The Thampis and Kochammas are the sons and daughters of the maharajahs of Southern Travancore and their consorts belonging to Nair caste. The titles "Thampi" and "Thankachi" was given by the royal families in the region of Padmanabhapuram, Travancore Kingdom to their Malayali Nair relatives. They were part of the Samanthan Nair aristocracy and belong to the Illam Nair subcaste. The Thampi surname is also used by non-Nair communities, and they have no relation to the aristocratic Nair Thampis.