Banerjee

Banerjee or Bandyopadhyay is a surname of Brahmins originating from the Bengal region of the Indian subcontinent. Its variants include Bannerjee, Banerji, Banerjea, Banerjie, Bonnerjee, and Bandopadhyaya. Its derivatives include Barujjye, Barori, Bhowal, Bandyogai, and is found among both Ghotis and Bangals.

Lineage and ancestry

Banerjees are from the ancient Sandilya Gotra, which means all Banerjees are descended from Kannauj from the ancient sage Sandilya as per the Puranas.[1] Together with Mukherjees, Chatterjees, Bhattacharjees and Gangulys, Banerjees form the Kulin Brahmins, the highest tier of the Bengali caste system.

History

"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

Notable people

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

References
  1. Ghurye, Govind Sadashiv (1969). Caste and Race in India. Popular Prakashan. p. 257. ISBN 978-81-7154-205-5. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
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