Choudhury
A South Asian surname, often a variant of Chaudhuri, originally used as an honorific or title for a local leader.
The #9,226 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 87,463 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Choudhury is a South Asian surname most commonly found in Bengali and related communities, and it is usually treated as a spelling variant of Chaudhuri/Chowdhury. The name is historically connected with a title of office or rank, later inherited as a family surname, rather than with a literal trade in the everyday sense. The exact spelling and explanation can vary by region, but the core idea is that it once denoted a local authority figure or landholder.
History
As British-era spelling conventions varied, forms like Choudhury, Chowdhury, Chaudhury, and Chaudhri all circulated in South Asia and among diaspora communities. In Bengal and neighboring regions, the title became hereditary in many families and is now widely used as a surname. The name is especially common among Bengali Muslims and Hindus, though it is not restricted to either group.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is one of several South Asian names that began as a social title and only later settled into a hereditary family name.