Bisht (surname)
| Language(s) | Kumaoni, Garhwali, Nepali |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Derivation | Bishishta (Distinguished) |
| Meaning | Baron or landholder |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | Bishta, Bista, Bist , Bajetha |
| See also | bajetha (surname), Mahara, Rawat, Dhami, Airee, Negi, Rautela Panwar |
Bisht is a surname found in Indian states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Bisht was a title given by kings to nobles, derived from the Sanskrit vishisht ("distinguished").The term "Bisht" originally referred to someone who held a land grant from the government. The Bisht families in Uttarakhand were chiefly Thokdars thakur(Zamindars) of Thuljat origin. In Uttrakhand, Bishts are generally Kshatriya Thakurs. In Nepal, Bisht was adopted as a surname by Raute and Raji people. Bishta, as Bista, was also used as a surname used by Khas people, group under the caste Chhetri.