Banerjee (Bengali: ব্যানার্জী), also known as Bandyopadhyay, is a Bengali Kulin Brahmin surname originating from the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. The surname belongs to the Rarhi clan of Bengali Brahmin caste.[1][2]

Lineage and ancestry edit

Banerjees are from the ancient Shandilya Gotra, which means all Banerjees are descended from Kannauj from the ancient sage Shandilya as per the Puranas.[3] Together with Mukherjees, Chatterjees, Bhattacharjees and Gangulys, Banerjees form the Kulin Brahmins.[2]

History edit

"Indian (Bengal) and Bangladeshi: Hindu (Brahman) name, the first element of which, Ban-, is taken from Bandyopadhyay The final element -jee is derived from jha (greatly reduced form of Sanskrit upadhyaya 'teacher'); thus, Banerjee 'teacher who is head and only performs the main work aarti or, Vandana. A Sanskrit version of this name, Vandyopadhyaya, was coined from the elements vandya 'venerable' + upadhyaya 'teacher'. "

— Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-508137-4, [4]

Notable people edit

Notable people with the surname Banerjee, Bandopadhyay, or variations, include:

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Bhattacharya, Jogendra Nath (1896). Hindu Castes and Sects: An Exposition of the Origin of the Hindu Caste System and the Bearing of the Sects Towards Each Other and Towards Other Religious Systems. Thacker, Spink. p. 38. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b Hopkins, Thomas J. (1989). "The Social and Religious Background for Transmission of Gaudiya Vaisnavism to the West". In Bromley, David G.; Shinn, Larry D. (eds.). Krishna consciousness in the West. Bucknell University Press. pp. 35–36. ISBN 978-0-8387-5144-2. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  3. ^ Ghurye, Govind Sadashiv (1969). Caste and Race in India. Popular Prakashan. p. 257. ISBN 978-81-7154-205-5. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  4. ^ Hanks, Patrick (8 May 2003). Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press. p. 94. ISBN 978-0-19-977169-1.