“Surfing surnames”

Updating the list of Zoroastrian surnames seems a never ending game. Further to the ones carried in Parsiana in years past with the inclusion of the present one the statistics change to include 130 surnames under A, the highest of 201 in B, 87 in C; 134 in D; 20 in E; 35 in F; 106 in G; 52 in H; 19 in I; J – 60, K – 194, L – 43, M – 197, N – 81, O – 9, P – 108, Q being the poorest having only two, R – 59, S – 151, T – 68, U – 16, V – 62, W – 18, none listed under X, Y – 12 and Z – 22. The total staggering to 1,886 surnames.

A glance shows a trend of surnames mostly earned by the work done — from Anjeerwala to Watch-maker; certain from the qualities — ‘Tata’ being a well known example of being very angry (Raata-taata); majority being place-related from Amalsadwala to Zanzibar­wala. Some nick-names attached themselves as surnames, eg, Vyajkhor — one who takes too much of interest on loans. The new surnames, mostly being Irani, care has to be taken that only the Zoro-astrian ones are included.

Sieving through hundreds of surnames is a laborious job: glancing through, picking up certain prospective odd surnames, checking if they are in the list, or almost same sounding ones with different spelling, then entering or discarding them, pondering if they are Zoroastrian or un-Zoroastrian...

A: Aagia, Aapakhatyaar, Aashahakim, Aazargoshasp, Aboli, Acharia, Adarbad­garh, Adarbehi, Akhtaari, Alice, Alla­walai, Amooyan, Amulyaa, Antroli­wala, Aref, Arethwala, Artist, Ashooian, Auvwa

B: Baamboatwala, Baastanizadeh, Baatlaa, Badgewala, Bahamy, Bakht, Begaamwala, Behmardian, Behrami, Behramvarzavand, Bharathaania, Billimorawala, Biuki, Borzoo, Borzoo­yan, Bulandi

C: Camapesina, Cawasiyani, Chitthi­wala, Chomalwala, Chowsare­wala, Clerk, Cuttingmaster

D: Daadaar, Daadnaam, Daah, Dabes­tani, Dadademeri, Demavandi, Dhaayla, Dhannawala, Dongriwala

E: Edalati, Eghlim, Enth, Ezzatien

F: Farhadi, Farkhoni, Farrudianijad, Furniturewala

G: Gaavki, Ganbi, Gannaawala, Gar­zade, Gocal, Goimewala, Gole, Got­li­baaj, Goveshni

H: Hanson, Hiralaher

I: Illawa, Iranshaad

J: Jamaspnejad, Jamzadeh, Jangbarwala, Jehaani

K: Kaame, Kabbha, Kalantar, Kasnavya, Kayanizad, Kelkatchwala, Khaati, Khaavaar, Khajuri, Khanbadir, Kharwanwala, Khodadadi, Khodayari, Khorasheh, Khorrami, Kolhapurwala, Kotla, Kunashni

L: Laina, Lalla, Likimna, Lorkalantari

M: Maachina, Maangrolia, Maapra, Maavandadi, Machhina, Makabahman, Mandiwala, Manina, Mazdapour, Me­her­gani, Mehin, Minina, Minis, Mithiborwala, Mountwala, Movewala, Mozgai

N: Naatalwala, Nagad, Narimanzadeh, Navalmanek, Nentin, Nirumwala, Nor-waywala, Nurpestaani

O: Owner

P: Paarastar, Parsinejad, Partovinia, Patch, Perry, Petiyawala, Popat, Pothi­wala, Pourkarimi.

R: Raandelia, Radiowala, Radmanesh, Radpour, Rahmani, Ravaani, Razmi, Rustomji

S: Saarigara, Saasanfar, Saatpaatiwala, Sakkai, Saraawala, Shahbandari, Shah-navaz, Sharaafi, Sherif, Shish­biradaran, Sina, Sorkhabi, Sotudian, Subaawala, Suraawala, Suren

T: Taaraa, Taaskar, Tabelawala, Tan-karia, Toti, Trombaywala, Tut

V: Vaadigar, Vahidi

W: Waghlacooper

Y: Yazdanipour, Yazeshne, Yektalefard, Yunani

Z: Zaandia, Zaandian, Zendi

If your readers can furnish some more surnames (of course after authenticating its bonafide as a Zoroastrian surname) I would be glad to include them in the list.

BURJOR M. DABOO

Ahmedabad