11/06/2024
In undivided Bengal, Brahmins with high spiritual esteem are respectfully called Thakur or Thakurmashai by villagers. Brahmin surnames include Bhattacharya, Chattopadhyay, Bandopadhyaya, Mukhopadhyay, and Kushari. Some surnames were dropped due to being called Thakur. The Tagore family arrived in Kolkata and was addressed as Thakur. The title Kushari was replaced by Thakur, resulting in their title being Thakur. During the British period, the family name was anglicized to Tagore, as the British couldn't pronounce the surname. Early British officials used Tagore to address Brahmins in their service.
Thakur is a historical feudal title of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used as a surname in the present day. The female variant of the title is Thakurani or Thakurain, and is also used to describe the wife of a Thakur.
