Parekh
Encyclopedia
Parekh is a widely used surname
amongst Gujarati
Hindu
people. However, it can also be seen in the Jain and Swaminarayan religions, which were also founded in India. In addition to that, many Muslims, too, have the surname Parekh, especially in Indian Gujarat and some areas of Pakistan.
The meaning of the surname is "assayer" in Gujarati
or "examiner" in Sanskrit
and commonly belongs to the merchant class of Bania
(Hindi
) or Vanika (Sanskrit
). The Oswal
and Porwal Bania
s have clans called Parekh. Parekh's generally belong to the Vaishya
Hindu
caste.
Narhari Parikh
was an India
n freedom fighter and social reformer, who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi
and the chief architect of the Indian Independence Movement
in Gujarat.
Some notable people with this surname include:
Surname
A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...
amongst Gujarati
Gujarati people
Gujarati people , or Gujaratis are an ethnic group that is traditionally Gujarati-speaking and can trace their ancestry to the state of Gujarat in western India...
Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
people. However, it can also be seen in the Jain and Swaminarayan religions, which were also founded in India. In addition to that, many Muslims, too, have the surname Parekh, especially in Indian Gujarat and some areas of Pakistan.
The meaning of the surname is "assayer" in Gujarati
Gujarati language
Gujarati is an Indo-Aryan language, and part of the greater Indo-European language family. It is derived from a language called Old Gujarati which is the ancestor language of the modern Gujarati and Rajasthani languages...
or "examiner" in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and commonly belongs to the merchant class of Bania
Bania (caste)
Bania is an occupational caste of bankers, money-lenders, dealers in grains, spices and in modern times numerous commercial enterprises. Baniya is a distinct caste mostly coming from Western India and Central India but spread now all over India...
(Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
) or Vanika (Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
). The Oswal
Oswal
The Oswal are a social group of people from the Indian States of Rajasthan and Punjab. Oswals are primarily adherents of Svetambara Jainism, but a few are Digambaras and some are Hindu adherents of Vaishnavism....
and Porwal Bania
Bania (caste)
Bania is an occupational caste of bankers, money-lenders, dealers in grains, spices and in modern times numerous commercial enterprises. Baniya is a distinct caste mostly coming from Western India and Central India but spread now all over India...
s have clans called Parekh. Parekh's generally belong to the Vaishya
Vaishya
Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...
Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
caste.
Narhari Parikh
Narhari Parikh
Narhari Parikh was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer, who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and the chief architect of the Indian Independence Movement in Gujarat.-See also:*Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel...
was an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n freedom fighter and social reformer, who was a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
and the chief architect of the Indian Independence Movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...
in Gujarat.
Some notable people with this surname include:
- Asha ParekhAsha ParekhAsha Parekh is a Bollywood actress, director, and producer. She was one of the top stars in Hindi films from 1959 to 1973.-Early life:...
, Indian actress in the 1960 and 1970s - Bhikhu Chotalal Parekh, Baron ParekhBhikhu Parekh, Baron ParekhBhikhu Chotalal Parekh, Baron Parekh is a political theorist.-Biography:Parekh was born in the village of Amalsad in the province of Gujarat, India; his father was a goldsmith with a basic education. Parekh was admitted to the University of Bombay at the age of 15, and earned a Bachelor's degree...
, a British-Indian political theorist and professor - Deepak ParekhDeepak ParekhDeepak Parekh is the Chairman of Housing Development Finance Corporation, India's leading housing finance company. A pioneer in mortgage finance, he has enabled scores of Indian middle class people to own their houses or apartments through affordable loans...
(* 1944), an Indian businessman - Kal ParekhKal ParekhKal Parekh is an Indian-American film and television actor best known for his starring role in the 2010 independent feature film, Karma Road and his current role as Sanjeev in the ABC television series Pan Am.-Biography:...
, actor - Ketan ParekhKetan ParekhKetan Parekh is a former stock broker from Mumbai, India, who was convicted in 2008, for involvement in the Indian stock market manipulation scam in late 1999-2001...
, a businessman - Rauf ParekhRauf ParekhRauf Parekh is an Urdu lexicographer, linguist, humorist and columnist. Born in Karachi on August 26, 1958, Rauf Parekh was educated in Karachi. Having obtained MA and PhD in Urdu from University of Karachi, he worked for Urdu Dictionary Board, Karachi, as Chief Editor from 2003 to 2007. Currently...
, an Urdu lexicographer, research scholar and columnist - Sanjay ParekhSanjay ParekhSanjay Parekh is the founder of Startup Gossip, Startup Riot, and Startup Dinner. He is also a member of the Board of Directors at Coyote Point Systems and a co-founder of Shotput Ventures...
, an entrepreneur