Patel (Gujarati: પટેલ, paṭel, pronounced [pəʈel]) is a surname of Indian origin, originally meaning "headman" or "village chief".[1] Patels are socially, economically and politically the most dominant caste in Gujarat (see Gujarati people).
Patels are basically Kurmis or Kunbis and are found in various geographical locations. The Kunbi (Marathi: कुणबी, Gujarati: કુનબી, alternately Kanbi) are an Indian subcaste. They are found largely in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, and are historically associated with agriculture; another branch is found in Goa. The group is often associated with the Kurmi caste, though scholars differ as to whether the terms are synonymous. In 2006, the Indian government announced that Kurmi was considered synonymous with the Kunbi and Yellam castes in Maharashtra.
Other spellings and variants include Kulambi (Deccan), Kulwadi (South Konkan), Kanbi (Gujarat), Kulbi (Belgaum), Reddies (Andhra Pradesh), Kurmi (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand).[2] The name Patel derives from Patlikh, the record keeper named by princely rulers in Gujarat to keep track of the crops, pat being a parcel of land.
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The name is found primarily in the Indian states of Gujarat[especially in Sabarkantha,Mahesana],[3] Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka, as well as metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Surat, and Delhi.
In the United Kingdom, it is the 24th most common surname nationally,[4] and the third most common in the Greater London region.[5] In the U.S., the surname "Patel" ranks 174 among the top 500 list of most common last names.[6] Though it is common Hindu name,[7] a small number of Parsis and Muslims carry the surname "Patel" (see also Muslim Patel) along with a sizable number of Kolis.[8]
Further, Patels are classified based on the geographical regions.
Subcasts of Gujarati Patels are Vastarpara, Meruliya, Sheliya, Khakhariya, Khokhariya, Aslaliya, Magtarpara etc. They live in Amreli district and come from Ahmedabad district.
The Leva Patels and Kadva Patels are known for their entrepreneurial skills in business and agriculture having a strong hold in Gujarat and have made a name for themselves around the world. There are religious and ideological differences between groups of Patels. They have their own social samaj (gatherings) and mandirs. The Patel community followed an age-old tradition of marrying within their gol (circle) but, with changes in economic status, global influence, literacy and education, changes are now taking place and Patels are increasingly marrying outside their gols.
Other Gujaratis who migrated out of what is now the state of Gujarat during the British Raj to British East Africa (Kenya and Uganda) sometimes adopted the surname Patel. This surname was subsequently passed to their descendants (who now mainly reside outside Kenya and Uganda). Also, during the British Raj, some 'Patels' who migrated to British East Africa and the Union of South Africa (South Africa) adopted different surnames, usually the name of their village, their trade or even their grandfather's name. Subsequently, these surnames have been passed down to their descendants.
However from some source of originations of patels , it is said that patels are suryanvanshi kshatriyas origination from Lord Rama . as per mythology Lord Rama had 2 sons Luv and Kush . From luv leuva patels originated and from kush - kadva patels . The patels are kshatriyas basically from four tribes of lord Brahma.
The "Patel motel" phenomenon, as it is popularly known, has made a major impact on the American hospitality industry.
The surname is the second most common last name in India, following Singh. "The trend started in the early 1940's, though the real growth took place in the 1960's and 1970's."
A sizable number of Indian immigrants to the United States came in the 1960s and 1970s, when the motel industry was booming. Many of them bought up undervalued and dilapidated properties and turned them into successful businesses.[9] As many as 60% of mid-sized motels and hotel properties, all over the U.S., are owned by the people of Indian origin. Of this nearly one-third have the surname Patel — a popular one among Indian Gujaratis.[10][11])
"According to the Asian American Hotel Association (A.A.H.O.A), 50 percent of hotels and motels in the United States are owned by people of Indian origin."[12] A large immigrant population of Gujuratis came in the 1960s and 1970s. These Patels worked hard and saved then invested in a lot of properties. Having a steady amount income and savings, they called over their distant relatives and friends from the villages of India. Upon their arrival, they would already have financial assistance from their families and start up their own businesses. Even though Patels are evenly spread throughout the country, they still have held onto their vast network, which has definitely been a key to their entrepreneurship.