belonged not to Nadiad but to a village called Karamsad(twelve miles south of Nadiad and three miles west of the town of Anand), where he tilled a ten acre plot and owned a small house. He and Labda and all their relatives were Patidars. Centuries earlier their ancestors had migrated from the far north and taken possession of a sandy yet rich stretch of soil called the charotar... the Patidar ancestors - possibly linked to the formidable Huns who swept down into India from the northwest in the sixth century or to the Gujjars of Punjab or to both-cleared the Charotar woods, improved the sandy ground with dung manure and cart loads of black soil... they also soldiered for nearby chieftains... more tangibly, they obtained a clear title of the lands they had occupied, and were therefore called Patidars-holders of a land title - or Patels.

The Gujjars who migrated from North India to Gujrat started calling themselves as Patidar or Patel. In Rajasthan, Patel is a very common word used by Gujjars... in every village there is a title (Patel) given to some dominant family and this title of 'Patel" runs in the family and is transferred to the eldest son of the family. In areas around Bharatpur, Gujjars are popularly called as "Patel" by other communities. It is similar to Chaudhary which was used to be in the NCR and Western Uttar-Pradesh as a title both by Gujjars and Jats but now a days in the entire Northern India "Chaudhary" is being used as surname by Jats.The Gujjars of North India also have two main devisions- (i) Laur Gujar and (ii) Khari Gujar that is very similar to 1. Leuva Patidar and 2. Kadava Patidar of Gujrat. During the Moghul era Patels were trusted heads of the villages. The British also relied on Patels to carry out administration in any particular village. Pate is derived from the word "Pattalikh" meaning certain portion of land "patta" (A unit of Land) and named after the head of the village "likh" meaning "named". Amin surname bearers are also known as Patels. Saurashtra kadva patel have specific surname like Vadalia, Bhensdadiya, Godhani, Manavadariya, Borsaniya, Vacchani, Kalaria, Makadiya, Chhatrala, Bhojani, Bhalani, Makhesana, Merja, Chaniyara, Aghera, Gondha, Bhimani, Dadhaniya, Kundariya, Sapovadia, Jasani, Bhut, Viroja, Garala, Savsani, Marvaniya etc. These are drawn on the basis of their migration from a village, e.g. Sapovadia brought from Sapovada village. Saurastra Leuva Patels in the Saurastra region district have specific surnames: Abhangi, Babaria, Busa, Khoyani, Pambhar, Limbasiya, Kanani, Kunjadiya, Dobaria, Keraliya, Radadia, Gajera, Sutaria, Sojitra and so on from their original village names (from the Kheda, Vadodara, Ahmedabad, and Saurastra regions). In South Gujarat, nearly 90% of the members of the Koli and Kanbi Patidar sub-castes bear 'Patel' as their last name. The Patels outnumber all other Gujaratis in the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The surname 'Patel' is also used by Kolis in other regions of Gujarat. Besides Kolis and Kanbis, Dhodia Patidars of South Gujarat also use Patel as their last name. The surname can also be found amongst Muslims, and Parsis. Patidars of Rajasthan (south and south-east rajasthan) and Madhya-Pradesh mainly use 'Patidar' itself as surname. The Patidars of these two states are also divided into two groups, Leuva and Kadava. It is also the surname of many of the Gujarati Muslim Vora Patel communities.

It should be noted that other Gujaratis who migrated out of what is now the state of Gujarat during the British Raj to British East Africa (Kenya and Uganda) would sometimes adopt the surname 'Patel' and this surname was then subsequently passed onto their descendants (who now mainly reside outside Kenya and Uganda). Also, during the British Raj, some 'Patels' who migrated to British East Africa and the Union of South Africa (South Africa) adopted different surnames, usually the name of their village, their trade (e.g. 'Contractor'), or even their grandfather's name and subsequently these surnames have been passed down to their descendants.

Origins

Most Patels follow the Hindu religion.

Certain Gujjar clans in Gujarat have adopted Patel as a surname, as have some Parsi communities.

The Solanki king gave uncultivated land in the Petlad Taluka. This land was divided into villages and for each village a head was appointed. His job was to keep all records. Each village gave a portion of the crop to the king, as a form of tax. The book in which this tax was recorded was called the pat, and the act of writing it down was known as likh; hence the head of the village was addressed as Pat-Likh and the people of the villages became known as Patlikhs. Over time, changes in the vernacular produced modern variations such as Patel, Patidar and Patil.^[4]

The Patels were further distinguished by the village they belonged to. Examples of this are the Leava Patels who originated from the village of Leava.

See also

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• Karsanbhai Patel

References