Caste in India: The Facts and the System c6.s2.14

c6.s2.14

The names borne by castes and sub-castes are not always clear in their meaning. Apart from two or three generic and traditional titles, such as those of Brahman and Rajput, the greater number of those whose meaning can be discerned trace their origin to one or other of the following four categories: geographical names borrowed either from a mere locality or from a province; professional names, referring either to an occupation peculiar to the group, or, in the case of some of the Brahman castes, a special feature in their sacerdotal functions—names of objects or of animals particularly connected with the group by traditional legends or religious practices; and lastly, family names going back, either directly or through a nickname, to a supposed ancestor. As may easily be imagined, the castes bearing names which seem to call for explanation are rarely at a loss for legends, however improbable, to account for their origin. In most cases the connexion has to be reversed: it is more usual for the name to have inspired the story than for the story to have given rise to the name.