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Patel (Gujarati પટેલ, paṭel) is an Indian title meaning "farmer" or "village head."^{[citation needed]} The surname is the second most common surname in India, following "Singh".<ref name="bharat">Desai, V.P.. Bharat ke Chaudhary.</ref> The Patel surname is found in Gujarat, Rajesthan, and Madhya Pradesh. It is found among mostly the merchantile caste.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 Ethnicity 2 Religion 3 Distribution of the name "Patel" 4 Patels-owned motels 5 Notable Patels 6 See also 7 References

[edit] Ethnicity

It is a title, therefore it cannot reflect any particular ancestry. It is used by many groups.<ref name="bharat" />

There are also a considerable number of Kshatriya with the surname who live mainly in certain areas of the Gujarat state.^{[citation needed]} Kshatriyas are found in the Surat area of Gujarat.^{[citation needed]} Many Gujarati Patels and Chaudharys are Gurjars.^{[citation needed]} A significant Rajput population lives mostly in and around the former Princely State of Baroda.<ref name="bharat" />

[edit] Religion

The majority of people with the surname are of the Hindu faith.^{[citation needed]} However, there are also Muslim, Christian, Zoroastrian, Jainism, Buddhism, and other minority Patels.^{[citation needed]} A large number of Patels live near temples in London also, and make up the second most frequent surname in the city of London.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Distribution of the name "Patel"

Patel is the most common non-Anglo-Celtic surname in Great Britain. According to the UCL surname profiler, Patel is the 40th most frequent surname for Britons and the only non Anglo name in the top 100 British surnames. This surname has a frequency of 2161 per million British citizens (0.21%).<ref name="surname"> Lloyd, David; Webber, Richard; Longley, Paul (2006-02-12). Surname (HTML).</ref> Most British Patels are of Gujarati origin--either Indians or East African Asians or their descendants.^{[citation needed]}

The name Patel is rarer in other Anglophone countries.^{[citation needed]} In New Zealand there are 1160 Patels per million inhabitants,^{[citation needed]} the rate for Australia is 82 per million,^{[citation needed]} the rate for Canada is 542 per million^{[citation needed]} and the rate for the USA is 441 per million.^{[citation needed]} Contrastingly the name Patel is very common in Fiji mainly those who are of Indian decent.^{[citation needed]} They form a large part of the Gujarati community in Fiji and have been there for more than six generations.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Patels-owned motels

It is estimated that over 60% of limited service motels and hotels in the US are owned by Indians, of that one-third have the surname Patel.<ref name="bbcmotel">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3177054.stm</ref>

[edit] Notable Patels

A list of Patels with their own article on Wikipedia

• Amisha Patel - Bollywood actress
• Brijesh Patel - The Inventor of the Brijmaster
• Jemish Patel - TV Host / Anchor / Presenter
• Kamal Patel - Politician
• Kumar Patel - Inventor of the carbon dioxide laser
• Munaf Patel- Indian Cricketer
• Pannalal Patel - Famous author.
• Parthiv Patel - Indian Cricketer
• Rashid Patel - Indian Cricketer
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel - The "Iron man" of India.
• Satyam Patel - Gandhian social worker, Indian freedom fighter, Maha Gujarat student activist.
• Upen Patel - Bollywood actor and model
• Vithalbhai Patel - The elder brother of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Indian nationalist

[edit] See also

• Forward Castes

[edit] References