Patel

Patel (Gujarati પટેલ, paṭel) is an Indian Title meaning village head. It is a surname commonly used by Indo-Aryan people (meaning that they are of Aryan descent and/or they speak an Indo-Aryan group language), found mainly in North India (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat and other North Indian regions). Many Patels have the Persian lordship of Khwajah. It is known to be a very common surname. Many have also changed their surname to Patel in order to help diminish the caste system, which still has effect in India today. It is one of the most common surnames in India and is very common around the world especially in England (First place for frequency goes to Singh). Patels are traditionally found in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat in India. Although they live throughout India and, after emigration, throughout the world. The name Patel is derived from the term Patlikh, which means record keeper of crops for each “pat” or portion of royal land. Patels are divided into many branches; the most popular being Leuva and Kadwah, others include vania and Korri. As with other groups in Northern and Western India, Patel was adopted as a surname by many people, as mentioned before. This practice is common in North India, where many surnames originate in an occupation (and often associated caste or social group). Unlike the Bania community known for trading, the Patels are associated with agriculture and are known to own masses of land.

Patels are associated with Businesses, and in the US they are also associated with the lodging industry, and owning numerous hotel and motel businesses. (The Asian American Hotel Owner's Association (AAHOA),some ninety percent of whose nearly 9,000 members are Patels, estimates that they collectively own 18,000 hospitality properties worth some $38 billion in all.)There are also massive numbers who also are employed as doctors, engineers, and pharmacists.

As a surname, Patel is perhaps the most popular and easily identified Indian last name, other than Singh. Unlike many European last names, two random Patels (or two random Singhs) are highly unlikely to actually have any familial relationship.

Other than the North, Patels can notably be found in Central India, Maharashtra as well. While the traditional occupation of farming remains common to Patels, the surname has been modified to "Patil" which is more common in the Portuguese regions of India.

Ethnicity

The Patel community, which is a large one, is not of one ethnicity, meaning that their ancestors are not the same. Patels range from fully Persian (farsi)-see Parsi, to Indo-Iranian, although most with the surname are of the merchantile caste. There is a considerable amount of Khshatriyas who choose to have the surname. Rarely, you will see some named Patel with caucasian features, chances are they are actually from Poland where Patel is a surname;shortened form of Patelski. The Patel community cannot be classified as one ethnicity because it is nothing more than a title, and surname of preference. Many Rajasthani migrants in the early 1900's adopted the name as they became village heads and also because of social and business issues. Punjabi Jat migrants are found in many districts of the state(Kheda, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Sabar kantha, Banas Kantha, Paton, Mehsana, Kutch etc). Source:VP Desai's book, "Bharat ke Chaudhary". They usually have their historical Punjabi surnames as their current middle names. A significant Rajput population lives mostly in and around the former Princely State of Baroda.

People of different castes have the surname: Brahmins and Kshatriyas choose to have this surname due to personal choice and social liability in the caste stricken state. In a country plagued with the effects of the system, many feel that by changing their gotra to a title promotes equality.

From the Lohanas to the Farsi Persians, to Brahmins to Banias, and from Warriors to Farmers, Patel has been a title for anyone who chooses to have it since the 1800's.

As with most of India, they usually marry within their circles of villages to preserve their particular tribe(Jat, Rajput, Lohana, Kurmi, Gujjar, Bania etc.)

Religion

Patels do not follow a single religion, they have different religions. The most common being Hinduism and Islam. There are however, Christian, Zoroastrian, Jainism, Buddhism, and other minorities. Many with the surname have the Khwajahs with the Persian Lordship. see Khoja

Notable Patels

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel — The "Iron man" of India. He was at the forefront of India's struggle for independence.

of Gujarat.

• Vithalbhai Patel — The elder brother of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Indian freedom fighter.
• Pannalal Patel — Famous author.
• Kamal Patel
• Satyam Patel — Gandhian social worker, Indian freedom fighter, Maha Gujarat student activist.
• Smita Patil — Bollywood Actor
• Amisha Patel — Bollywood Actor
• Kumar Patel — Inventor of the carbon dioxide laser