The Sunar (alternately, Swarnkar, Soni, Sonar, Sonkar) is a caste in India. The Sunar community works as traders of gold or as goldsmiths.People of Tiben: Lhasa (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 to 150 The community is primarily Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and found all over India.
Etymology The term Swarnkar may derive from the Sanskrit suvarna kār, "worker in gold".
The Swarnkar are still involved in their traditional occupation, that is being goldsmiths. There is however a steady process in taking up other occupations, and the community in Haryana and Punjab as whole is fairly successful, having produced several professionals.People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia pages 475 to 479 Manohar Books
Social status The Sunars are generally considered a part of Vaishya varna.
In the state of Haryana, Sunars are on the Other Backward Class list.
Factions The Sunars are divided into a large number of territorial and non-territorial groupings called alla. Some of the major alla are the Jhankhad, Santanpuriya, Lal sultaniya, Dekhalantiya, Mundaha, Bhigahiya, kulthiya, Parajiya, Samuhiya, Chilliya, Katiliya Kalidarwa, Naubastwal, Berehele, Gedehiya, Shahpuriya, Mathureke Paliya, Katkaria and Nimkheriya, Vaibhaha. Each lineage is associated with a particular area. To which its ancestors belonged to. The Sunars use Soni, Swarnkar, Verma, Wadichar, Saraf, Shah, Sonik, Singh etc. as their surnames. In Gujarat and Rajasthan, the community is also known as Soni.People of India: Uttar Pradesh (Volume XLII) edited by A Hasan & J C Das page 1500 In Haryana, the Sunars are often known as Swarnkar, Soni, Suri and Verma, are their common surname.People of India: Haryana (Volume XXIII) edited by M.L Sharma and A.K Bhatia page 475 Manohar Books In Sindh they are called Sonaro, In Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan, Mair community work as goldsmiths.
Sunar in Nepal Sunar (Sunar in the Nepal census) Sunar surname is used by khas of Nepal. And also use by subgroup within the broader social group of Madheshi Other Caste.Population Monograph of Nepal, Volume II At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, 64,335 people (0.2% of the population of Nepal) were Sunar.
Notable members
Raj Babbar Film Actor & Politician Gurpreet Singh, Artist is an internationally recognized painting artist. Parmish Verma Punjabi Singer & Performer
References
Further reading R.K. Gupta, S.R. Bakshi. Studies In Indian History: Rajasthan Through The Ages The Heritage Of Rajputs (set Of 5 Vols.). Sarup & Sons, 2008. ,