(.lhapter 2

STRUCTURE OF FAMILY NAMES

ilnalysis of family names of a particular place is helpful in

reconstructing various aspects of history of that place. The residence of

service groups who are related to agriculture and industries, can be

located with the help of familyihouse names. House names and family

names of the mainland and the Lakshadweep islands share certain

features but at the same time there are differences also between these

two categories. In the first place, the village systems and settlement

patterns in the islands and on the main land are different. Therefore the

information obtained from house names and family names may be

different. For example, on the mainland each desam settlement had

its own artisan and ser\,ice groilps and the presence of those groups are

indicated b! toponyms, which are also housenames or

coml'o~~nd/residence names. I hus, each desam area has Kollarnkirndi.

I ttrtt~rnkandi, musc~rikandi etc. This system of social ordering is absent

in the islands and so the family or house names of the islands would not

yield such infornlation. Secondly, a large number of names based on

flora are intended to communicate ideas pertaining to the availability of

water, nature of soil. elevation of the ground and so on. The character

of land and vegetation in the islands are different with the result that the

naming of houses and families in the islands had to follow a different

system. The information expected from them are also different.

.4t the same tinie there is a practice on the mainland of naming a

house or compound after a personal name as in the case of

~ssc~n~antakkattu.' lhis i s lbund on the island also. In order to

comprehend the naming system and the meaning and social significance

of the system a careful classif~cation of the names is necessary. What

follow5 is a classification o t li~.)use names and family names obtained

from the two islands o t tlndrotr and Kalpeni.

--- ~

I \ .111ci M.R Kaghava. [>I \ ~llagi. cot-iinunlttcs in pre-colonial Kcrala. Oelhi. 1904

I t is interesting to note that some names are repeating on the

different islands but at the same time the repetition of a name on the

same island is highly rare. A curious system of adopting or

appropriating a prestigious name was and is prevalent on the islands.

This practice can be exemplified by the case of Purakkad. Originally in

Androth this name was given to the family of a Mali, mariner. The

family became extinct and the name was appropriated by a melacheri

family having, according to tradition, an inferior Social status.

Similarly, in Kavarathi Arantrkkad was and is originally a Koya or

thangal's family but now the riame is adopted by a melacheri family.

Evidently, this system of adopting and appropriating others' family-

names is related to the idea of' social status. The system prevalent on

the mainland is entirely different. There, the landed property including

residential compounds, houses etc. were owned and the ownership of

land was to be legetimised b] fixing the boundaries, naming the plot

etc. I n the 1,akshadweep islands, where land was not owned by

individuals, the question of the ownership rights and the allied problems

did not arise.

Ihe peculiarit~eh of the house names of Kalepni and Androth

islands which were analysed to1 studies are as follows:

I ) The narnes which repeat

2 ) Geographical peculiarity

3 ) Migration of names.

4 ) A family name d e ~ ived from personal name.

5 ) New narnes forn1r.d by adding prefixlsuffix along with the

family rialme.

t ) Names elated to professions.

A scientific analysis of house names indicates that most of the

names are composed of two components. This method can be traced

back to the earlier epochs of history of the Dravidian folk. The generics

of house name are the basic. fhe individual's name or toponyms are

used before the generic. Among Dravidians the names of nature are

added before the generic. I r l the Islands the generics like Aada, Oda.

Puro, I 'eedu are common in thrlning a house name or family name.

Analysis

I h e same name\ are >een repeated in different families of the

Islands. Sometimes hey must have come from the same place or they

may be having the same paternal background. I'his may be due to loss

of hereditary ownersliil>. C)r ~l 'iotiieone buys other's house or when the

house 1s given or sold out to a rlew person. The new inhabitants accept

the existing family names. [his IS the reason why we see that

Melacheries and KO) as have the same house names though they stay in

different places.

Eg. <rccummuta

('heriyannell<~i /it? Kci,i,t~c.~~i)

( 'eriyannal (it VLA

Kutapparatho ilicrm

Kandamkalutr~

h'unnamkuloril

,Ilontumpalli I K L PI

.Ilonturtrpalli 1.4 .Z:D/

.Ilusunkakkau(itr I :I .YDi

.Wusokukkadti iA'l,Pj

These names indicate the locality of the house, the flora, the

prcseuce of water bodies, d~rection, geographical conditions of the

place etc.

Eg ('hakkekil

( 'hekk~kulanr

tiaithat

KakkavuNi

cakk;i

cekkr

Ka~tha

Creepers

Kann~

Kara

Creepers

mulla

tai

tai

Arnong these the Kakkavalli is interesting since it denotes a

rnelacheri fanuly, kakkn belnj: a title used to connote that group.

Further. they are migrants from Kavarathi.

Presence crf water bodies

trzllikkirhi rrn ,i/tli

L I ~ ~ I ~ / I I / / I I ~ I . ( J Li r i i~ l l

chekkik~iiirrn h~11'1rn - pond

chrttlrl~p~ira :h,:r.u rnud

kadapj~uratha~llam - beach

kz4njtrli - dli

paftrnrlndu - padanna

kichel~rrn

Kiluppriva

Kuntrduttumkara

Location

East

South (AND) East (KLP)

Eastern side

South (AND) East (KLP)

West

West

West

West

North (AND) West (KAL)

West

Cornei (east)

Center

Weht

Geoerylhical Position

Kunnumpura 1 kunnel / kunn~namel

chettuppura

kattuppura

kattu,i)urum

kunturtalam

munnc.1

- on the hillock

- cheru

kad

- on the top of hill

- on the sand

pakktirh

Pallath

Poriatn

Not only the names ot places, but the house names too are found

migrating from other areas 4 large number of names have been

introduced from the area between Korapuzha in the South to

Chrrwtiragzrtpzczha in the north on the coast of Malabar.

eg: ~~layukktrl, ktrtltlcfh, hc~li~kktit, kakkethi, ktrttu,t~urun~, kakkuvalli,

Xunnnmknlam, ktinn~itn;lrircr, kodakkat, komulam, chamcz~vam,

< i7erlr. <.herikk~/l. ftrclre,, : thotfrrthukkurcr, tuikkan~i, pirt/i.~~purc~

r l l i ~ t i t ~ , I I I ~~l i t i ,v t~t t l~ , putiy(111t1e, putl:)~edum,

r i a n t a r t t r p r i i / / m plithivupurcr, ,t~zrthet7rnudam.

~ u f h e n ~ u r a , i~z~rhalum. puradam, puthiyam, poilam, perumpallj,

makkuni, muthil, rnu/~iuit, nalakam, srambikkcrl.

rhere is a lot of' house names which are derived from personal

names and they were graduall! changed into family names. The names

derived from persons are separated from the maternal background. The

names of women are dominating among this. Some of the names are

derived fiom the position or nick names of individuals which later

changed into firnil:, names,

Eg. ac,hammuda

u~,hatu

ali,yathammadii

tr~~vammuda

hi\:yamnitrda

hi i,vadu

c,irtzrathr~,oda

rrirkkakkaria

~~~,r~mrntr t /u

k~ikkachi~trpz~~.: I

ktit~narhitnrnrr~l~i

kc ~r~all~rl~)ctru

klih+odti

konjankrrkkadri

acha umma

acha

aliyatha

Havba

bryyn urnmu

bl

churrrthr

ali kakka

/?:va rtmmtr

krrkktlcc~i

kannatti

kaval (police)

kicci

konjan (prattle)

k rtnnusuda

kunnippuvakkir~l;i

klinniyada

klittiyachudu

tr~irlmikkokadr~

r~luyanki~kkadtr

tn 1,isankakkadri

wtrngammuda

/ ~ ~ ~ t h a d a

pcithummuda

110 kkarachiyapurzr

p( J kkarappada

/ I / ~ciampuppar~

/~uiankakkada

pri vinodo

strikkintrveed

si-'titipuppuda

thirngaluttzra

trrilichamtnadti

ri~~/mamrntrda

kunnusa

k u n ~ ~ p p u v

kunni

kztttrvucc~u

nialnii kakka

mayan

nlusa

ncrngema

pclttrr

pizttumma

pokkiiracci

pokker

1I14d~t7

pltdan

/Ill\'

shaik

senti

thangal

tithiu~nlna

~itnmcrmn

l hough separated from ,I single family the old names are not

chariscii while occup?ing ; I ilt:\\ house. This is a clearly knowing

reasorl lor repeating III:ILISC. niilr~es as falllily names. I'here are no

c o n l ~ g ~ ~ l relation alnorlg rhrw lamllies since they belong to the same

family. They enjoy rights 01 property. Properties are divided among

Tavazhi, maternal timilies

Eg. komalaln

tiomalam puradam

Komalam may pura

kunnamkalani

kunnamkalatt ceriyatam

kunnamkalatt putiyannal

C'hamayath idayakkal

('hamayath nalakam

C'hamayath ceriyannal

c hett i

chediyil palllkkuttiyath

-2zhikakam barnmatha tliyapura

azikkakath baliyapura

azikkakath n-lakkiyapi11.a

azikkakath manatt iyapurri

azikkakatt patt i>ammt.r;i

Patannada

Patannada kandeth tiashim Bungalow

Pentamveli

Pentamvel~pur'i

putiyapentt:~ni\ eli

putiyapura

putiyapura padippura

putiyapura puthiyaveed

putiyapura putiyavitt ti tticcammadappura

Indicating owner's J o b i p r o t k ~

Kattap ura Sound bricks 'Mankatta' this were sold out for building purpose

Chakkarakada house of a person who makes Jaggery

Mal~~~ikkakada Valrni (Capitan of Odam)

M ~ ~ k r i k hakada /)c~ltirnukri (a man who calls from mosque for prayer five times)

Thattanlpuvahada I hattan (Goldsmith)

tllnony thcse the ~ianie kattappura is interesting. I'he family was

originali\ statioiled at 1 :~h ima la or1 [he Malabar Coast. 'They migrated

some [ L L O centuries bt-iot.~ prebelli. l'hey introduced the burnt bricks to

the rsland. Sinci. clay \va, not ava~lable on the island they used the

'olagu' soil which %as ,a\,trlable for making br~cks. They produced

bricks in large q~inntrties ' I I I ~ sold them to the local people. Hence the

narnr kattappuni, illearring. the house where katta, bricks were

a~a i lab le .

Most of the house nantes are composed of two components. By

separating the generic name, which are stem of those names, we can

find some peculiarities. I ht: generics that are seen among the house

names are (Generic:suffixj s 4 t r i ~ . Oda, Veedu, Aettu, Illam, Palli, Akam,

Purtr. Kadu, Kal, A i ~ l , .Me/ ('hetta, Alum, Kalam, Idam, Thotturn, Kara,

Nadu ,411, Mrldam, Pel i . Krtklm, Valappu. Keel, Kandi, Ayan~. Besides

the above mentioned generlch there is a lot of independents names in

use

Ge~icctc adcr this rlrciicate:, the ownership of a particular person. This

word i s the col-supt i o r n i of ' n \ i ~ e ' meaning a specific place.

kunniyapi~a~/(r. ~~r/hammada, chettathada, thattampokkada,

tithij~apatdr, chertt~ppokkada, santippappada, thureemmada,

nangumrntirltr. puppadu, pathummappada, puvada,

pudarnkakkizrfi.1, pudcltnpappada, pokkarappada, pokkarmakkada,

b ijytimrnudt~, birr l '~~mmadu, malmikakkada, musakkada,

rnusampa/htrrkr m~c~okakkada, muthakkudu, mukrikakkada,

rekkummadritr, sekkrr~~urnmatla, salkkammada, haj~ummada,

ra):appada.

Thc list would show that the personal component belongs to both

masculine and feminine groups. 'This would show that the ownership

was enioyed both by men as well as women. This is particularly

interesting with context of tht: matrilineal inheritance pattern prevalent

of the islands.

It is noteworthy that this generic is joining with women's names

only All these houses belong to the melacher1 group.

Generic - 'r:eed'

Putiyaveed. tuikiwte11ee.d morppalveed, moulanaveed.

tienerlc - 'ett'

bfakkrtt, pap/w/l, pullr\v*tt. In all probabilities the generic portion

'ett' is a corrupt form of Chetta, a hut or shed.

Gener~c - 'Illam'

Kakkazllam, ,~~olntl/unr, kadappuratha illam, Puthiya illurn, mela

lllam

Generic - 'puili'

,/l nthrrm~~czlli, kodi/~alii L l7emmanampalli, tharclmpalli, meppalli,

nlr)nthumpalli. tni~17th~i~~i1j1i~Ili. umerpulli, perz~mpalli.

llris generic, which i s \c~dely distributed all over the peniku~ular %/

India [nay be taken I?! ~nistahi to mean a mosque especially in a

niusli~n context like that i.)f 1 ahstladweep. Interestingly the places with

" 2 , +/. " +,,/ a pr1111 generic have no mosilues at all excepting t h e ~ . h d q n p h l l ~

Androth. Antampal11 also ha5 yielded Buddhist relics and therefore the

name must have been olclt~ than the mosque, which was in all

probability a later c.on\tructloll

Generic - Akam

Azikakam, put~yaazhikdkam, pokkilakam, pazhayakam

Generic - Pura

clzikakumpurc~, alrrnc~ppura, alathuppura, achadappura,

Riyupura, I i y ~ r a , rnanatiyupuru, rnakkiyapuru,

Umrnarhab~vtipura, urst~yvupura, Uluvalppura, kandalattuppura,

kattuppura, ktrt~nip/~urtr, kalp~~ura, kurappura, kattuppura,

kakkucliiyurrr, klmnzltn/!urcr, ktrdumpattz~cer~~apura, mayupura,

c,hettuppuru, a h ~ l j ~ r t i , pukkiricliiyapura, pallippura,

pantalppura pur7ikitiruppura, padippura, pulatd~lppura,

/)athumtnappic~.ii. ~ ~ h i u i r a , puthij~iilntha~~purcr, puthenpurtr,

U ~ I I I U , i 1 ,r~zirtrtl~up/~~trcr, hit/7~t/7ahivtz~ur(r,

hibi.vuplira, I rncrthnrupput.tr. rnelara, kclttippurc~,

t h i ~ i r a , I iitr/imtrppzrrci.

The name 'F'ura' when linked with an individual's name, suits

only with the names of women. Beside this the names of materials,

nalnes of places are also used along with the generic 'Pura'. Women

were the house owners when the matrilineal system was fbllowed in the

Islands. This is the reason that we see 'Pzlrci' along with names of

wolllell.

I'hree name\ are aga~nst this. Aliyatharu, Kuttlyathara and

Monri,r)wa. 'Thara' means basement or hut. But 'Kutti' is a male

name The specific kutti and 'tnon' are qualifiers here.

( j e~ ie r~c - 'kad'

k'odakkut, koltkknt ,~c~r-cikkat, kalllkkat tnulakkut, bldurnkat,

crssunkut, ko~thirt, ko/rll crfhut, kunt~~vakktrr

.Among this the 'Melacheri' house are not seen, because, it is

seen that they n e \ u owned ;I land in early ages. Besides this, some

holrses use their old house name indicating their presence in the land

( k i ~ t l u ) area.

Eg Azhikkakamka~ kattupuramkat, komalamkat, padippurakkat,

puthiyaveetukat, p u ~ a d ~ ~ k k a t , puthiya~ikakam kat.

Some times 'kad' comes as specific

Eg: kattupuram, kattuppura.

Some of the names raise the doubt that whether they are the alision of

' kud1

Eg.. kudatt, koyirir, irttaicrcl maplut, kancharkkat, kakkarchikkata,

halukut. kantcl/rrtt, chrnimankath etc.

Generic - 'al'

Eg: blaral, cheriytrnnellni. puchanal, kakkannal, cheriyannal.

/~uthi~vunnal. t~icirhilkr~ti~rnnellal, nellal, kavallul.

Gene1 ~c - 'mrl'

Kunnrntrmei. ~vrtrt~rmc~/ k~~~~nkkzinnel , kunnel, mutharammel.

Genc~nc - ' ~ ~ i i ~ ~ r t u '

I'his generic cier~oteb a shed or h ~ ~ t ol' poor people in Andrott

whrreas in other islands t h ~ s i s joined with personal names to form a

house name or ihmlly name without indicating any status as in the case

of Androth.

The generic 'C'hetta' dre not seen among Koya's and Mali's

housc names.

Ge~icrrc - 'Ath '

Eg: kunttath, chakkuih, munt~ih,

h'andeth, clroili~th, neelath, thailath, poilath, puthiyath,

kondalc~rh, chc~mc~yuth, hilutheth, peechi.vc~th, , ~ ~ a l l ~ t h , pnkknth,

tii.dij~arh. banwth , pooi/il'tlt/l.

tiencric 'alani'

1:g: k1~.17e/c111/ ~ Z ~ I I I L , / < I I ~ , p(~~./~,r/crrn, j~onne/c~tt~

(iener-ic kalarn (corrept for111 ,,I' Mangalam) Kl1tlt1irnikrrlcrr17, ktrt?ttrln

kcrltrr~i

'The Generic - 'idan~'

4Welachedam, chi~riytrticrm, puthiyedam

Gener~c - 'thottarn'

athanam thottan~, chcrutiiottam, taithottam

Genenc - 'kara'

mekkaru, kunrrd~~tumkaru, thottathukara, akkara

Genenc - 'nadu'

Kuinadzc, bitl-rr~trdu

Generic - 'thalam'

h'zmtuthalani, /~urhulirtn

Some other single to rn i s found in house names are, ,411. Cherr, madhcml,

k u l ~ m ~~alappu, aurli korl. Xorltr, vel~ etc.

Eg: hritljali, h i prrtl~c~timrrdam, chekkikkultrm, kodivalt~ppri,

kiikkethi, c.hakkc,kX(:,el, trrikkrmti, pentttrmveli.

. I he house names tarnunchiyam, pantaram, pali, rnathil, makkani

muntcrrum, sru'i, pntrrnnadcr, nltmchiyanam, kuntari also seen in these

two islands. Now a days a nev, trend is Visible in naming the houses, ie.

ArabicIPersian generics like 'mansil' is included

Eg. Kahmathmansil, tahiramanzil, Rasiyamansil, daulathmansil etc.

the generic like ' \ ~ l l a and 'bungalow' are also come into

existence.

Eg: Uahmath villa, hasim bungalow.

Kegard~ng the larawads, their names are not found after an

lndl\ dual's name but when arl offshoot of the family branches off and

est,lbllshes a new residence. cry often the new residence is named after

a \t)nal name.

Yirnilar-ly, \\hen a t'trr~lly represents a group of houses, the

01 I L ~ I I I ' I I home IS c;iiled 'Ac<~tl~u:A~athla ' .

Eg: Kolikkadu Aacathla. Puthiyapura Avathla, Puthiyazhikkakam,

Avathla, Thache ri A~a th la , Mathil Avathu

V As the population increases the number of houses also increases.

The new houses are built for female off springs and not for males. The

separated Tavazhis. maternal families form new branches with new

house names. The initial of the names generally used in Lakshadweep

Islands doesn't indicate the father's name. They refer to house name or

the family name. There are instances of retaining the original even after

building new houses.

Eg: 1 . Saidu Ko) a, P.K.H. (Padarlada I Kandeth 1 Hashim Bunglow)

1 - Muthuko), ;i P I' 1 (Puthi?;ap~~ra ! Puthiyaveedu I Thithichannimadapura)

I'he present Iiol~ses ot above mentioned persons are Hashim

Bungalow, '1-hithichanl~nad>ip~~~-a, Pallikuttiyath respectively. Though a

division of pad an ail;^ Iiirnil> suyed in Kandeth house, a wonien built 21

house named Hashini X3ungali)w. In this case the new house name is

attached to the old ones the maternal back ground, is continued. There

are names obtained fiom two separate families.

Eg: Chamayath C'heriyannal

Chembattinirndda Pal I

Kunnamangalam C her( yadam

MathiI Poolhial

VI Generally when div~ded from a single family the generics like

Puru Akam, Avathu etc. arc followed.

Kolikattu Avattiu

Kolikattu Naduvilakam

Kolikkattu pura

(The above-mentioned tamilies do not show this in documents)

A woman mho s u r v i ~ e s the maternal family, every new house or

famil) name is known by adding the name of the owner of the house +

the fatnily name.

I . Kolikattu

tiolikattu A \ . \;atla .

Kolikattu Bi! ytitia

Kolikattu Iyammada

Kolikattu Kunniyada

Kolikattu Ummammada

2. Aliyathamnta

Aliyathammada Beeb~?dpura

Aaliyathammada Beethathabiya pura

4aliyathamrnada ish? apura

3. Aazhikkakarn

Aazhikkakathu Makkiya Pura

Aazhikkakathu Manatti! a Pura

Azzhikkakathu Haleeq I > ya Pura

It has to be noted that the full forms of these names are found

generally in records. l 'he original house name is dropped in day-to-day

common usages.

['his system .,)I' naming IS closely connected with the pattern of

inheritance oi' matriling Therefore we can observe in this connection

that the famil) natnes in the I.aksIiad\veep in general and Androt and

Kalpcll~ in par~iculat ii)llo\v thc principle of'matrilineal inheritance. 'I'he

islanders' wol.ld-vii.\v is l e d in the socio-cultural context of'

matrilineal social organizatron. Now, there is a trend in the island

conlmunities to shift to the patrilineal system of inheritance and the

naming principle on the basis of that social organization. However this

has not gathered mon~entunl, thanks to the strength of the old system.