Kashmiri Pandit Surnames

According to Autar Mota at autarmota.blogspot.com

Bhatt or Butt or Bhat is a popular kashmiri surname . The word has Sanskrit origin meaning scholar or a learned man. It is believed that people of this clan were descendants of saints of Vedic period who actually lived on the banks of river sarsawati. When this river turned dry they moved towards north and settled in kashmir valley. From Kashmir, this clan moved to other areas of the subcontinent especially to entire India and places falling presently in Pakistan. After the entry of Islam in kashmir valley (early 14th centuary ) , a large number of Bhats converted to this new faith and kept on moving out of valley for one reason or the other like frequent droughts . Bhats or Butts or Bhatts are presently settled in Gujrat , Haryana , Rajasthan , Madhya Pradesh , Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , West Bengal , Maharashtra , Goa , Karnatka , and Andhra Pradesh . The Goud Brahmins , Bhattmewada Brahmins , Gurjargaur Brahmins , Konkanastha Brahmins , Smartha Brahmins , Havyaka Brahmins , Shivalli Brahmins , Madhva Brahmins and Daivajna Brahmins are actually Bhatts or Butts or Bhats .One can find them everywhere in the subcontinent. Their contribution to Science , sports , Politics , Religion , Films , Banking, Music , Philosophy and other intellectual pursuits is second to none . Some Prominent Bhatts , Butts or Bhats are :-

Kahmiri butt are people indegnous to kashmir, they have nothing to do with the people with surname bhatt anywhere in india. the person mazhar butt is fake butt, he is acutally an uneducated chammar who does not know even a single word about the history of kashmir or kashmiri people. The surname butt became very poplular in anceint kashmir and there were times when the whole kashmiri pundit community was referred to as butt/bat in the predominantly muslim kashmiri villages in the kashmir valley. From old times numerous kashmiri pundits and muslims(converted) have kept butt as their surname. Butt is not merely a small clan name but at times it has been associated with bulk population of kashmiri pundits as Butt(priest) tribe in kashmir.

Thanks for the details. My family surname is Bhat and I come from a place called 'Udupi' in Karnataka. By the way Udupi is famous for 'Udupi Hotels'. Bhats use 'Rao' also their surname. My father and grand father used Rao in their names. I would like to know the link between Bhats from Karnataka if there is any with Bhats from Kashmir.

BHAT IS A MARHATTA RACE . tHE TRUE KASHMIRI 'GAUT' OR 'GOT' WHICH MEANS RACE OR CASTE IS 'BAT' which has become Butt with usage. Once they were regarded as the best of bards,singers and jugat baaz(jesters) in the world-they were a wild and nomadic clan. Many inferior races of Kashmir now have adopted this sir name and they have largely settled down in Pakistan. Some people also confuse this sir name with bhatti which is a name adopted by low class kashmiri converts of christians from hindus.

Bhats of Kashmir are Both kashmiri muslims and Pandits.
Bhats are alo found in Karwar area of Karnataka who are Bhrimans, East Bihar where they are" street singers"