Limbu clans and tribes

The Limbu nation is made up of hundreds of clans. Each Limbu clans are classified under their Tribe or subnational entity or according to their place of origin. Almost all the Limbu clan names are unique, therefore it is not necessary to specify the Tribe or the place of origin every time the clan name is said.

The most Limbu (Yakthung) tribes are the original inhabitants and descended from the ancient Kirata mentioned in such Hindu epics as the Mahabharata.

Although, some of the clan names may not be unique for example: Chongbang or Maden. They are divided by listing their tribe name before or after their clan. Chongbang can be Sireng-Chongbang or Hukppa-Chongbang or Chongbang Kyak, similarly Maden clan can be specifically Tilling-Maden or Thokleng-Maden or Tunglung-Maden or Phendua-Maden. Listed Chaobisia, Mawakhola, Tambarkhola, Charkhola, Maiwakhola, Panthar, Tinkhola, Phedap and Yangrok are the names of the places where the respective clans belong to. Chaobisia refers to present day Dhankuta and Morang districts, Tambarkhola area is in present-day Taplejung district, Mewakhola area refers to present day Taplejung and Sankhuwasabha districts, Charkhola is a present-day Ilam and Jhapa districts, Maiwakhola area is in present-day Taplejung district, Tinkhola is in Panchthar district, Panthar is Panchthar district, Phedap is the north-central area of Terhathum district, Athraya is in northeastern Terhathum district, Chethar is in southern Terhathum, Sankhuwasabha and eastern Dhankuta district. Yangrok area is in present-day Southeast Taplejung, Northeast Panchthar districts and west Sikkim. All of these areas make up Limbuwan.

Clans and marriages

To Limbus, genealogy is very important before conducting marriages. Limbus do not marry within their own clan known as incest and not into their mother's clan or their grandmothers' clan. Some Traditional and cultural Limbus with strong background, avoid marriages into clans from which they derive their blood, up to seven generations in their father's line and up to five generations in their mother's line. That means Marriages into great-great-great-grandmothers' clans are also avoided.

The clan names have terms attached to it as well, Libang means the Archer, Tilling means the Police, Menyangbo means the successful one, Samba means the priest, etc. However, clans also have meanings which evolved from sentences e.g. Hembya was according to legend, evolved from "Hey' nangh wa" which translates to "Over there also". However, on original verbal dialect, 'Hembya' would be pronounced as "Hem-phe". This name was previously used to identify Thebe's next clan who settled in a different territory.

The following are the list of Limbu clans.

List of Limbu clans

A Ajibungia Ambung Angbuhang Angbo Angbung Anchangbo Angdembe (also Angdembey) Angdemba - Papo Angdemba - Phendua Angdemba - Nembang Angla - Tokleng Anglabang Anglabang - Khewa Angthupo Arumhang Anchangbong-Anchhangbo not ch chh* Awajungo/Akwajungo/Awajung

B Bokhim - Yyorong Bokhim - Maa Bokhim - Lokshom Bokhim -khangba Banta Baphu Baragahri - Sangwa Baragahri - Khajum Begha - Panchthar Bengtak Bhotangwa Burra Burumba C Changshu Chambang kyak Charkhele Chebegu Chelifung Chengsui Chenwaphu Chermali Chethare Chilikchan

Chemjong - Mabo-hang Chemjong - Panthar Chemjong - Lad-ho Chemjong - Chikcho Chilikehomba Chintung Chikcho - Kajum Chabeghu Chungsu - Ejam Chongbang - Kyak Chongbang - Huukpa Chongbang - Khajum Chongbang - Khewa Chongbang - Nalbo Chongbang - Phago Chongbang - Samba Chongbang - Sireng Chongbang - Tilling Chongbang - Tukyuma Chongbang - Tunglung

D Durombo E Eveng (also known as Aveng) Edhingo Ehpheng Ejam - Fenjetangling Ekdem Espo Emsong(Emehang) F Fenduwa G Gnoyongba H Hamphia Hangemba - Ejam Hangemba - Yangrok Hangemba - Yungwa Hangemba - Mawakhole Hanggam - Mawakhole Hanggam - Nalbo Hanggam - Sering Hangbang Hangserung Hangun Hanserumba Hembya Hellok Hinah Hingo

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I Idingo - Tunglung Idingo - Tinkole Idingo - Athraya Ijam Imehang Imusong Inemba Ingnam (Ingnamfe) ईवा, ह्वाकु (हाङ्को) र धनकुटा Ingwa - Chethar Ingwa - Tambarkhole Ingwaba - Nembang Ingwaba - Papo Ingwarem Iringba Isbohang Iwa (Iwahang) धनकुटा Iwaram Iwahang J Jabegu - Thegim Jeyoh Jimbukang K Khamdak Kadi Kambang - Mabohang Kambang - Sambahang Kanbonan Kandangwa Kanthak Karamba Kawepung Kebok - Tilling Kebok - Yongyahang Kebok - Khewa Kedem (केदेम) Keiba - Kebang Keiba - Lingden Kekluke Kerabare Kerung - Panchthar पा‌ंचथर Kerumba Kerung Kerungma Keyo - Ejam Keyung Khajum - Parghari Khajum - Chongbang Khajum - Kurumbang/Kurumbhong Khajum - Wayang Khajum - Le:kwaa khangwa Khapung Khawahang Khewa - Tumbah Khewa - Maden Khewa - Mangyak Khewa - Tigella Khewa - Anglabang Khewa - Chongbang Khimding Kobok Kochpongo Kodang Koggeknamba Kogling Kohyang Koklung Kondongwa Kongliba - Ejam Kongwa - Singjango Koyahang Koyohang Kudanamba Kugetnamba Kulunglong Kungari Kurumbang Kyadapa

L Lawati Labung Lad-ho - Chemjong Lahbung Lahoron Lambeba Laoti(papo) Lechharbo Lejenji Lekhongwalong Lekhwa - Kajum Lekwa - Kamthak Lekwa - Samba Lengwa Lewahang - Kajum Lewahang - Sambahang Lianmphe Libang Limkhim Lingdam - Immechang Lingdem - Charkole Lingdem - Tinkole Lingdem - Panthare Lingden - Khewa Lingden - Sering Lingden - Yangroke Lingden - Songyokpa Lingdom Lingjemba Lingka Lingkhim Lingthep Lohringen lakshamba laksom Lokpeba Loksong Loktam Loktong Loli Longwa Longwago Lua Lugumba Luhimba Lumdhoyu-tambarkhola lingkhim Lungfungwa Lung Maden Lungkimba Lunkimba Luwa

Laksam (Laksam/ Laksaam) Yangwarak Panchthar M Mabo Maden Mademba - Huuppa Mademba - Chathare Maden - Bakkim Maden - Khewa Maden - Nalbo Maden - Sanba Maden - Tilling Maden - Tokleng Maden - Tukyuma Maden - Tunglung Maden - Phendua Madongya Magmu Mahbe Mahbo - Chemjong Mahbo - Tinkole Mahbo - Yangrok Mahbo - Mahbo Mahsuwa Madenhang Maken Makkhim Makim Maksingbung Malahang Mangap Mangbo Mangdemba Mangden Mangea Manglak Mangmu Mangsrukha Mangthumbo Mangwayak Mangyeh Mangyunbgo Mangyung Manjia Mansingbung Mapejong Mardin Marinda Maringdom Mauba Mayang Mayongba Mayuthak - Ejam Mebek Meblak Mebok Mehokpa Mekending Menyangbo Mikluke Mingemba Miyongma Modengba Modengsomba Modenyak Moraba Moringlahang Moro Moyongba Muden Mudenchain Mudensong - Samba Musuhang

N Naidemba Naika Naklebu Nalbo Nalibe Nalutem Namdehang Namlakpa Nangen Nayamba Neyong/Neyonghang Nembang (also Nemwang) Nembang - Phejong Nembang - Nanglakpa Nembang - Yangdemba Nembang - yaksoba Nembeke Neongoa Neonwa Neshie Ningleku/Ninglekhu Nogo - Tambarkhola Nogo - Chaobisia Nogo - Lingden Nogo - Tinkole Nugedemma Nugo Nundehang Nu - Kurungbhong O Ogu Okhebu Okrabhu Ongba Onim

Khudang

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P Pabemba Padupling Pahim Pahtangna Painger Pak - Sangwa Pak - Serma Pak - Pheyak Pakpasomba Paksangwa Pakseng Pakserma Palahajum Palange Palghe Palungwa Pambokpa Pangyanggu Pangba Phago Pangboma Pangenhang Pangma(Pangmali) Pankemyang Panphoma pangdhak (spread out from labri, khesera, bokhim,tamrang and saplakhu villages) Papalang Papo Papsong Parghari Parangden Parangen Pahango Pataha Patare Pegwa Pekim Pemba Pembasong Penchangwa Penjelam Penjetamlingba Pettehba Phaklecha Phakole Phalechuwa Phalechuwa Phamphe phatra Phedap Pheguba Phegwaden Phejonba Phejong Phembu Phemsong Phewaden Phiyak Phombo Phonjela Phonpho Phonthak Phonyang Phopra Photre Patangwa Phudunghang Phuglala Phungenahang Pichchowa Pobemba Podalung - Tilling Podalung - Tinkhole Poinyanggu Pomu Pongjange Pehim Potangna - Tumbangphe Potangwa - Sambahang Pothangehere Potro Punglai-ing Punjemba Puradin Purumbo Purungbo

S Sabenhimba Sademba Sakwademba Sakwaden - Ponglai Sakwaden - Tegim Sakwaden - Tumbangphe Sambahamphe Selling sambiu (Sembo or Simbu) Samdangwa Sameakamba samra Samsomba Samsong Samsohang Sangba Sangi Sangpanggye Sangsangbo Sangsangu Sangwa Sanjung Sansoyang Sauden sanba-tangdapa Sanba-mudenchang Sanba-maden Sanba-lunghimba sanba-fayang Sademba-siwara ETC T Tawa Tababung-(Tabebung-sangamba Tabebung-khechhingse) Tabelung Thoklen Takmademba Takwaden Tamba Tembe Tambedem Tamdem Tamling Tamorangba Tangba Tangbhopa Tangdewa Tanjamba Tegela Tegim Tegoba Tegothopra Tengbung Teyung Tellok Tembeh Tengubumthupia Tentak Terathar Thaksu Thaklang Thaklung Thalang(chongbang & maden) Thalung Thamsuhang Thamden Thangden Thangamba Theguba Thebe-Sing Thebe-thuppoko Thoglema Thoklen Thokpeba Thoksuba - Khewa Thoksuba - Songyokpa Thopra Thumba Thumsa Thumyangba Thupukum Tigalla Tikapatti Tinglabe Tinkote Todopa Togleng Toklehang Toklengkya Tokphela Tokponden Tole Topetlagu Tubuk Tukimo Tukohang Tum - Papo Tum - Pheyak Tum - Sangwa Tum - Serma Tum - Kurumbang Tumbah - Khewa Tumbahang Tumbang Tumbahangphe - Phedapea Tumbahangphe - Tokleng Tumbahangphe - Phendua Tumbapo - papo Tumbrok - Papo Tumbrok - Phago Tumrok - Tokleng Tumruk - Panthare Tumsa Tumsangwa Tumsengwate Tumsong Tumyang Tunesang Tungbamphe - Chethare Tungbamphe - Mewakhole Tungbamphe - Nembang Tungbanphe Tungbaphu - Nalbo Tunghang Tungkamphs Tungkong - Chaobisia Tungkong - CHethare Tunglung Tunghang Tupunge

Sanyak Sapla Sapta Sardaphe Saring Sawaden Sayorana Sendang Sedemba - Mabho Sedemba - Sambahang Selling Semhang Sene Senehang Sengsaugbo Sengwangyang Sere Serma Serangchongbang Settling Sewa Sialungma Siba Silimbo Sinehang Sing - Thebe Sing Maden - Khewa Sing Maden - Tilling Singak Singdaba Singgokhang Singh - Kurungbhong Singjango Singokua Singthape Singyemba Sigu Skuwaba Sobegu Sodemba Sodung Sokiklumba Song Songbamphe Sambahangphe Songbo Songmi Songrungbang Songyokpa - Chaubisia Songyokpa - Phago Songyokpa - Kurumbang Subasang - Lingden Subasong - Lingkhim Subasong - Tambarkhole Suguwa Suhang Sukarengba Suknawab Sungwapak Sanyokpa(Tumba)

U Umdeme Unglingba Unjumba Ussuk

W Wabungia Wade Wahek Waji - Chaobisia Waji - Phedapea Waji - Athraya Wanem - Phago Warakpa Warupa Wayahnag-Kajum Wayam Kajum Wegu Werniba Wetupma Wobungia Wodokba Woyang Worumhang Y Yakso Yakpaden Yambhota Yangboku Yangboten Yangdem Yangdemba Yanghimba Yangnam Yangrokia Yangsata Yangseba Yangsoba Ya ngwago Yangya Yanroke Yanwabhu Yawa Yekten Yengdem Yengden Yengdemba Yohimbang Yokippa Yokpangden Yoksoba Yoksuba Yoksuma Yongatemba Yongden - thopra Yongeywa Yonghang Yongya*Yongya yungsahang Yakyuk See also Limbu nugo hang Limbu language Limbu script Limbuwan Gorkha War history Rambahadur Limbu Limbuwan Sikkim Limbuwan-Gorkha Treaty of 1774 Limbuwan Autonomy Limbu Festivals Chasok Tangnam References