Rai (India)

For the Jat clan, see Rai (Punjabi surname).

Rai is a historical title of honour in India.It was conferred by the British Raj on certain landlords. It showed association of person with power and wealth in the period of British rule. The British recognised prominent Hindus as Rai Bahadur or Rai Sahib; their equivalent for Muslims was Khan Bahadur or Khan Sahab. Rai means noble person .Give your thought on certain topic or Give your Rai on certain topic is same meaning. All most all Bhuinhar Brahmins of Poorvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh uses Rai as their main or recognized surname apart from that Bhars , Kayasth ,Rajput , Brahmha Bhatt or Bhatt Brahmins also uses Rai surname , In Bihar Mostly Ahirs uses Rai surname as their recognized surname apart from that Brahmins & Bhatt Brahmins , Babhans also uses Rai Surname. Many peoples in Jharkhand, M.P. ,Rajasthan , Haryana , Karnataka , Punjab , Jammu and Arunachal Pradesh uses 'Rai' as their surname irespective of their castes.In Bengal people uses Roy surnames. Apart from India this surname is also found in Pakistan , Nepal , Bangladesh , Europe, Japan.