Bhat (surname)

Bhat (surname)

Bhat (Marathi: भट, Kannada: ಭಟ್) meaning a priest or scribe in Sanskrit, is a surname common in most parts of Nepal. A predominantly Hindu last name, it is found most commonly in the states of coastal areas of Karnataka, Jammu & Kashmir, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Lalitpur district of Uttar Pradesh, is a common surname in the states of Maharashtra, India. This is a common surname among Kota Brahmin, Konkanastha, Malviya Brahmin, Shree Goud Brahmin, Goud Saraswat Brahmin, Shivalli Madhva Brahmin, Panchagrama Brahmin, Havyaka Brahmin and Daivajna community. Variations of the Bhat surname are found amongst Brahmins of Kerala and Tamil Nadu such as Pattar amongst Tamil and Kerala Iyers and Bhattathiripad amongst the Nambudiris.

The name is also in use among some Konkani Catholics who trace their ancestry to the Goud Saraswat Brahmins of Goa.