Last Names

The surnames of Andhra Kshatriyas were created or formed during the 12th, 13th and 14th Centuries (AD). Prior to that, there were only Gotras (clans) but no surnames. Marriage alliances were being made between persons of different Gotras but not with persons of the same Gotras. At the time of formation of surnames, the villages where persons were residing generally became their surnames.

From the data collected by Sri Buddharaju Varahala Raju, there were 109 surnames for Andhra Kshatriyas. 80 surnames were based on village names; 20 were based on Chivalry names; 1 based on nature and 8 based on other ways. It did not include Kshatriya Raju surnames of Karnataka. For some families the names of their famous and prominent ancestors became their surnames. For example – Bhupathi Raju, Rudra Raju, Tirumala Raju etc.

Gotra (clan), Vamsam means heredity. The Vamsams are of two types:

Janma Vamsam (based on Birth)
Vidya Vamsam (based on Education)

Those Kshatriyas who were educated under certain Sages (Rishis) became their Vamsiyas. They belong to the respective Vidya Vamsams.

Sage Apastamba wrote a book named Apastamba Sutramulu incorporating the traditions of persons wearing the sacred thread (Dvija). All the traditions and ceremonies of Rajus are based on these sutras.

The Rajus of Northern Circars belong to these Four Gotras:

Vasistha
Dhananjaya
Kasyapa
Kaundinya

The Rajus of Vijayanagaram have these additional Gotras:

Atreya
Pasupati
Viswamitra

They have marriage alliances with the persons belonging to the other Gotras. As Vasistha was the guru of both Koundinya and Vasistha Gotras, he is considered as the Pithru (Father) of both of them and so there were no marriage alliances between these two Gotras. However, for the last few centuries they discarded this tradition.

Most surnames in Andhra Pradesh come from the family’s town of origin so some of the surnames are found in other Andhra communities. Some of the Kshatriya names are actually the same but due to regional pronunciation differences they are spelt differently.

Dhananjaya Addala Adluri Byrraju Bhupathiraju Chekuri Chintalapati Chintapalli Cherukuri Dandu Dantuluri Datla Ellamraju Gadiraju Gandham Gudiraju Guduru Gundraju Gandraju Gokaraju Gottemukkala Gunturi Jampana Jujjuri Keertipati Kondaraju Kallepalli Kammela Kankipati Kasi Kasiraju Kokkerlapati Konduri Koppella/Kopperla Kothapalli Kovvuri Kusampudi Kunaparaju Mahali/Maka raju Mudundi Mullapuraju Nandimandalam Nallaparaju Nunna Pakalapati Patchamatla/Patsamatla Penmatsa Penumuchuru Poranki Pusampudi Rachakonda Raghavaraju Rasiraju Renati Rudraraju Sagiraju Somalraju Suraparaju Thotakura Thotakuri Tirumalaraju Uddaraju Vuddaraju Vuyyuri/Uyyuri Vanapala Vandaraju Vempalli Vengamaraju Vadlamudi Vegiraju Vetukuri Yarakaraju Eswarraju	Vasistha Adduri Alluri Bezawada Byrraju Buddharaju Balaraju Chamarthi Chekuri Cherukuwada Chekuri Chamarthi Chilluri Chiluguri Chiluvuri Chodaraju Dendukuri Dhenuvakonda Erraguntala Etikuri Vetikuri Gadiraju Ganapathiraju Godavarthi Gurajala/Gurijala Indukuri Isikapalli Immalaraju Kakarlapudi Kolukuluri Kosuri Kucharlapati Mahali/Maka raju Manthena Mulagapati Munagapati Nadimipalli/Nadimpalli Nagaraju Nandela/Nandilla/Nandyala Pandeti Pericherla Pinnamaraju Pusapati Potturi Raavipati/Raayapati Sagi Sakhineti/Sagineti Sagiraju Samanthapudi Siruguri/Siruvuri Vadapalli Valivarthi Vatsavayi Vegesna Vejandla Vejarla/Yejerla/Vejella Velaganati	Kasyapa Bellamkonda Bhimaraju Chodaraju Chirutani Dandu Eedurapalli/Eedarapalli Ganapathiraju Gangaraju Gobburi Gorinta Hasti Jillela Kanumuri Katari Kondaraju kadimella Lakhamraju Madiraju Mandapati Matla Mudhuluru Nagalpati Namburu/Namburi Sayyaparaju Solanki Tirumalaraju Uppalapati/Vuppalapati Yallamraju	Kaundinya Addepalli Ainampudi Eemanamanda Inampudi Jampana Kalidindi Mudunuri Saripalli/Saripella Vemulamanda Yamanamanda

Pasupati Alugunuru Anatharaju Anjiraju Ayyaparaju Balaraju Bayalraju Betharaju Bogaraju Buttamraju Chamarthi Chejerila Chennamraju Chennapay Chevuru Chokkaraju Cibyala Daasanapu Dakshiraju Dalavayi Dommaraju Gadi Gouripuram Govindaraju Gunlapalli Hasthi Inkula Jagadabhi Kamparaju Kanchiraju Katri Konduru Kocherla Lingaraju Medidaraju Mudhuluru Nandyala Nimmaraju Padmaraju Patarapalli Peddiraju Penugonda Raghava Sangaraju Solaraju Tipparaju Ummalaraju Valavarthi Vanipanta Vankeraju Veligandla Venkataraju Yadavalli Yellaturu Yerramraju	Atreya Agili Amaravathi Bopparaju Dalavayi Madapalli Juturi Kadapa Kadimella Koneti Matla Narapathi Nandyala Nandela Owk Pocharaju Saluva Sammeta Siddiraju Simhadri Timmaraju Varadaraju	Vishwamitra Dalavai Pocharaju