Mahto Explained

Mahto or Mahato is a surname used by several castes and communities in Nepal and the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Odisha in India.[1] [2] [3]

Historically, Mahato was the hereditary title of the village headman, whose duties were to maintain peace in his area, and collect revenue for the zamindar (feudal landlord).[2] [4] In multi-caste villages of Bihar, the zamindar used to give the title of Mahato to one person each from the Bhumihar, Yadav, and Beldar caste.[2] The traditional Oraon villages had a similar role for the Mahato, who served as the secular head of the village and jointly held the administrative authority with a priest (pahan).[4]

In Bihar, the surname Mahto is also used by people belonging to Kushwaha caste.[5] [6] In Jharkhand, it is a term most often associated with Koeri and Kurmi caste.[7]

The castes and communities that use Mahto, Mehto or Mahato as a surname, clan name or title include:

Notable people

Notable people with the surname Mahto or Mahato include:

Notes and References

  1. Book: Papiya Ghosh . Civil disobdience movement in Bihar, 1930–1934 . 2008 . Manak . 978-81-7827-000-5 . 94 . ... the surname 'Mahto' was used by Dhanuks, Dusadhs, Goalas, Koeris, Sunris, Tharus, Dhobis, etc, and 'Raut' was used by Amats, Chamars, Dusadhs, Dhanuks, Goalas etc. .
  2. Book: Sachchidananda . Social Change in Village India . 1988 . Concept Publishing Company . 978-81-7022-206-4 . 12 .
  3. Book: Human Rights: Theory and Practice . Debi Chatterjee . Sucheta Ghosh . Sumita Sen . South Asian Publishers . 2002 . 9788170032472 . 128 . But a person having 'Mahato' surname may belong to any caste which is included in the prescribed... . 2020-09-20 . 2023-09-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230922094743/https://books.google.com/books?id=FuGPAAAAMAAJ . live .
  4. Book: Marriage and Customs of Tribes of India . J. P. Singh Rana . M.D. . 1998 . 215 . 9788175330870 . 2020-11-30 . 2022-06-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220610192956/https://books.google.com/books?id=hK-FjcbMH0wC&pg=PA215 . live .
  5. Web site: बनिया से मन भरा तो महतो को बनाया, सम्राट चौधरी को बीजेपी प्रदेश अध्यक्ष बनाने पर राबड़ी देवी का विवादित. LiveHindustan. 23 March 2023. Hindi. Samrat Chaudhary has got the command of state BJP president in Bihar. People have started congratulating Samrat Chaudhary. Meanwhile, Rabri Devi, wife of former state CM and RJD chief Lalu Yadav, while taunting the BJP said that if the mind is filled with the Baniya people, then now the mind has to be filled with the Mahato people. Samrat Chaudhary comes from Kushwaha caste and people of Kushwaha caste also use Mahato surname.. 24 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230324043443/https://www.livehindustan.com/bihar/story-controversial-statement-of-rabri-devi-on-making-samrat-chaudhary-bihar-bjp-state-president-7934807.html. live.
  6. Web site: Part of Nitish's core 'Luv-Kush' votebank & on BJP radar — why Kushwahas are sought after in Bihar politics. the print. 4 March 2023. 9 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230409054839/https://theprint.in/politics/part-of-nitishs-core-luv-kush-votebank-on-bjp-radar-why-kushwahas-are-sought-after-in-bihar-politics/1490546/. live.
  7. Web site: In Hazaribagh, they still talk of the Mahto meeting. The Hindu. 25 March 2014 . 18 April 2023. 18 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230418190004/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/in-hazaribagh-they-still-talk-of-the-mahto-meeting/article5832263.ece. live.

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