Everything -WALAA Compendium of –WALA

surnames of India

-wala/-vala/-walla/-wallahA common Hindi suffix used to describe something. It is attached to a

noun/object/place to derive an adjective.

surnames with the suffix -wala are indicative

of• Family Trade/Profession - in earlier times, the family's profession was passed

down from generation to generation.

• Ancestral Village/Town - as communities migrated, they chose to use their

ancestral village as part of their surname.

• Distinct Physical Characteristics/Personality Traits of the head of the family -

which then became the adopted surname for later

These surnames are particularly common among Parsis and Dawoodi Bohras who

settled in Gujarat from Persia.

-wala Surnames that denote Family Trade/Profession

Batliwala: Those in the business of buying and selling Bottles; Batli in Hindi = Bottles

Bookwala: Those in the business of buying and selling Books

Chiniwala: Those in the sugar trade, Chini in Hindi = Sugar

Cyclewala: Those in the bicycle trade.

Dantwala:Dentist; Dant in Hindi = Teeth

Daruwala:Liquor / Gunpowder, Daru in Hindi = Liquor; Gunpowder

Doodhwala:Milk, Doodh in Hindi = Milk

Farsanwala:Snacks, Farsan in Gujarati = Snacks

Fruitwala:Fruits

Furniturewala:Furniture

Ganjawala:Weed, Ganja in Hindi = Weed; And yes, sale of Ganja was permitted till a few years back.

Havewala:Air, Hava in Hindi = Air; perhaps they were in the business of inflating cycle tyres.

Kanchwala:Glass; Kanch in Hindi = Glass

Kantawala:Weighing Scales; Kanta in Hindi = Scale

Kapdawala:Clothes; Kapda in Hindi = Cloth

Khandwala:Sugar; Khand in Guajarati = Sugar

Lakdawala:Wood; Lakda in Hindi = Wood

Lokhandwala:Metal; Lokhand in Gujarati = Metal

Paniwala:Water; Pani in Hindi = Water

Papadwala:Papads

Pardawala:Curtains; Parda in Hindi = Curtains

Phoolwala:Flowers; Phool in Hindi = Flower

Pipewala:Pipes and fittings

Rangwala:Dyes; Rang = Colour

Screwvala:Screws and hardware

Sonawala:Gold; Sona = Gold

Tawawala:Kitchenware; Tawa in Hindi = Pan

Topiwala:Caps and Hats; Topi in Hindi = Cap

Vasanwala:Vessels; Vasan in Gujarati = Vessels

Zariwala:Zari (thread used in brocades)

-wala Surnames that denote Ancestral

Village/Town

Amroliwala:from Amroli

Bhanupurwala:from Bhanupur

Bhiwandiwala:from Bhiwandi

Chikhliwala:from Chikhli

Dadrawala:from Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Neemuchwala:from Neemuch

Pardiwala:from Pardi

Thanawala:from Thane

-wala Surnames that denote Physical

Characteristics /Personality

Dhotiwala:One who'd sport a traditional dhoti (a traditional Indian garment for men)

Moochwala:One with a distinct moustache; Mooch in Hindi = Moustache

Tashrifwala:Well-groomed; Tashrif in Urdu = Etiquette

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