Shah (/ʃɑː/;
Persian: شاه,
romanized: Šāh, pronounced [ʃɒːh], "king") is a title given to the emperors, kings, princes and lords of
Iran (historically known as
Persia in
the West).[2] It is different to the shah that is found in Gujarat, India, which is rather derived from Sanskrit.
History
In the
Gujarat and
Rajasthan region, the name 'Shah', 'Sha', or 'Sah' may be derived from
Gujaratisah meaning "merchant"[3] (from
Sanskritsadhu meaning "honest, good")[3] and
PrakritSahu[citation needed], while the actual spelling "Shah" was popularized by the
Persian word for King. As a result, especially in Western culture, use of the spelling "Shah" has become far more pronounced than the other variants.[4] The word Sadhu/Sahu is also separately used to indicate a holy man, such as a
Jainmonk (see
Namokar Mantra). The Indian surnames "Shah" and "Sahu" are variants of one another which have evolved from the word "sah" over time[citation needed].
Another variant is
Sheth.[citation needed]
One early use of the title Sadhu occurs in an inscription on an AD 850
Parshvanth image in the
Akota Bronzes.[5]
In numerous 12–13th century inscriptions the
shravaka who installed the image is given the title "Sahu".[6]
सं १५१० वर्षे माघ सुदी ८ सोमे
गोपाचल दुर्गे तोमर वंशान्वये राजा श्री डूंगरेन्द्र देव राज्य पवित्रमाने श्री
काष्ठासंघ माथुरान्वये भट्टारक श्री गुणकीर्ति देवास्तत्पट्टे श्री मलयकीर्ति देवास्ततो भट्टारक गुणभद्रदेव पंडितवर्य
रइघू तदाम्नाये
अग्रोतवंशे वासिलगोत्रे सकेलहा भार्या
निवारी तयोः पुत्र विजयष्ट शाह ... साधु श्री माल्हा पुत्र संघातिपति देउताय पुत्र संघातिपति करमसीह श्री चन्द्रप्रभु जिनबिंब महाकाय प्रतिष्ठापित प्रणमति ..शुभम् भवतु ..
The word Sadhu here does not mean a monk but a "gentleman". Some inscriptions abbreviate sahu by just "sa" just like the abbreviation in English, "Mr."[citation needed]
In some business communities, genealogies are recited during marriages, where all ancestors would be respectfully called "sahu".
The term "sahukari" means the profession of banking/trading, and is derived from Sahu (Sanskrit "Sadhu") and kar (Sanskrit for doer).[9]
In the
Bundelkhand Jain community, the father-in-law (or son's/daughter's father-in-law) used to be called "sahaji". Thus the words "Shah" etc. all indicate a respected member of the mercantile community.
Today it is used by Gujarati business communities.[citation needed]
People with the surname
This list includes people with both the Indian surname Shah and the surname of Persian origin meaning king. Having the name, also in the Persian meaning, does not necessarily indicate a royal status or origin of the person so named. Like the surname "King" in English, it is borne by various people not connected to any Royal dynasty. Notable people
^Indian Sculpture: 700-1800, Volume 2 of Indian Sculpture: A Catalogue of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Collection, Pratapaditya Pal, University of California Press, 1988, p. 306
This page lists people with the
surnameShah. If an
internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that
link by adding the person's
given name(s) to the link.