Dutta, also spelled Dutt or Datta, is a

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

family name In some cultures, a surname, family name, or last name is the portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family, tribe or community. Practices vary by culture. The family name may be placed at either the start of a person's full name ...

found primarily among Bengali Kayasthas,Assamese Kayasthas and also among Suvarna Baniks, Gandhabaniks in India.The Illustrated Weekly of India, Volume 97
/ref> The name is also found among certain North Indian Brahmin communities garol means "given" or "granted" in Sanskrit and is also an alternative name for the Hindu deity

Dattatreya Dattatreya ( sa, दत्तात्रेय, ), Dattā or Dattaguru, is a paradigmatic Sannyasi (monk) and one of the lords of yoga, venerated as a Hindu god. In Maharashtra, Goa, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Madhya ...

Bengal

According to Indian historian Tej Ram Sharma, in Bengal the surname Dutta/Datta (দত্ত) is used by Kayastha caste. The office of Kayastha (scribe) was instituted before the Gupta period (c.320 to 550 CE). Originally, Kayastha was composed of people from different ''Varnas'', including Brahmins and Kshatriyas. After the Gupta reign, the Kayasthas in Bengal developed into a caste, and gained a higher status, incorporating the

Pala Pala may refer to: Places Chad *Pala, Chad, the capital of the region of Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Estonia * Pala, Kose Parish, village in Kose Parish, Harju County * Pala, Kuusalu Parish, village in Kuusalu Parish, Harju County *Pala, Järva County, vi ...

Sena Sena may refer to: Places * Sanandaj or Sena, city in northwestern Iran * Sena (state constituency), represented in the Perlis State Legislative Assembly * Sena, Dashtestan, village in Bushehr Province, Iran * Sena, Huesca, municipality in Huesc ...

and Varman Kings and their descendants. In the middle period of the history of Bengal, between 1500 and 1850 CE, the Kayasthas were regarded as one of the highest of Hindu castes in the region.

Punjab

Punjabi Dutt's belong to the Mohyal Brahmin community. According to the

gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotra fo ...

system, Mohyal Dutt's are the descendants of

Rishi ''Rishi'' () is a term for an accomplished and enlightened person. They find mentions in various Vedic texts. Rishis are believed to have composed hymns of the Vedas. The Post-Vedic tradition of Hinduism regards the rishis as "great yogis" or ...

Bharadwaj Bharadwaj ( hi, भारद्वाज) is a surname mostly used by Brahmins. Notable people with the surname include: *Abhay Bharadwaj (1954–2020), Indian advocate turned politician *Anasuya Bharadwaj (born 1982), Indian television presenter a ...

. Some consider Gaj Bhavan, the grandson of Rishi Bharadwaj to be the real founder of their clan.Defence Journal, Pakistan- June 200
Tribes and Turbulence
by Hamid Hussain

Other Regions

"Dutt" is also used as a titular surname or middle name in other North Indian states particularly by Brahmins. For instance, Indian wrestler

Yogeshwar Dutt Yogeshwar Dutt (born 2 November 1982) is an Indian freestyle wrestler. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he won the bronze medal in the 60 kg category. He was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 2013. He won gold medals at th ...

is a Brahmin from Haryana and former politician,

Narayan Dutt Tiwari Narayan Datt Tiwari (18 October 1925 – 18 October 2018) was an Indian politician who served as the 9th Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and 3rd Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2002 to 2007. He was first Indian Chief Minister who served for ...

was a Kumaoni Brahmin from Uttarakhand.

Notable people

Aishwarya Dutta Aishwarya Dutta is an Indian actress who has predominantly appeared in Tamil language films. After initially appearing in music videos and minor acting roles, she made a breakthrough as an actress with her role in the Tamil movie ''Tamizhuku E ...

(Born 1995) Tamil Actress *

Akshay Kumar Datta Akshay Kumar Datta (also spelt Akshay Kumar Dutta) ( bn, অক্ষয় কুমার দত্ত) (15 July 1820 – 18 May 1886) was a Bengali writer from India. He was one of the initiators of the Bengal Renaissance. Early life He wa ...

(1820–1886); writer *

Anandita Dutta Tamuly Anandita Dutta Tamuly (Assamese: আনন্দিতা দত্ত তামুলী), maiden name Anandita Dutta, is an Assamese woman from Titabor Town in Jorhat district of Assam. She is married to Pankaj Tamuly and is mother of a son. She ...

, record holder in Limca Book of Records *

Aloke Dutta Aloke Dutta is a Bengali tabla player. He lives in Los Angeles. The tabla is almost always used for the accompaniment of a song, but Dutta is usually the melody of his pieces. Biography Dutta was born in 1953 in Bishnupur, a small town in West ...

; tabla player * Amal Dutta; Indian footballer (retired) and football coach. * Anik Dutta; Bengali film director *

Anjan Dutt Anjan Dutt (Bengali: অঞ্জন দত্ত) is an Indian film director, actor, and singer-songwriter known for his work in the Bengali alternative music genre ''anyodharar gaan''. As an actor, Dutt began his career in Bengali cinema i ...

; Bengali singer, film director and actor *

Aroti Dutt Aroti Dutt (1924–2003) was a social worker from India. She was the world president of the Associated Countrywomen of the World for two terms, from 1965 to 1971, and subsequently their Member of Honour. She was also the international vice-pr ...

; noted social worker * Arpita Singh; born Arpita Dutta, Padma Bhushan awarded Painter *

Aswini Kumar Dutta Ashwini Kumar Dutta (25 January 1856 – 7 November 1923) was a Bengali educationist, philanthropist, social reformer and patriot. Early life Ashwini Kumar Dutta was born in an affluent high class Bengali Hindu Kayastha Bharadwaja clan Dutta fa ...

(1856–1923); nationalist leader and philanthropist *

Bhabatosh Datta Bhabatosh Datta (21 February 1911 – 11 January 1997) was a noted Indian economist, academic and writer. He taught at Chittagong College and later became Professor of Economics, Presidency College, Kolkata, where he later Emeritus Professor. ...

(1911–1997), Indian economist and academic, Padma Vibhushan (1990) *

Bhaktivinoda Thakur Bhaktivinoda Thakur (, ) (2 September 1838 – 23 June 1914), born Kedarnath Datta (, ), was a Hindu philosopher, guru and spiritual reformer of Gaudiya Vaishnavism who effected its resurgence in India in late 19th and early 20th century and ...

(Kedarnath Datta) (1838–1914); Magistrate and Vaishnava religious reformer *

Birendra Nath Datta Birendra Nath Datta (born 1 March 1935) is an Indian academician, a linguist, a researcher of folklore, a singer and lyricists of Assam. In his career, he mainly worked as a professor in different colleges of Assam. He also wrote scholarly books. ...

, writer and a Padma Shri award recipient *

Bhupendranath Datta Bhupendranath Datta (4 September 1880 – 25 December 1961) was an Indian revolutionary and later a noted sociologist and anthropologist. He associated Rishi Aurobindo in his political works. In his youth, he was closely associated with the ...

, Indian revolutionary and later a sociologist. * Chitra Singh; born Chitra Shome, singer and wife of Jagjit Singh. *

Dhirendranath Datta Dhirendranath Datta (2 November 1886 – disappeared 29 March 1971) was a Bengali lawyer by profession who was also active in the politics of undivided Bengal in pre-partition India, and later in East Pakistan (1947–1971). Early life Datta ...

(1886–1971); Bengali lawyer and politician * Divya Dutta (born 1977); Hindi and Punjabi film actress. *

Durjoy Datta Durjoy Datta is an Indian author and screenwriter. Early and personal life Durjoy Datta was born on 7 February 1987 in Mehsana, Gujarat, in a Bengali Hindu family, and was brought up in New Delhi. He completed his schooling at the Bal Bharati ...

; writer *

Gurusaday Dutt Gurusaday Dutt (1882–1941) was a civil servant, folklorist, and writer. He was the founder of the ''Bratachari'' Movement in the 1930s. Early life and education Gurusaday was the son of the Ramkrishna Dutta Chaudhuri and Anandamayee Debi. ...

founder- Bratachari Movement, *

Himangshu Dutta Himangshu Dutta ( bn, হিমাংশু দত্ত; 1908 – 15 November 1944) was a Bengali music director. Amongst several contemporary legendary composers of his time as Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Atulprasad Sen, Dutta ...

(1908–1944); music composer *

Indrani Dutta Indrani Dutta ( bn, ইন্দ্রানী দত্ত) is an Indian actress and dancer who is known for her work in Bengali cinema. Recipient of a BFJA Award, Dutta shot to fame in 1990s. Early life Dutta was born in Kolkata. She is the ...

, Bengali television actress *

Jyotirmoy Datta Jyotirmoy Datta ( bn, জ্যোতির্ময় দত্ত, jotirmôe dôtto; born 1936) is a Bengali writer, journalist, poet, and an essayist. He worked for ''The Statesman'', Calcutta's oldest English-language daily, as feature writ ...

; writer, journalist, poet and essayist *

J. P. Dutta Jyoti Prakash Dutta (born 3 October 1949) is an Indian Bollywood film producer, writer and director, best known for making patriotic action war films. Personal life Dutta is married to the Bollywood film actress Bindiya Goswami with whom he has ...

(born 1949), Indian film producer, writer and director *

Jyoti Prakash Dutta (writer) Jyoti Prakash Dutta is a Bangladeshi short-story writer. He was awarded Ekushey Padak in 2016 by the Government of Bangladesh. Career Dutta has been serving as a Professor of the Department of Economics and the dean of Social Sciences Faculty at ...

, Bangladeshi short-story writer * Kalpana Joshi; born Kalpana Dutt, noted freedom fighter * Kanailal Dutta; freedom fighter * Lara Dutta; Bollywood Actress *

Mankumari Basu Mankumari Basu ( bn, মানকুমারী বসু)(25 January, 1863 - 26 December 1943) a popular Bengali poet and short story writer. Samsad Bangla Charitabhidhan, edited Subodhchandra Sengupta & Anjali Bose, published Sahitya Samsad ...

; born Mankumari Dutt, poet and short story writer * Monikangana Dutta, model and actress from Assam *

Munmun Dutta Munmun Dutta (born 28 September 1987) is an Indian television actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Babita Krishnan Iyer in the popular Hindi sitcom ''Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah''. Early life and education Dutta wa ...

, Actress * Michael Madhusudan Dutt (1824–1873); poet and dramatist * Nargis (1 June 1929 – 3 May 1981); Actress *

Phulrenu Guha Dr Phulrenu Guha (née Dutta, Bengali:ফুলরেণু গুহ; born 13 August 1911) was an Indian activist, educationist and politician, belonging to the Indian National Congress. She was a member of the Rajya Sabha the Upper house of ...

; born Phulrenu Dutta, politician and social activist. * Radha Raman Dutta; music composer * Rajani Palme Dutt, British politician * Roby Datta, poet and educator *

Rasamay Dutt Rasamay Dutt or Russomoy Dutt (1779 – May 14, 1854) was a notable Bengali educationist of British India during the Bengali Renaissance. He was the co founder of Hindu School, Kolkata. Bengali poet Toru Dutt was his grand daughter. Early life ...

, Bengali educationist, first Indian puisne judge of India, first Indian member of the Asiatic Society. * Romesh Chunder Dutt (1848–1909); writer, economist, historian, translator of Vedas * Samadarshi Dutta; Bengali film actor * Sanjay Dutt; actor *

Saroj Nalini Dutt Saroj Nalini Dutt (''née'' De) MBE (9 October 1887 – 19 January 1925) was an Indian feminist and social reformer. Background She was born in her father, Brajendranath De’s, country house in Bandel, near Hooghly, in Bengal Province. Sh ...

(née De); noted social worker *

Satyendranath Dutta Satyendranath Dutta (also spelt Satyendranath Datta or Satyendra Nath Dutta; bn, সত্যেন্দ্রনাথ দত্ত) (1882 – 25 June 1922), a Bengali poet, is considered the "wizard of rhymes" (or 'ছন্দের জা ...

: (1882–1922) Bengali poet. *

Shanta Dutta Shanta Dutta is an Indian medical researcher on Gastrointestinal diseases and currently the director of ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (ICMR-NICED). She has over 29 years of research experience on infectious Diseases an ...

; Indian microbiologist *

Sunil Dutt Sunil Dutt (born Balraj Dutt; 6 June 1929 — 25 May 2005) was an Indian actor, film producer, director and politician. Dutt was one of the major stars of Hindi cinema in the late 1950s and 1960s and continued to star in many successful film ...

(1929–2005); actor, politician *

Sudhindranath Dutta Sudhindranath Dutta (30 October 1901 – 25 June 1960) was an Indian poet, essayist, journalist and critic. Sudhindranath is one of the most notable poets after the Tagore-era in Bengali literature. Education Sudhindranath Dutt went to the Theo ...

, Bengali poet, essayist *

Supriyo Datta Supriyo Datta (born 1954) is an Indian born American researcher and author. A leading figure in the modeling and understanding of nano-scale electronic conduction, he has been called "one of the most original thinkers in the field of nanoscale ...

, nanotechnology researcher *

Swami Gambhirananda Swami Gambhirananda (1899–1988), born as Jatindranath Datta, was a Hindu sanyasi associated with Ramakrishna Mission. He was born at Sadhuhati in today's Bangladesh. He graduated from Scottish Church College, Calcutta (Kolkata). Jatindr ...

born Jatindranath Datta, Hindu religious teacher. * Tanushree Dutta; Indian actress * Tina Dutta; (actress) * Toru Dutt (1856–1877); poet * Utpal Dutt (1929–1993); author, dramatist, director, actor and activist *

Swami Vivekananda Swami Vivekananda (; ; 12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902), born Narendranath Datta (), was an Indian Hindu monk, philosopher, author, religious teacher, and the chief disciple of the Indian mystic Ramakrishna. He was a key figure in the intro ...

(1863–1902); born Narendranath Datta, spiritual leader of modern India *

; Wrestler

In popular culture

In 2012, a Bengali film ''

Dutta vs Dutta ''Dutta Vs Dutta'' is a 2012 Indian Bengali film directed by Anjan Dutt. This is Anjan Dutt's semi-autobiographical film. Most of the film has been shot in a house of Amherst Street in Kolkata. Anjan has described this house resonated feel of hi ...

'' was released, directed by

, the film captured family drama of three generations of a Bengali Dutta family.

References

Sources

* * * * * * * {{surname, Dutta Indian surnames Bengali Hindu surnames Bengali-language surnames Assamese-language surnames