Gautam (clan)

The Gautam is a Rajput clan found primarily in north region of Indian subcontinent.^[1][2] The erstwhile head of Gautam Rajputs had also claimed himself to be descendant of the Shakyas^[3] thus possibly giving an alternate origin for this clan.

Gautam गौतम
Ethnicity	Rajput
Location	Uttar Pradesh Bihar Madhya Pradesh
Language	Hindi Bhojpuri
Religion	Hindu

They are primarily found in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, along with Rajasthan and Gujarat.^[4][5]

The clan name Gautam means "descendant of Gautam or one who has most light", "Gautama" meaning "one who has the most light,"^[6] and may indicate the possibility of Kshatriya clans adopting the Brahminical gotra of their purohit.^{[7][need quotation to verify]}

Territory

The territory of key Gautam Rajput settlements included the following areas.

• Basti (near modern Siddharthnagar district)^[8]
• Azamgarh
• Fatehpur^[2]Note1

History

The Gautam Rajput clan was formerly very powerful near lower Doab. The Gautam Rajput family of Argal, fought several battles for Sher Shah against Humayun.^[9] The clan is divided into tribes: Raja, Rao (Birhampur), Rana [Chilli (Kanpur)], and Rawat (Bhaupur).^[10][11][12]

Notable Gautam Rajputs

• Jodha Singh Ataiya
• Kedarnath Singh^{[13] Note2}
• Suryadeo Singh^{[citation needed]}
• Balmukund Singh Gautam
• Janardan Singh Gautam