Trivedi

Trivedi is a Northern and Western family name from India[1] reflecting the mastery over three of the four vedas (including the Vedic Branch he was born into). In Sanskrit Trivedi means 'one that knows the three Vedas’, from tri = 'three' + veda ‘(sacred) knowledge' leading to vedi = 'to see'. Similar family names are Chaturvedi (one who knows four vedas) and Dwivedi (one who knows two vedas).

Origin of surname

Though the common assumption is that Trivedi means 'one who knows three vedas', oral Hindu tradition has an alternative explanation. In Sanskrit, Tri = 'three' and Vedi = 'to see'. Therefore, a Trivedi is one with 'three-fold vision', or someone who is able to see into the past, present, and future. The spiritual connotation is that a Trivedi is a master of time and can see into the past and future. The more practical explanation is that a Trivedi is a master Historian; one who is well-versed in History and can best guide the public for decisions that will impact the future.

There is no limit to the number of vedas an individual can learn, therefore there is no reason why a Dwivedi or Trivedi could not learn all four vedas. The explanation that a Trivedi only knows three out of four vedas is a very superficial translation of a Sanskrit surname with deeper meaning.

Geographical distribution

Trivedi is a pan-North Indian Brahmin surname. Within India, Trivedi surname will most commonly be encountered in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. In ancient India, there was much mobility of Brahmins through vast regions depending on where their expertise was needed. At that time, most people in North/Central India spoke Sanskrit, so a Trivedi could easily move around between regions with no language barrier. As the languages evolved from Sanskrit into the local languages of modern times, a Trivedi that resided in a particular region adapted that language.

As of 2014, there are approximately 112,129 people in the world with surname Trivedi. Of those, approximately 88.6% of all known bearers of the surname Trivedi were residents of India. The following Indian states have the greatest number of individuals with surname Trivedi (with population in parentheses):[2]

Notable people

References
  1. D.S. Lauderdale and B. Kestenbaum (2000). "Asian American ethnic identification by surname". Population Research and Policy Review. 1ggh9 (3): 283–300. doi:10.1023/A:1026582308352.
  2. Trivedi Surname Distribution
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