Chaudhry

Chowdhury
Subdivisions	Ahir, Bengali Brahmin,saini Anjana Chaudhari, Gujjar, Jat, Kamma

Chowdhury (Urdu: چودھری‎; Bengali: চৌধুরী) is a hereditary title of honor originating in the Indian subcontinent.

Its alternate spellings include Chowdary, Chaudhary, Chaudry, Choudary, Choudhry, Chaudhari, Chudhry.

"Chowdhury" is a term in Indo-Aryan languages, literally meaning "holder of four" in Sanskrit, from čatus (four) and dhuriya (burden of responsibility). The name is an ancient Sanskrit term denoting the head of a community or caste. These people generally belong to Brahmin and kshatriya castes. They are landlords, Zamindars, Thasildar before British Rule.

In India, this title is mainly used by privileged Brahmins,Ahirs,Gujjars,Jats and Kammas.

Similar lordships existed in other parts of the Eastern world, including in the Ottoman Empire (Malik) and Persia (Arbab).

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