Nambiār, also known as Nambiyār, is a sub-group of the Indian
Nair
The Nair (, ) also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom hi ...
caste. Majority were
jenmi
Jenmi or Janmi (), plural Jenmimar, is the Malayalam term used to refer to the landed aristocracy of Kerala who traditionally held their lands as absolute and allodial owners, with such lands known as Jenmom or Janmam. They formed the landownin ...
landlords in the
Malabar region.
The Nambiars are known to own huge lands and abundance of wealth which is kept within the families and passed on to the next generations.
In earlier days, Nambiar women, like most women of Nair clans of
North Malabar
North Malabar refers to the geographic area of southwest India covering the state of Kerala State, Kerala's present day Kasaragod district, Kasaragod and Kannur district, Kannur districts, Mananthavady taluk of the Wayanad District, Wayanad distr ...
(present-day
Kannur
Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...
,
Kasaragod
Kasaragod () is a municipal town and the administrative headquarters of the Kasaragod district in the state of Kerala, India. Established in 1966, Kasaragod was the first municipal town in the district. It is the northernmost district of Kera ...
,
Wayanad
Wayanad () is a district in the north-east of the Indian state of Kerala, with its administrative headquarters at the municipality of Kalpetta. It is the only plateau in Kerala. The Wayanad Plateau forms a continuation of the Mysore Plateau, ...
districts) would not marry Nair men of
South Malabar
South Malabar refers to a geographical area of the southwestern coast of India covering some parts of the present-day Kerala state. South Malabar covers the regions included in present-day Kozhikode and Thamarassery Tehsil, taluk of Kozhikode dist ...
(present-day
Kozhikode
Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature.
It is the nineteenth large ...
,
Malappuram
Malappuram (also Malapuram) () is a municipality and town in Kerala and the headquarters of the Malappuram district in Kerala, India. It is the List of most populous urban agglomerations in Kerala, 4th largest urban agglomeration in Kerala and ...
,
Palakkad
Palakkad (), Renaming of cities in India, also known as Palghat, historically known as Palakkattussery, is a city and a municipality in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It is the administrative headquarters of P ...
,
Thrissur
Thrissur (, ), Renaming of cities in India, formerly Trichur, also known by its historical name Thrissivaperur, is a city and the headquarters of the Thrissur district in Kerala, India. It is the List of most populous urban agglomerations in Ke ...
districts).
Notable people
*
A. C. N. Nambiar – Indian Nationalist
*
Ayillyath Kuttiari Gopalan Nambiar – politician
*
E. P. Jayarajan Nambiar – politician
*
K. P. P. Nambiar – businessman
*
P. M. Kunhiraman Nambiar – freedom fighter
*
M. N. Nambiar – actor
*
Kannavath Sankaran Nambiar – richest Landlord
*
Rahul Nambiar
Rahul Nambiar is an Indian playback singer and live performer. He won the ''Swapthaswarangal'' show in 2001 and began singing live. He sang more than 2000 songs in movies, and later ventured into playback singing, performing for many leading Sout ...
– singer
*
P. K. Venugopalan Nambiar – agricultural scientist
*
Satish Nambiar – Indian Army General
*
Bejoy Nambiar
Bejoy Nambiar (born 12 April 1979) is an Indian film director, and screenwriter known for his work in Bollywood. He is mostly known for his critically acclaimed short films, ''Rahu'' and '' Reflections'', starring Mohanlal. He was the winner o ...
– director
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nambiar
Surnames of Indian origin
Nair