45+ Famous Bengali Surnames Or Last Names

Names that show the variety of cultures in the area.

Bengali surnames or last names have been around for a long time, with origins dating back to legends. Many of the common Bengali surnames or last names are thought to have been a title given by a king, while others indicate the ancestry of an ancient group.

Some last names come from the geography or job of the person. Keep reading this post ‘Famous Bengali Surnames Or Last Names’ to discover fascinating Bengali last names and what they mean.

Famous Bengali Surnames Or Last Names with Meanings

Acharjee/Acharya

The Bengali surname Acharjee/Acharya is a popular last name for Bengali Brahmins that comes from the Sanskrit word ‘acharya,’ meaning a teacher or instructor.

Adhikari

The Bengali surname Adhikari comes from the Sanskrit word ‘adhi-kara,’ meaning ‘right’ or ‘authority.’

Bagchi

Bagchi is a well-known Bengali surname in Bengal that is often found among a specific group of Bengali brahmins called the ‘Barendra Brahmins of Sandilya Gotra.’ The name Bagchi likely comes from a village called ‘Bagcha’ and is used to identify people who originated from that village.

Banerjee/Bandyopadhyay

Banerjee/Bandyopadhyay is a common Bengali surname among Bengali Brahmins. This Bengali surname comes from the Bandoghat village meaning ‘a teacher/priest from the Bandoghat village.’

Barman/Burman

The Bengali surname Barman/Burman, which is common in Bengal, comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Varman,’ which means ‘armor.’

Basak

This Bengali surname is popular among various groups of people in Bengal including Vaishya, Kshatriya, Tantubais, and Karmakars. Those with this surname are thought to be the native residents of Sutanuti, one of the villages that combined to create Kolkata.

Bhaduri

The Bengali surname Bhaduri comes from a place called Bhadur village in the Bangaon district of West Bengal. This last name is used to describe people who are from that village.

Bhattacharjee/Bhattacharya

The Bengali surname Bhattacharjee/Bhattacharya comes from the words ‘Bhatta,’ which means a knowledgeable person or a Vedic priest, and ‘jee’ which signifies a teacher. Therefore, Bhattacharjee/Bhattacharya was a term used for ‘Bengali Brahmins who conducted religious ceremonies.’

Bhowmick/Bhowmik

The Bengali surname ‘Bhowmick’ comes from the Sanskrit word meaning ‘Earth or soil.’ It was probably a title given to landlords or people who owned a large piece of land.

Biswas

This Bengali surname originates from the name ‘biswas/viswas’, which translates to ‘trust’. This surname was not originally inherited but was given as a title to individuals who handled administrative duties for the king.

Bose/Basu

The Bengali surname Bose/Basu comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Vasu,’ which in turn refers to ‘Lord Vishnu.’ Vasu can also denote ‘radiance’ or ‘gem.’

Chakraborty/Chakrabarti

The Bengali surname Chakraborty comes from the Sanskrit words ‘Cakra’ meaning ‘wheel’ and ‘vart’ meaning ‘to roll.’ This surname could symbolize someone who is a powerful ruler whose chariot moves freely without obstacles. It is a popular last name among Bengali Brahmins and Kshatriyas.

Chandra

Chandra is a common Bengali surname in the Bengali Kayastha group, and it means ‘the Moon’ in Sanskrit.

Chatterjee/Chattopadhyay

Chatterjee/Chattopadhyay is a well-known surname for Bengali Brahmins. This last name comes from the words ‘Chatta,’ a village name, and ‘jee,’ a short form of ‘Upadhyaya,’ meaning priest/teacher in Sanskrit. So, Chatterjee/Chattopadhyay signifies ‘a priest/teacher from Chatta village.’

Das, a common Bengali surname among the Mahishya community, comes from the word ‘Dasa,’ which means ‘a devotee’ or ‘someone who has surrendered to God.’

Dasgupta

The Bengali surname Dasgupta is often used by Bengali Baidya people. This last name is made up of the words ‘Das’ and ‘Gupta.’ People with this surname were thought to be Brahmins who practiced Ayurveda, an ancient Indian form of medicine.

Datta/Dutta

One popular Bengali surname among Bengali Kayasthas is Datta or Dutta, which comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Datta’ meaning ‘a gift.’

De/Dey

The Bengali surname De/Dey comes from a Hindu Dynasty called Deva/Dey that used to rule Eastern Bengal with Bikrampur as their capital. This surname is now popular among Bengali Kayasthas.

Debnath

The Bengali surname Debnath comes from combining two surnames, ‘Deb (Deva),’ which translates to ‘God,’ and ‘Nath (natha),’ which means ‘protector/owner.’

Dhar

The Bengali surname Dhar likely comes from the word ‘Dhar’ which means ‘credit’ in Bengali. Those with the surname Dhar were typically zamindars or landowners.

Ganguly/Gangopadhyay

The Bengali surname Ganguly/Gangopadhyay is often found among the Bengali Kanyakubja Brahmin community. This last name likely means ‘teachers from the Gangul Village.’ It could also suggest ‘teachers/instructors from the Ganges (during the Vedic period).’

Ghatak

The Bengali surname Ghatak likely comes from a job title, representing people who matched couples or acted as mediators in marriages.

Ghosh

The Bengali surname Ghosh is popular among the Kulin Kayasthas. It is also common among the Sadgop caste, who are cowherds. This last name likely comes from the Sanskrit word ‘go,’ which means cattle or cow. Therefore, the surname Ghosh means a person who milks cows or herds them.

Ghoshal

Ghoshal is a common Bengali surname that is believed to come from the name Ghosh, which traditionally refers to someone who takes care of cows or works with milk.’

Goswami

The Bengali surname Goswami comes from combining the Sanskrit words for ‘cattle’ and ‘lord’ or ‘master.’

Guha

Guha is a popular Bengali surname among Kulin Kayasthas who are part of the Kashyapa Gotra. The surname Guha comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Guha,’ which means ‘a cave’ or ‘mind.’ The name Guha is also one of the many names of Lord Kartikayein.

The Bengali surname Kar is not the same as the suffix ‘kar’ found in Marathi last names. It likely comes from the Sanskrit word ‘kara,’ which can mean ‘a hand’ or ‘someone who does something.’

Karmakar

The Bengali surname Karmakar comes from the occupations of blacksmiths and goldsmiths. This last name is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Karma,’ which means actions or deeds.

Lahiri

Lahiri is a Bengali surname that is commonly seen among a group of Brahmins known as Barendra Brahmins from the Sandilya Gotra. It comes from a specific place, meaning ‘people from Lohori village.’

Majhi

This Bengali surname comes from the Bengali term ‘majhi,’ which means ‘a person who rows a boat.’ Majhi surname likely originated from someone who worked as a boatman.

Majumdar

The Bengali surname Majumdar comes from the Arabic word ‘Majmua,’ meaning ‘collection,’ and the suffix ‘dar,’ which means ‘keeper’ or ‘possessor.’ Therefore, Majumdar signifies someone who is an archivist or keeper of records.

Malakar

The Bengali surname Malakar comes from the words ‘Mala,’ which means ‘garland,’ and ‘akar,’ meaning ‘shape.’ This surname likely originated from people who made garlands or were artisans.

Mallick

The Bengali surname Mallick, frequently found in Bengali, likely comes from the term ‘Malik,’ which translates to a ruler or leader.

Mandal/Mondol

The Bengali surname Mandal/Mondol comes from the Sanskrit word ‘maṇḍala,’ meaning ‘circular’ or ‘halo.’ It may also have roots in the word ‘Morol,’ which means ‘village headman.’

Moitra/Maitra

The Bengali surname ‘Moitra’ or ‘Maitra’ likely comes from a village called Maitreya and is associated with Brahmins from Bengal.

Mukherjee/Mukhopadhyay

Mukherjee/Mukhopadhyay is a Bengali surname that originated from the words ‘Mukh’ and ‘Jee.’ The first part, ‘Mukh,’ is likely linked to a place called ‘Mukhati,’ while ‘Jee’ means ‘priest/teacher.’ So, the name means ‘priest/teacher from Mukhati.’ Another possibility is that ‘Mukh’ comes from the word ‘Mukhya,’ meaning ‘chief’ or ‘principal.’

Nath

The Bengali surname Nath comes from the Sanskrit word ‘natha’ which means ‘owner/protector.’

The Bengali surname ‘Pal’ comes from the Sanskrit word ‘pala’ which translates to ‘keeper’ or ‘protector.’ People from different communities in the Bengal region use this surname.

Pramanik

The Bengali surname Pramanaik, commonly found in West Bengal, comes from the Sanskrit word ‘pramanik,’ which means trustworthy or authentic.

The Bengali surname Roy is popular among Bengali Kayasthas and comes from the Sanskrit word ‘raja’ meaning ‘king’ or ‘sovereign.’

Roy Chowdhury

A fancy Bengali surname, ‘Roy Chowdhury,’ is a title of respect given to wealthy landowners. It was frequently given by the British government in the 1700s.

Saha/Shaha

The Bengali surname ‘Saha’ comes from the Sanskrit word ‘saha,’ which can mean either ‘priest,’ ‘merchant,’ or ‘honest.’

Sanyal

The Bengali surname Sanyal is often found among a group of Brahmins known as Barendra (belonging to the Vatsa Gotra). This surname may have originated from a specific location, suggesting that it refers to ‘people from Senlal village.’

Sarkar

During the Mughal period, the last name Sarkar was used as a label for those who collected taxes and owned land. Over time, more individuals began to use this title as their family name.

Seal/Sill

The Bengali surname ‘Seal’ comes from the word ‘Sil,’ which probably means ‘to be devoted.’ The spelling ‘Seal’ is the English version of the original surname ‘Sil’ or ‘Sill.’

Sen is a Bengali surname that is commonly found among the Baidya and Kayastha Bengali communities. Its roots can be traced back to the Sanskrit word ‘Sena,’ which translates to ‘armament’ or ‘army.’

Sengupta

The Bengali surname ‘Sengupta’ was created by combining the names of two Ayurveda practitioners, ‘Sen’ and ‘Gupta.’ It was probably adopted by a specific group within the Sen family.

Sikdar

The Bengali surname Sikdar means ‘someone who owns a quarter of land (Sikki).’ Sikdar was also a title given to people who collected land revenue.

The Bengali surname Sur comes from a nickname based on the Sanskrit word ‘sura’ which means brave.

Tagore

The Bengali surname Tagore is a title of nobility often associated with landowners. The Tagore last name comes from the word ‘Thakur,’ which can mean ‘God,’ ‘chief,’ or ‘person of high status.’

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How have last names in Bengali evolved with the passage of time?

Bengali surnames or last names have evolved over the years because of differences in how they are spoken. Some individuals have also chosen to modify their last names because of shifts in the ruling monarchies of the region.

2. What are the differences in last names between Hindus and Muslims in Bengal?

Bangladesh is a place with many cultures. The two main ethnic groups in Bangladesh are Bengali Muslims and Bengali Hindus. Muslim Bengalis often have names with Arabic origins, while Bengali Hindus usually have surnames derived from Sanskrit.

3. Why do Bengalis commonly go by dual names?

In Bengali culture, most people have two names – one for family use (nickname) and one for official use (formal name).

4. How do Bengali last names get handed down in families?

Bengali last names are passed down from fathers to their children, preserving the family heritage and showing the significance of ancestors and family connections in Bengali culture.

5. Why are last names important in Bengali culture?

Bengali last names are used to recognize individuals within their family and show their connection to their ancestors and social status. These last names may indicate caste, community, job, or where they come from. They play a role in how someone sees themselves and their heritage.

6. How do the different types of last names in Bengal illustrate the historically diverse population of the region?

In Bengali culture, last names often reflect family lineage, qualities of individuals, or social status. These surnames show the diverse background and variety of professions within Bengali society, welcoming individuals from various backgrounds and demographics.

Bengali surnames or last names are known for their unique sounds and special qualities. You might recognize some of these Bengali surnames or last names because they belong to well-known individuals. These Bengali surnames or last names have been in existence for many years, offering a glimpse into the cultural heritage and past of Bengal. This article on Bengali surnames or last names and their meanings will help you learn more. Explore the diverse community of India by discovering more about these Bengali surnames or last names.