Social groups of Bihar

Rājpūt (, from Sanskrit rājaputra meaning "son of a king"), also called Thākur (), is a large multi-component cluster of castes, kin bodies, and local groups, sharing social status and ideology of genealogical descent originating from the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. However, the derivation from rājaputra is misleading because although many Rajputs belonged to some ruling clans, the majority of the Rajput community were common agricultural laborers whose main source of income was farming. The term Rajput covers various patrilineal clans historically associated with warriorhood: se

indigenous (Scheduled) tribe from India

Indigenous (Scheduled) tribe in South Asia

ethnic group

Ethnic group indigenous to the Terai region of southern Nepal and northern India

Bihari () is a demonym given to the inhabitants of the Indian state of Bihar. Bihari people can be separated into three main Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic groups: Bhojpuris, Maithils and Magahis. They are also further divided into a variety of hereditary caste groups. In Bihar today, the Bihari identity is seen as secondary to caste/clan, linguistic and religious identity but nonetheless is a subset of the larger Indian identity. Biharis can be found throughout India, and in the neighbouring countries of Nepal, Pakistan and Bangladesh. During the Partition of India in 1947, many Bihari Muslims mi

Ahir or Aheer (derived from the Sanskrit word: abhira) is a community of traditionally non-elite pastoralists in India, most of whom now use the Yadav surname, as they consider the two terms synonymous. The Ahirs are variously described as a caste, a clan, a race, and/or a tribe.

Kayastha (or Kayasth, ) denotes a cluster of disparate Indian communities broadly categorised by the regions of the Indian subcontinent in which they were traditionally locatedthe Chitraguptavanshi Kayasthas of northern India, the Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus of Maharashtra, the Bengali Kayasthas of Bengal and Karanas of Odisha. All of them were traditionally considered "writing castes", who had historically served the ruling powers as administrators, ministers and record-keepers.

Yadavs are a grouping of non-elite, peasant-pastoral castes in India that, since the 19th and 20th centuries, have claimed descent from the legendary king Yadu as a part of a movement of social and political resurgence. The term "Yadav" is now commonly used as a surname by members of such communities, such as the Ahir of the Hindi belt and the Gavli of Maharashtra.

Teli is a caste traditionally occupied in the oil pressing and trade in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Members may be either Hindu or Muslim; Muslim Teli are called Roshandaar or Teli Malik. They are included in Other Backward Class (OBC) category list by the Central government but not the higher sub castes within Teli such as Telik Vaishya.

The Maithils (Devanagari: मैथिल), also known as Maithili people, are an Indo-Aryan cultural and ethno-linguistic group from the Indian subcontinent, who speak the Maithili language as their native language. They inhabit the Mithila region, which comprises Northern and Eastern Bihar and Northeastern Jharkhand in India & in Nepal constituting Madhesh Province in addition to some Terai districts of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces.

adherents of Islam who identify linguistically, culturally, and genealogically as Biharis

Kurmi is a traditionally non-elite tiller caste in the lower Gangetic plain of India, especially southern regions of Awadh, eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar and Jharkhand. The Kurmi came to be known for their exceptional work ethic, superior tillage and manuring, and gender-neutral culture, bringing praise from Mughal and British administrators alike.

They are sons of tribes living in western, central and northern India and eastern Pakistan. They converted to Islam during the Islamic conquests

thumb|Entrance gate of the Thathera market of Jandiala Guru.

Halwai is an Indian caste and a social class, whose traditional occupation was confectionery and sweet-making. The name is derived from the word Halwa which is a sweet dish.

The Mirasi (; ; ) are a community found in North India and Pakistan. They are folklore tellers and traditional singers and dancers of a number of communities. The word "mirasi" is derived from the Arabic word (ميراث) mīrās, which means inheritance or sometimes heritage. In the strict grammatical sense of the term, they are considered to be propagators of the cultural and social heritage.

caste of India

The Kanjar (Hindi: कंजर, Urdu: کنجر) are an Indo-Aryan people with significant populations in India, Pakistan and the wider Kashmir region. The Kanjari language is spoken mostly by the Kanjari people living in Indian subcontinent. Kanjari is a lesser-known Indo Aryan language.Kanjar Social Organization by Joseph C Berland in The other nomads: peripatetic minorities in cross-cultural perspective / edited by Aparna Rao pages247 to 268 Köln : Böhlau, 1987.

Darzi are a caste among both Hindus and Muslims. Darzi are known as Idrisi in the Muslim community.

The Dhanuk are an ethnic group found in India. In Bihar, where they are present in significant numbers, they are classified among the "lower backwards", along with several other castes, together comprising approximately 2.13% of the state's population. In recent years, the community has experienced increased political representation. In Bihar, Dhanuks are often considered a sub-caste of the Mandal caste and frequently use Mandal as a surname. In parts of Uttar Pradesh, particularly from Kanpur Dehat northward to Etawah, Kannauj, and Agra, Katheria is a commonly used surname.

The Bhuiyan or Bhuiya are an indigenous community found in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Assam, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. They are not only geographically disparate but also have many cultural variations and subgroups.

The Koeri (spelt as Koiry or Koiri), also referred to as Kushwaha and more recently self-described as Maurya in several parts of northern India are an Indian non-elite caste, found largely in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, whose traditional occupation was agriculture. According to Arvind Narayan Das, they were horticulturists rather than agriculturists. They are also recorded as performing the work of Mahajan (rural moneylenders) in credit market of rural parts of Bihar and Bengal in the 1880s. Koeris have attempted Sanskritisation— as part of social resurgence. During the British rule in India

Baranwal (also spelled Barnwal, Burnwal, Varnwal, Warnwal or Barnawal) is a part of the larger Bania community of northern India. They originated in north India in the regions today comprising Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and West Bengal. However, today they have a diaspora spread across India and the world.

The Sunar (alternately, Swarnkar, Soni, Sonar, Sonkar) is a caste in India. The Sunar community works as traders of gold or as goldsmiths. The community is primarily Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and found all over India. In the state of Haryana, Muslim Sunars are on the Other Backward Class list and Hindu Sunars are Scheduled Castes.

The Lonia are a Hindu other backward caste, found in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar adjoining areas, who were traditionally involved in salt-digging and salt-making activities. The Lonia are listed as extremely backward caste, along with the Mallaah, Bind and Beldar communities, by state governments. The community leaders have been seeking Scheduled Tribe status for the socially deprived community. It is also spelled as Lunia, or Nonia.