Choudhury

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

Chowdhury 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" (four denoting a measure of land) in Sanskrit, from čatus (four) and dhar (to hold or possess. The name is an ancient Sanskrit term denoting the head of a community or caste. These people generally belong to the upper castes who were the landlords, Zamindars, Thasildar before British Rule. The title is used by 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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