Surnames along with districts

Padmanayaka velama / Padma velama / Padma Velama Naidu / Vellama Naidu / Velama Dora / Racha velamas Intiperlu along with the districts they are usually populated

Introduction to origin and importance of family names and / or gothra.

The Telugu family names in Andhra Pradesh are said to have originated around 1250 AD onwards until they took the final shape somewhere around early 1400 AD. They were said to have come into existance along the lines of names of villages where the family lived around that time, examples are those family names which ended in 'palli' and some other village names ( few examples in our community ), or styled after a prominent person, like a warrior or some other forefather in the family, such names are said to have ended in 'neni' ( many examples in our case ),  or some other significant event or unknown criteria specific to that family or circumstances. ( Reference: Talbot, Cynthia, 2004 )

Before 1250 AD, Velama clans probably must have been identified only through gothra as there were no family names existing around that time ( that is why we have only Recherla Brahma Naidu and Recherla Prasadithya etc who were identified only through their gothra ). Obviously gothra were older than family names and a particular gothra represents the genetic heritage of that clan as a whole (each such clan later might have split into various family names but all the descendants are of same genetic heritage or gothra ).

The family names and gothra are significant as you already know at least for marriage purposes as we Velama's like many other communities do not marry into the Velama's of the same family name as well as same gothra as those Velama's are considered to be genetically closer compared to the Velamas with a totally different family name and gothra. Since ages Hindus are known to have married always into different clans with the hope that such a marriage will lead to production of better off springs with no genetic disorders and Velama's are no exception to this general rule. For example, Rajputs in North India, who are numerically large in number and spread across several Indian states, are known to scan and marry into an entirely different clan of which they are not related for past fourteen generations.  

It is also a proven fact scientifically from genetics perspective as to why it is ideal for one to marry into a different genetic pool. Incidence of genetic and hereditary disorders are known to be very high among the children born from marriages between closer genetic pools.  Ancient Hindus, thousands of years back are known to have married initially Swa-gothra ( same gothra ) for some time and later on at some point of time switched to marriages into an entirely different gothra going by their previous bad experiences. In this context, it is interesting to note that Kashmir Pandits, who are Brahmins and are numerically small in number, are said to marry even today Swa-gothra. Similar problem also exists today among Parsis of India who are Zoriashtrians by religion and have immigrated from Iran in small numbers. 

( Telangana based )  

( Coastal Andhra Pradesh based / migrated )  

• Jalagam
• Kotagiri
• Rao
• Tandra
• Kasthala ( Surampalli, near Vijayawada, Eemani, near Tenali )
• Katikaneni
• Kandhimalla
• Gottipulla ( Surampalli, near Vijayawada , Ranguvari gudem, near Sattupalli )
• Chelikani ( Srikakulam, Vizianagaram )
• Damera, Dhamera ( Pithapuram, East Godavari dist, Vizianagaram )
• Meka ( Krishna )
• Mamillapalli ( Ongole, Vijayawada, Khammam )
• Vemula ( Ongole, Guntur, Vijayawada, Khammam, Prakasam, Krishna )
• Kolluru
• Rangineni
• Yelesvaram
• Vaddi ( Ongole, Vijayawada, Khammam, Mahabubnagar )
• Medavaram
• Kalakonda ( Krishna, Vijayawada, Karimnagar )
• Charugundla ( Guntur, Krishna )
• Samudrala ( Ongole, Prakasam )  
• Muppanneni
• Daddanala
• Moravaneni ( Errapalem, Prakasam )
• Suraneni ( Mylavaram, Krishna District )
• Gona ( Velamaripalem, Guntur District )
• Mokkarala ( Tadepalligudem, Nidadavole, West Godavari dist )
• Veeramaneni ( Velama Vari Palem, Guntur dist )
• Muppala ( Bobbili, Vizianagaram dist )
• Panuganti ( West Godavari )
• Ponaganti ( Krishna dist )
• Vinapala ( Godavari )
• Sala ( Bobbili )
• Remella ( East Godavari )
• Vanga ( Krishna )
• Canchi ( Godavari )
• Vepuri ( Guntur )
• Settipalli ( Kakinada )
• Mandava ( Kakinada )
• Karangula ( Vijayawada )
• Gummadapu ( Vijayawada )
• Gangavelli ( Nuzividu, Krishna )
• Boyanapalli
• Yachamaneni ( Nuzividu, Krishna )
• Pounjula, Pamajula ( Lingasamudram, Prakasam )
• Dannapaneni ( Krishna )
• Boinapalli ( Guntur district )
• Balumuri ( Krishna )
• Nagineni ( Krishna )
• Jami ( Vizianagaram )
• Kagitapu ( Prakasam )
• Medavarapu ( Krishna )
• Kasarapu ( Krishna )
• Yarthapu ( Krishna )
• Vadapalli ( Srikakulam )
• Jupalli ( Prakasam )
• Maguluri ( Prakasam )
• Tumula ( Vizianagaram )
• Kesani ( Nidadavolu, West Godavari )

( Rayalaseema based / migrated )  

• Samudrala ( Cuddapah, Kurnool, Tirupati, Sri Kalahasti, Chittoor, Nellore )
• Eruvaku ( Chittoor )
• Velampalli ( Venkatagiri - Nellore dist )
• Konduru ( Juapally, Chittoor )
• Galla ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Yachamaneni ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Pochaneni ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Mavillapalli ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Kalla ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Lakkamaneni ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Guthikonda ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Moravineni ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Mallela ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Poosala ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Veluguleti ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Rangineni ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Jalagam ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Palnati ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Jupalli, Jupalle ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Durga ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Munagala ( Venkatagiri, Nellore dist )
• Revilla ( Chittoor )
• Kotla
• Maguluri, Maguluru ( Nellore )
• Chaganam
• Vedullapalli
• Bolleni ( Venkatagiri, Nellore )
• Kakulamarri ( Nellore )
• Enaganti ( Chittoor ) 
• Kotra ( Chitoor )
• Kethineni ( Chittoor )
• Sagi ( Chitoor )  
• Punugoti ( Chittoor )
• Damera ( Chittoor, Nellore )
• Velineni ( Nellore )
• Rao ( Nellore )
• Chitneni ( Nellore )
• Gone ( Nellore )
• Chebrolu ( Nellore )
• Balumuri ( Nellore )
• Velugoti ( Nellore )
• Chinthakani ( Nellore )
• Melangi ( Nellore )
• Nelavalli ( Nellore )
• Mokkapati ( Nellore )
• Sombareddi ( Nellore )        

( Tamilnadu / Chennai / Arkot Districts / Madurai / Tanjavore migrated / based )

• Hamsaneni ( Northern Tamilnadu )
• Singineni ( Madurai Dist )
• Kanchineni ( Madurai Dist )
• Rachakonda ( Tamilnadu )
• Otthi ( Tiruvallur Dist )
• Kamalumpundi ( Chengalpet Dist )
• Woothukadu ( Kanchipuram Dist )
• Bollampally ( Tiruvellore )
• Conjeevaram ( Chingleput dist)
• Nelagili ( South Arcot )

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