Goud Saraswat Brahmins of Cochin - Names and Surnames

Names and Surnames

Baliga, Bhaktha, Bhat, Kamath, Kilikar, Kini, Mallya, Nayak, Pai, Padiyar, Prabhu, Shenoy, Sharma, Rao etc. are common surnames among Cochin GSBs. Some Bhat families have adapted the surname Vadhyar while some use Mallan instead of Mallya. Recently, certain families have adopted the surname Mallaya (instead of Mallan). Kilikar, Sharma and Rao are surnames adapted by Cochin GSBs. Generally Cochin GSBs do not add name of their village to their name like Karnataka GSBs. Adding name of their Tharavadu is a Malayali custom adapted by some Cochin GSBs. Large of number of Cochin GSBs have added father's first name to their given names and dropped surnames altogether.