Sarkar (or Sorkar) is a surname among the people of the Indian subcontinent.
It was an honorific title given to feudal lords, or zamindars, of East India, irrespective of their religious affiliation, under the Mughal Empire and even in Sher Shah's reign, as part of the erstwhile Persian nobility.
At present there are Sarkar families in different parts of West Bengal, India as well as in Bangladesh. The surname is mainly used by Bengalis.
The Persian connotation of the word refers to 'chieftain', 'lord', or 'superintendent'. In modern Bangla and Hindi, however, Sarkar refers to government/governance.
Contents
Geographical distribution
As of 2014, 79.0% of all known bearers of the surname Sarkar were residents of West Bengal, India and 19.8% were residents of Bangladesh. In India, the frequency of the surname was higher than national average in the following states and union territories:
Tripura (1:29)
West Bengal (1:55)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1:99)
Assam (1:207)
Notable people
Notable people with the family name of Sarkar include:
Academics
Benoy Kumar Sarkar (1887–1949), Indian social scientist, professor, and nationalist
Jadunath Sarkar (1870–1958), Indian aristocrat and historian
Dr. Nilratan Sarkar (1861 – 1943), an Indian medical doctor, educationist, philanthropist and swadeshi entrepreneur.
Lotika Sarkar (1923–2013), Indian feminist, social worker, educator and lawyer
Mahendralal Sarkar (1833–1904), Indian doctor, social reformer, and propagator of scientific studies
Maqbular Rahman Sarkar (1928–1985), Bangladeshi academic and tenth vice-chancellor of Rajshahi University
Palash Sarkar (born 1969), Indian mathematician and academic
Peary Charan Sarkar (1823–1875), Indian educationist and textbook writer
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (1921–1990), Indian social and spiritual philosopher
Sahotra Sarkar (born 1962), Bengali-American philosopher of science and conservation biologist
Sameer P. Sarkar, British psychiatrist
Satyabrata Sarkar (born 1928) Indian biologist
Soumodip Sarkar (born 1965), Indian economist and management researcher
Sucharit Sarkar (born 1983), Indian mathematician
Sumit Sarkar (born 1939), Indian historian
Literature
Akshay Chandra Sarkar (1846–1917), Indian poet, editor and literary critic
Pabitra Sarkar (born 1937), Indian Bengali linguist, writer, literary critic, and academician
Arunabh Sarkar (born 1941), Bangladeshi poet, and literary Editor
Subodh Sarkar (born 1958), Indian Bengali poet
Politicians
Abdul Bari Sarkar, Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Abdullah Sarkar (1942–2013), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Abdul Malek Sarkar (1951–2023), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Abdul Matin Sarkar, Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Abu Hussain Sarkar (1894–1969), Chief Minister of East Pakistan
Aftab Uddin Sarkar (born 1950), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Ajit Sarkar (1947–1998), Indian politician, member of Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Amzad Hossain Sarker (1958–2021), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Ataur Rahman Sarkar (born 1951), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Azharul Islam Sarkar (1944–1996), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Dilip Sarkar (Tripura politician) (1958–2019), Indian politician
Emran Ali Sarkar (1913–2007), Bangladeshi minister of Relief and Rehabilitation
Eunus Ali Sarkar (1953–2019), Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Habib Ullah Sarkar, Bangladeshi politician and former member of parliament
Sportspeople
Anupam Sarkar (born 1985), Indian footballer from West Bengal
Gautam Sarkar (born 1950), Indian footballer
Krishna Rani Sarkar (born 2001), Bangladeshi footballer
Tirthankar Sarkar (born 1993), Indian footballer
Abdul Hannan Sarkar (born 1982), Bangladeshi cricketer
Soumya Sarkar (born 1993), Bangladeshi cricketer
Sourav Sarkar (born 1984), Indian cricketer
Hannan Sarkar (born 1982), Bangladeshi test cricketer
Uttam Sarkar (born 1986), Bangladeshi cricketer
Satya Sarkar, Indian cricketer from Assam
Beas Sarkar (born 1979), Indian cricketer
Manoj Sarkar (born 1990), Indian para-badminton player
Journalists
Ash Sarkar (born 1992), British journalist and political activist
Ashok Kumar Sarkar (1912–1983), eighth editor-in-chief and owner of Anandabazar Patrika and the ABP Group
Aveek Sarkar (born 1945), Indian newspaper owner, editor-in-chief of Anandabazar Patrika and The Telegraph
Entertainers
Badal Sarkar (1925–2011), Indian dramatist and theatre director
Bijoy Sarkar (1903–1985), Baul singer, lyricist and composer
Joy Sarkar (born 1972), Indian music director and songwriter
Laboni Sarkar (born 1962), Bengali film and television actress
Payel Sarkar (born 1985), Indian film and television actress
Pradeep Sarkar (born 1955), writer and director
Priyanka Sarkar (born 1990), Bengali film and television actress
Sohini Sarkar (born 1986), film and television actress
Gurus
Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar (1921–1990), Indian Guru of Ananda Marga
Judges
Amal Kumar Sarkar (1901–2001), 8th Chief Justice of India