Singh

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Singh is derived from Sanskrit origin meaning "lion". It is used as a common surname and middle name in North India by many communities, groups & peoples, originally used by Rajputs beginning in the 7th century[1] and later adopted by the Sikhs in 1699.

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The word "Singh" is derived from the Sanskrit Simha meaning "lion". In Hindi and Braj (Devnagari script), the name is written as िसंह (Sinh) and pronounced as िसंघ (Singh). In Punjabi (Gurmukhi script), the name is written as ਸਿੰਘ (Singh) and pronounced as Singh. In Gujarati, it is spelled as Sinh. The Chinese also derived the word for Lion from Buddhist missionaries from India thus using the word Shizi 狮子.[2]

According to the Mewar Encyclopedia by Ian Austin and Thakur Nahra Singh Jasol:

Simha, an old form of the Rajput name SINGH, meaning 'lion'.

Singh, (Hindi) Lion; used as a surname by a majority of Rajputs, Sikhs and other communities.

Sinh (Sinhji), the form of Singh used in Gujarat, where the 'g' is dropped and the suffix of respect, 'ji' is added.[3]

Since the 7th century, it has been common practice among the Rajput men to have Singh as their middle name, while Rajput women had the middle name of Kumari. The Rajput influence and reputation across India eventually saw the adoption of the name among other martial groups of India who sought to live up to the martial standards set by the Rajput knights.[4]

In the Spring of 1699, on the day of Baisakhi, the tenth guru of Sikhism Guru Gobind Singh (originally named Guru Gobind Rai), made it mandatory for all Sikh males to append the name suffix Singh as their middle name, and all Sikh women to use Kaur as their middle name. Singh is used as a middle name or as a surname (see naming patterns section) by up to 10 million adherents of Sikhism.[5]

The appellation of the name Singh was used by the Rajputs before being adopted by the Sikhs in 1699. [6] Thus all "Singh"s in Indian history before 1699 are Hindu and mainly Rajputs & the remainder being Jats, after 1699 Singhs from the Punjab are mostly Sikhs, however the Singhs from the Shivalik hill ranges of Punjab (also Kangra, Chamba, Simla) are mainly Rajputs. Today, Singh is used by a wider population of Hindus from Punjab to Nepal and from Kashmir down into Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra as well as the far eastern states of Manipur, Assam, Tripura, Sikkim and even Bhutan.

It is also found in use among West Indians of Indian origin namely in places of Guyana and Trinidad, as well as people of Indian origin found in Mauritius and Fiji Island.

Singh came to be used as a surname or a middle-name among the Rajputs around the 7th century[7] and by the Sikhs in 1699 (just before the beginning of the 18th century). It is also used by many other groups, including Yadavs (e.g. "Mulayam Singh Yadav"), Bhumihars, Punjabis, Gujjars (e.g. "Nirbhay Singh Gujjar"), Jats (e.g. "Maharaja Bhim Singh Rana") and Bhatra (e.g. "Mahindar Singh Digpal").

A common practice among the Rajput was to have Singh as their middle name, while Rajput women had the middle name of Kumari. However, many Rajput women have Singh in their name as well.

Singh is often used the traditional way, as previously described, by having it as the middle name after the first name and followed by the clan/family name by many communities, groups & peoples.[8] For example, "Yogendra Singh Yadav", "Bhupinder Singh Hooda" and "Bhairon Singh Shekhawat"). Sikh examples include, "Jassa Singh Ahluwalia" (Supreme leader of the Khalsa army), "Jassa Singh Ramgarhia" & "Hari Singh Nalwa" (General of Khalsa army). Thus Singh can be used as a middle name before the individual's surname, a common practice among many groups in India e.g. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia (Pattern, 1: First Name, 2: Singh, 3: Family name).Sometimes, but less often in modern times, Singh is used as a surname (for example, "Manmohan Singh", "Rhonda Singh" and "Harbhajan Singh").

Majority of the groups that use Singh are proud of their family cultural history and keep their family names. Culturally, it can be considered an insult, to the family honour, if anything derogatory or negative said about an individual family or clan name. A minority section of the small ~1 million adherents of Sikhism that live abroad in western countries only keep Singh as a last name. This has caused legal problems in immigration procedures in Canada especially.[9]

Several times during history due to various reasons Rajputs have migrated out of Rajputana their home state, many of those that got settled in other parts of India have since started using Singh as their last name eventhough they belong to separate Rajput gotras and clans.

  1. ^ History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India - 4 Vols. ; Till the Year A.D. 1612 by Mahomed Kasim Ferishta ISBN-10: 8170691222
  2. ^ The Wisdom of China and India - By Lin Yutang ISBN-10: 0394607597
  3. ^ Mewar Encyclopedia
  4. ^ Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan by Col. James Tod ISBN-10: 8175361883 ISBN-13: 978-8175361881
  5. ^ Dr. McCleod, Head of Sikh Studies, Department of South Asian Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  6. ^ A History of the Sikh People (1469-1988) by Dr. Gopal Singh Isbn: 8170231396
  7. ^ History of the Rise of the Mahomedan Power in India - 4 Vols. ; Till the Year A.D. 1612 by Mahomed Kasim Ferishta ISBN-10: 8170691222
  8. ^ Khushwant Singh, A History of the Sikhs, Volume I
  9. ^ Common Sikh names banned under Canada's immigration policy


  • Rajput India [1]
  • The official website for the Royal Family of Udaipur/Mewar [2]
  • Manipur State Archives [3]
  • Singh - G5SikhMedia.co.uk
  • GAESO-Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation [4]
  • Rajput Regiment Global Securities [5]
  • Sikh Regiment Global Securities [6]
  • Sikhs [7]
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singh"
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