Pillai (Tamil surname)

Pillai (Tamil: [piɭːai]) is a Tamil surname traditionally associated with the Vellalar community, a dominant agrarian and land-owning group in Tamil Nadu and northern Sri Lanka. The term Pillai is believed to have originated as an honorific title meaning "child" or "son," connoting nobility and respect. Over time, it became a hereditary surname commonly associated with upper-caste Tamils, especially those involved in land administration and temple management.

The Pillai surname of Tamil Nadu is distinct from the Pillai title associated with Kerala Pillai, The two are unrelated.