Pal (surname)

For European surname, see Paul (surname).

Pal, alternatively spelt Paul, is a common surname found in India and Bangladesh. It is traditionally believed that 'Pal' originated from the Sanskrit pala meaning protector, keeper, guard or herdsman.^[1][2] It is also occasionally found in other countries.

History

The surname Pal (or Paul) is found in Bengal among Bengali Kayasthas.^[3][4] Historian Tej Ram Sharma mentions that the surname is "now confined to Kayasthas of Bengal" while referring to the names of Brahmins ending in such Kayastha surnames in the early inscriptions dating back to the Gupta period.^[3]

Pal is very frequently used as a surname by the Bengali Hindu potters (Kumbhakars),^[5][6] and other castes like Teli,^[6] Tili, Malakar (garland makers), Shankhari (conch shell sellers), Barujibi, Subarnabanik and Sadgop.^[7][8]

The saint Gwalipa told Suraj Sen, the ruler of Gwalior, to adopt the surname Pal, which remains prevalent up to eighty-three descendants of Suraj Sen.^[9]

The Ahirs in Central India use Pal as a surname.^[10]

One Gopāla founded Pala dynasty in Bengal and Bihar in 8th Century.^[2] In imitation of Pal dynasty of Assam, the Chutia (pronounced as Sutia) also took the surname of Pal.^[11]

Pal was also a popular surname among the Parmar Rajput rulers of the Garhwal.^[12][13]

Pal is a surname of the Thakuri people of Nepal.^[14]: 22

Among Sikhs, Pal is often used as suffix to the given name or a middle name.^[15]

The rulers of Kullu held the surname Pal up to about the 15th century A.D., which they later changed to Singh.^[16]

Notables

India

Art

• Gogi Saroj Pal, Artist

Business

• Bipradas Pal Chowdhury, Bengali Industrialist
• Karan Paul, Chairman of Apeejay Surrendra Group
• Murugan Pal, Entrepreneur
• Priya Paul, Indian Businesswoman (Sister of Karan Paul), Padmashree Awardee
• Supriya Paul, Indian Entrepreneur, The co-founder and CEO of Josh Talks

Entertainment

• Aditi Paul, Indian Playback Singer
• Amala Paul (born 1991), Indian Film Actress in Tamil and Malayalam Cinema
• Amar Pal, Indian Bengali Folk Singer and Author
• Amit Paul, Indian Playback Singer
• Amit Sebastian Paul, Indian-Swedish Singer and Businessman
• Anindita Paul, Indian Singer
• Anuradha Pal, Musical Composer, known as the Lady Zakir Hussain
• Arpita Pal, Bengali Actress and Entrepreneur
• Beena Paul (born 1961), Indian film editor in Malayalam
• Colin Pal (1923-2005), Actor and Director (Grandson of Bipin Chandra Pal)
• Imran Pal(Imran Khan), Bollywood Actor
• Jai Paul, Indian-British Recording Artist
• Manish Paul, Indian Actor, Comedian and TV Host
• Niranjan Pal (1889-1959), Screenwriter and Director (Son of Bipin Chandra Pal)
• Patralekha Paul, Indian Actress
• Rajeev Paul, Indian Actor
• Satya Paul, Indian Fashion Designer
• Sohini Paul, Bengali Actress (Daughter of Tapas Paul)
• Sunil Pal, Indian Actor and Comedian
• Tapas Paul, Indian Bengali Actor and Politician

Judiciary

• Debi Prasad Pal (born 1927), Indian Lawyer, Judge and Cabinet Minister
• Radhabinod Pal (1886-1967), Judge, Freedom Fighter, Padma Vibhushan Awardee
• Ruma Pal (born 1941), Indian Supreme Court Judge

Politics

• Bipin Chandra Pal (1858–1932), Indian Freedom Fighter, Journalist, Writer
• Ila Pal Choudhury, Indian Politician, Social Activist
• Jagdambika Pal (born 1960), Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
• Jitendra Chandra Paul, Indian Freedom Fighter, Journalist, Author
• Kristo Das Pal (1839–1884), Politician, Journalist, Orator and the editor of Hindoo Patriot
• Rupchand Pal (born 1936), Politician
• Saju Paul (born 1966), Indian Politician

Science

• Aloke Paul, Materials Scientist
• Anadish Pal (born 1963), Inventor and Poet
• Palash Baran Pal, Indian Physicist, Author
• Mahendra Pal, Indian scientist
• Sankar K. Pal, Scientist and Researcher, Director of the ISI-Calcutta, Padmashree Awardee
• Sourav Pal, Scientist and Researcher, Director of National Chemical Laboratory, Pune, Pioneering figure of Quantum Chemistry in India
• Vinod Kumar Paul, Indian Pediatrician and Physician Scientist

Sports

• Bachendri Pal, First Indian Woman to climb Mount Everest
• Gostha Pal (1896–1976), Renowned Football Player, (The Great Wall of China)
• Preethi Pal (born 2001), Indian para athlete
• Rajinder Pal, Cricketer
• Shib Paul, Indian Cricketer
• Subrata Pal, Football Player

Others

• Haridas Pal, Fictional Character and Successful Businessman
• Krishna Pal (1762–1822), Early Indian convert to Christianity

References

1. Sharma, Tej Ram (1978). Personal and Geographical Names in the Gupta Empire. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 56.
2. Hanks, Patrick (2003-05-08). Dictionary of American Family Names: 3-Volume Set. Oxford University Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-19-977169-1.
3. Sharma, Tej Ram (1978). Personal and Geographical Names in the Gupta Empire. New Delhi: Concept Publishing Company. p. 115.
4. Inden, Ronald B. (1976). Marriage and Rank in Bengali Culture: A History of Caste and Clan in Middle Period Bengal. University of California Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-520-02569-1.
5. Alexander Nemerov (2001). The Body of Raphaelle Peale: Still Life and Selfhood, 1812-1824. University of California Press. pp. 206, 259. ISBN 9780520224988.
6. Amal Datta (2003). Human Migration: A Social Phenomenon. Mittal Publications. p. 143. ISBN 9788170998334.
7. Marvin Davis (1983). Rank and Rivalry: The Politics of Inequality in Rural West Bengal. CUP Archive. p. 65. ISBN 9780521288804.
8. Bhattacharya, Saswati (2022-06-24). Potters without a Wheel: Ethnography of the Mritshilpis in Kolkata. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-59863-6.
9. Trudy Ring; Robert M. Salkin; Sharon La Boda (1994). International Dictionary of Historic Places: Asia and Oceania. Taylor & Francis. p. 312. ISBN 9781884964046.
10. André Wink (2002). Al-Hind, the Making of the Indo-Islamic World: Early Medieval India and the Expansion of Islam 7Th-11th Centuries. BRILL. p. 293. ISBN 9780391041738.
11. Swami Bangovinda Parampanthi (1987). Bhagawan Parashuram and Evolution of Culture in North-East India. Daya Publishing House, Original from the University of Michigan. p. 109. ISBN 9788170350330.
12. Ajay S. Rawat (2002). Garhwal Himalayas: A Study in Historical Perspective. Indus Publishing. pp. 278, 275. ISBN 9788173871368.
13. B. P. Kamboj (2003). Early Wall Painting of Garhwal. Indus Publishing. p. 21. ISBN 9788173871399.
14. Adhikary, Surya Mani (1997). The Khasa Kingdom: A trans-Himalayan empire of the middle age. Nirala Publications. ISBN 8185693501.
15. Lee, Jonathan H. X.; Nadeau, Kathleen (21 December 2010). Encyclopedia of Asian American Folklore and Folklife: [3 volumes]. Bloomsbury Publishing USA. p. 1025. ISBN 978-0-313-35067-2.
16. Punjab (India). Public Relations Dept (1956). Kulu, the Happy Valley, Volume 25. Director, Public Relations, Original from Pennsylvania State University. p. 2.