50 Popular Marathi Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings (2023)

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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.

In This Article

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.

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.

Infographic: Popular Marathi Surnames

Every Marathi surname has a suffix that reveals the name’s origin and ancestral roots. Below is an infographic that lists a few most-famous Marathi last names derived from the Marathi language and the rich Maharashtrian culture.

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