Editing Singh (section)

== History ==
[[File:Western Satrap Coin of Rudrasimha I .jpg|thumb|300px|Coin of the Western Kshatrapa ruler [[Rudrasimha I]] (178 to 197 CE) who used "Simha" as suffix.]]
Originally, the Sanskrit word for lion, variously transliterated as Simha or Singh, was used as a title by [[Kshatriya]] warriors in northern parts of India. The earliest recorded examples of names ending with "Simha" are the names of the two sons of [[Rudradaman I|Rudraraman]], who ruled the Western Satraps in the second century CE. [[Jayasimha (Vatapi Chalukya dynasty)|Jayasimha]], the first ruler of the [[Chalukya dynasty]] to bear the title Simha, ruled around 500 CE. The [[Chalukyas of Vengi|Vengi branch]] of the Chalukyas continued using Simha as a last name until the eleventh century. The Rajputs started using Singh in preference to the classical epithet of "[[Varma (name)|Varman]]". Among the [[Rajput]]s, the use of the word Singh came into vogue among the [[Paramara dynasty|Paramara]]s of [[Malwa]] in 10th century CE, among the [[Guhilot]]s and the [[Kachwaha]]s of [[Narwar]] in the 12th century CE, and the [[Rathore dynasty|Rathore]]s of [[Marwar]] after the 17th century.<ref name="Qanungo">{{cite book|last=Qanungo|first=Kalika Ranjan|title=Studies in Rajput History|publisher=[[S. Chand]]|location=[[Delhi]]|year=1960|oclc=1326190|pages=138–140}}</ref>

By the sixteenth century, "Singh" had become a popular surname among Rajputs.<ref name="Chander2003">{{cite book|author=Prakash Chander|title=India: Past & Present|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4_Rl5c_v1-kC&pg=PA120|access-date=11 January 2013|date=1 January 2003|publisher=APH Publishing|isbn=978-81-7648-455-8|pages=120 |quote=In those days, "Singh" as a surname was very popular among a famous warrior caste of north India, the Rajputs. Some of the first Sikhs were also Rajputs.}}</ref> It was adopted by the Sikhs in 1699, as per the instructions of [[Guru Gobind Singh]]. Singh is used by all baptized male Sikhs, regardless of their geographical or cultural binding; the women use [[Kaur]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=-QR8tAEACAAJ A History of the Sikh People (1469-1988)] by Dr. Gopal Singh {{ISBN|81-7023-139-6}}{{page needed|date=December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Catherine B. Asher, Cynthia Talbot">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZvaGuaJIJgoC&q=jat+surname+singh&pg=PA269 | title=India Before Europe | publisher=Cambridge University Press |author1=Catherine B. Asher |author2=Cynthia Talbot | year=2006 | pages=269 | isbn=9780521809047}}</ref> Guru Gobind Singh introduced the surname "Singh" for Sikh men to foster equality and unity within the community. This move aimed to eliminate caste distinctions and promote a fearless and righteous identity. By adopting "Singh," Sikh men were encouraged to live as saint-soldiers, embodying courage, justice, and a commitment to serving humanity,<ref name=Singh/>{{rp|121–126}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Singh|first=Khushwant|title=A History of the Sikhs: 1469–1838|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MD9uAAAAMAAJ|access-date=6 January 2025|edition=2nd|date=11 October 2004|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-567308-1|page=83}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=History Of The Sikhs Vol I The Sikh Gurus, 1469-1708|publisher=Munshilal Manohorlal, Pvt Ltd|first= Hari Ram |last=Gupta|author-link= Hari Ram Gupta|page=271|isbn=978-81-215-0276-4}}</ref> According to [[Pashaura Singh (Sikh scholar)|Pashaura Singh]], the Guru gave male Sikhs the name "Singh", which was associated with aristocracy, to imitate the traditions of the Rajput hill chiefs near Anandpur Sahib.<ref name="Oxford Handbook"/>

In the 18th century, several groups started using the title "Singh". These included the Brahmins, the Kayasthas and the Baniyas of what are now [[Uttar Pradesh]] and Bihar. In the 19th century, even the Bengal court [[peon]]s of the lower castes adopted the title "Singh".<ref name="Qanungo"/> [[Bhumihar]]s, who originally used Brahmin surnames, also started affixing Singh to their names.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tOXZAAAAMAAJ |title=Community And Caste In Tradition |year=1992 |author=Virendra Prakash Singh |publisher=Commonwealth |page=113 |isbn=9788171692422 }}</ref> In [[Bihar]] and [[Jharkhand]], the surname came to be associated with power and authority, and was adopted by people of multiple castes, including [[Brahmin]] [[zamindar]]s.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Using-surnames-to-conceal-identity/articleshow/4162892.cms | author = Pranava K Chaudhary | title = Using surnames to conceal identity | work = [[The Times of India]] | date = 2009-02-21 | access-date = 2013-01-18 }}</ref><ref name="biha">{{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Santosh|title=Ruled or Misruled: Story and Destiny of Bihar|date=2015|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=9789385436420|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SVu8CgAAQBAJ&q=singh+surname&pg=PT228|access-date=28 July 2016|language=en}}</ref> Citing [[Kshatriya]] status, numerous communities use 'Singh' as part of their names.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=te4DAAAAMAAJ |title=Bhavan's Journal, Volume 12, Issues 1-16 |year=1965 |page=123 }}</ref> Some Jains have also adopted the surname in addition to various Hindu castes.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Frankel |first=Francine R. |title=Dominance and State Power in Modern India |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1990 |volume=2 |pages=17 |quote=The surname, Singh, for example, was appropriated over a period of several centuries of acculturation by different Hindu castes, including lower castes as well as followers of Jainism.}}</ref>

Many Muslim [[Shina people|Shins]] historically used the surname "Sing", the earlier form of the name, "Simha", was frequently appended to names found in the Gilgit Manuscripts, a corpus of Buddhist texts and the oldest surviving manuscripts in India, discovered in the [[Gilgit]] region of Kashmir.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Schmidt |first=Ruth Laila |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mZzD86umtbAC&dq=muslim+shins&pg=PA11 |title=A Grammar of the Shina Language of Indus Kohistan |publisher=Harrassowitz |year=2008 |isbn=9783447056762 |pages=11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gilgit Manuscript |url=https://www.unesco.org/en/memory-world/gilgit-manuscript |website=UNESCO}}</ref>

People belonging to several other castes and communities also started using Singh as a title, middle name or a surname; these include non-Sikh Punjabis, [[Charans]], [[Yadav]]s, [[Gurjar]]s, [[Brahmins]], [[Maratha (caste)|Marathas]], [[Jat people|Jat]]s, [[Kushwaha]]s, [[Rajpurohit]]s, [[Kumawat]]s etc. Dalit and [[Other Backward Class|other backward]] groups have also adopted the name, including the [[Bhil people|Bhils]],<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gupta |first=Sanjukta Das |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VDGIpkJ9BgwC&pg=PA134 |title=Narratives from the Margins: Aspects of Adivasi History in India |date=2012 |publisher=Primus Books |isbn=978938060710-8 |pages=134}}</ref> [[Koeri]]s,<ref name="HOA">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SNw5zVN1V0oC&pg=PA436 |title=History of Anthropological Thought |publisher=Concept Publishing Company |year=1993 |isbn=9788170224921 |editor1=V.S. Upadhyay |place=India |page=436 |quote=Similarly, Koyeris, a backward caste, claim themselves as Kushwaha Kshatriya and Dusadh, another scheduled caste, claim themselves as Gahlout Kshatriya. Some of their members use titles like ' Singh ' and ' Thakur. |editor2=G. Pandey}}</ref> and [[Dusadh]]s.<ref name="HOA" /> The name is also found among the [[Non-resident Indian and person of Indian origin|Indian diaspora]].