Bhat clan

Bhat (Hindustani: भट (Devanagari), بھٹ (Nastaliq)), also spelled as Butt (Pahari: बट (Devanagari), بٹ (Nastaliq)) both of which are a shortened rendition of Bhatta, also spelled Bhatt, (Hindustani: भट्ट (Devanagari), بھٹّ (Nastaliq)), is a common surname in Nepal, India and Pakistan.

Historians state the surname is a distorted form of Bhatta, which originates from Sanskrit (भट्ट), meaning "scholar" according to the Brāhmaṇa. While the original shortened rendition of "Bhatta" was "Bhat" or "Bhatt," many of the migrants to the Punjab region started spelling their surname as "But" or "Butt" which is the spelling of the clan used in the Pahari language.

The Bhatt of South India were said to be invited there King Pratapa Rudra of the Kshatriya dynasty of Warangal (1295 to 1323) After the fall of this dynasty, the Bhatraju became court bards for a number of Vellama and Reddi chiefs who had carved out small principalities for themselves in the Telegu country. The Bhatraju are now a Telugu speaking community. "Bhata" in Sanskrit means a servant or soldier and this word is different from the sanskrit word "Bhatta".

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