Mehta is an Indian surname, derived from the Sanskrit word mahita meaning 'great' or 'praised'. It is found among several Indian religious groups, including Hindus, Jains, Parsis, and Sikhs. Among Hindus, it is used by a wide range of castes and social groups, including Khatris, Rajputs, Brahmins and Banias.[1] Mehta is also a common surname found among the Koeri caste of Bihar, who are commonly known as Kushwaha.[2]

Distribution in India

People with this surname are native to North and Western regions of India, including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra (Mumbai).[1]

As surname used by Rajputs

Mehta is also a Rajput clan name in the Kumaon and Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, hilly terrains of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and western areas of Nepal. They served as nobles, ministers and bureaucrats under the Katyuri Kings and Chand Kings of Uttarakhand. People having this surname are native to Almora, Bageshwar, and Nainital districts of Uttarakhand, eastern parts of Himachal, Jammu and Kashmir, and western Nepal. In Nepal, they come under the Chhetri varna and are considered chieftains of villages.[3]

In Rajasthan, Mehta was originally used as a term of respect applied to administrative office holders and bureaucrats of Rajputana kings. Among Rajputs, it is used as both title and surname by Dewans (ministers and nobles) of Bikaner State and many other states of Rajputana and are considered direct descendants of the Solar dynasty (Suryavanshi) and Chauhan Dynasty. The dewans and chief ministers of the Bikaner State were:

As surname used by Khatris and Banias

Among Oswal and Porwal Banias and Punjabi Khatris, Mehta is a clan name.[1]

Notable individuals

Notable individuals with this surname include:

References

  1. ^ a b c Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-508137-4.
  2. ^ Bulletin of the Cultural Research Institute. India: Cultural Research Institute West Bengal (India). 2004. p. 26. Recently, they have adopted surnames like Verma, Mehta and Kushwaha. Their subgroups are mostly endogamous. There are five major social divisions or endogamous subgroups among the Koiri of West Bengal.
  3. ^ "Mehta Surname".
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