Memons (Kathiawar)
The ancestors of present-day Memons who settled a few centuries ago in various parts of Gujarat State in India, This region of India was known as Kathiawar. Currently this region is known as Saurashtra.
Memon people that originated in Kathiawar region are known as Kathiawari Memons. Memons are identified through their ancestral villages or by their Memon surnames (Jaat) within their respective Memon community. Kathiawari memons trace their lineage to towns or villages in modern-day Gujarat state, India. These villages are such as Kutiyana, Bantva, Porbandar, Ranavav, Vadasada, Kodinar, Dhoraji, Jamnagar, Jetpur, Gondal, Manavadar, Okhai, Upleta, Vanthali, Veraval, Rajkot.
Kathiawari Memons are further divided into sub-group. This is generally through their ancestral village or town and surname. Memon people are identified as Kutiyana Memons, Porbandar Memons, Bantva Memons, Dhoraji Memons, Upleta memons or generally known as Kathiawari memons among the international memon community. There are Memon people that traces their villages based in the Kutch region of modern India. Memon people from Kutch region are known as Kutchi memons; They speak the Kutchi language and follow the Sunni Hanafi Islam.
Kathiawari Memon people are often considered the typical Memon ethnic group; that widely migrated and settled around the world in countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Botswana, Tanzania, The United Kingdom, The United States and Canada. The language of Kathiawari Memons is called Memoni Language. Memoni Language shares vocabularies of Kutchi language, Gujarati Language and Sindhi Language.
Khathiawar Memon Surnames (Jaath)
Memon Surnames or Jaat, is a title that is inherited by male members of the Memon family through their Paternal ancestors. This caste system is widely distributed among other ethnic groups in India and other parts of the Indian Subcontinent. The Memon surname or Jaat is given high importance, due to verification and to point out the reliability of the Memon family in a community. Memon surnames were inherited though generations to identify the status and profession of the Memon family in its respective jamaath khana. Most Popular Kathiawari Memon Surnames are as follows: ***The below Memon surnames are largely inherited by Memons that trace back their lineage to Gujarat State, India***
- Admani
- Adamjee
- Adani
- Akbani
- Bandhani
- Bagha
- Bandhukra
- Barvatiya
- Barodia
- Bawani
- Bharda
- Bhagsarawada
- Bhaila
- Bhiriya
- Butta
- Banga
- Bhoja
- Bhojani
- Budhani
- Bhukan
- Bhuri
- Bhungra
- Chamadia
- Channa
- Chidimar
- Dhaga
- Darvesh
- Dangra
- Dadia
- Dhedhi
- Dhanani
- Dewan
- Dosani
- Dhroliya
- Fathani
- Fullara
- Gaba
- Gadar
- Gandhi
- Gazi
- Galeriya
- Ghani
- Gadith
- Goplani
- Godil
- Helabeliwada
- Hingora
- Hadfa
- Hunani
- Hashmani
- Jangda
- Janoo
- Jandoola
- Jamku
- Kapadia
- Katkodia
- Kaba
- Kaludi
- Kasmani
- Khatliya
- Khando
- Khaku
- Kheradia
- Khesarani
- Khiyani
- Lakhani
- Maghura
- Mayari
- Malida
- Mangrani
- Mhaklai
- Mhukari
- Mandhai
- Musani
- Mundiya
- Manchala
- Jardhi
- Jukura
- Jindhani
- Noorani
- Nagariya
- Odedara
- Pochi
- Panjwani
- Patel
- Padiyar
- Parekh
- Rah
- Rangila
- Rahila
- Rangoonwada
- Sacranie
- Sangani
- Sayani
- Suriya
- Surti
- Sutarviya
- Sait
- Somar
- Silat
- Sikilidha
- Shivani
- Tai
- Thar
- Varindh
- Vindhani
- Vayani
- Vadasada
- Zolka