Patel is a surname used by some of the agrarian castes predominant in the Western Indian state of Gujarat. Patel literally means the head or the chief of the village and same is the nature carried by the people with Patel as their surnames. Patel is one of the most common surnames of India and is found primarily in the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Orissa. Patel name is given by princely rulers in Gujarat and is derived from Patlikh, the record keeper.
