Demographics of Nair community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Nair_community

Demographics of Nair community

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The total population of the Nair community is disputed, since there has been no caste-based census since 1931.
The administrators of the British Raj had an abiding interest in ethnography but in post-independence India the
policy has been generally to ignore it in censuses.[1]
The 1968 Socio-Economic Survey by the Government of Kerala gave the population of the Nair community as
14.41% of the total population of the state. But various sources cite figures ranging from 15%,[2] 16%,[3] 17.5%,
19%[4] and 20%.[5][6] There is also the practical difficulty of certain Nair subcastes declaring as independent
caste. Out of those citizens who are eligible to vote in Kerala, 15% belong to the Nair community.[7]
Nair population has been declining in Kerala. Some of the districts in Kerala have only a small population of
Nairs. Malappuram has a Nair population of 1.8% and Kasargode has about 2.1%.[8]
The most reliable population figures comes from two sources. The BCRC estimated Nair population at 14.47%
of the total population of Kerala based on a statewide sample survey conducted for the reservation of seats in
educational institutions. At the same time, the government for the same purpose, gave a figure of 15.35% based
on the Census of Travancore in 1941, Census of Cochin in 1941 & Census of Malabar in 1921.[9] This figure
will be true if the population growth rate is uniform for all the ethnic groups in Kerala. But this is not the case,
as according to the 1941 Census, the Total Fertility Rate varied across various ethnic groups. In 1941, Kammalas
had the highest TFR at 3.88 children per woman. They were followed by Ezhavas at 3.84, Syrians at 3.79,
Muslims at 3.71 and Nadars at 3.64 children per woman. On the other hand, Nairs had a TFR of only 3.63
children per woman. Below the Nairs were Pulayas and Vellalas (3.43 each), Parayas (3.23), Brahmins (3.13)
and Kuravas (3.13).[10]

Contents
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2
3
4

Present population
Travancore Nairs
See also
References

Present population
There is no accurate way to measure the present Nair population. Household sample surveys conducted by the
Kerala Statistical Institute, the last of which were in 2000, produced estimates which are:
Distribution of Nair population in Kerala.[11][12]

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Demographics of Nair community - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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District
Kerala

Total Pop

Nairs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Nair_community

% of
Pop

% of
Nairs

31,838,000 4,457,000 14.0% 100.0%

Thiruvananthapuram 3,235,000 575,000

17.8% 12.9%

Kollam

2,584,000 793,000

30.7% 17.8%

Pathanamthitta

1,232,000 174,000

14.1% 3.9%

Alappuzha

2,105,000 352,000

16.7% 7.9%

Kottayam

1,953,000 227,000

11.6% 5.1%

Idukki

1,129,000 111,000

9.8%

Ernakulam

3,098,000 316,000

Distribution of Nairs in Kerala - District-wise.

10.2% 7.1%

Thrissur

2,975,000 223,000

7.5%

Palakkad

2,617,000 330,000

12.6% 7.4%

Malappuram

3,630,000 80,000

2.2%

Kozhikode

2,878,000 504,000

17.5% 11.3%

Wynad

787,000

19.3% 3.4%

Kannur

2,412,000 584,000

24.2% 13.1%

Kasargode

1,203,000 36,000

3.0%

152,000

2.5%

5.0%
1.8%

0.8%

Travancore Nairs
In 1941, Nairs constituted the second largest ethnic group in the Kingdom of Travancore at 17.53% of the
population. They were followed by Ezhavas at 17.14%. The largest ethnic group were the Syrians at 18.78%.[13]
Nair population had decreased from 19.33% in 1881 to 17.53% in 1941. But the decrease was more evident for
some of the other castes. For example, Nambuthiris plummeted from 0.32% to 0.07%. On the other hand,
Muslims increased from 6.45% to 7% and Ezhavas increased during 1891-1941 from 16.66% to 17.14%.[14]

See also
Nair subcastes

References
1. Blair, Harry W. (1981). "Caste and the British Census
in Bihar: Using Old Data to Study Contemporary
Political Behavior". In Barrier, Norman Gerald. The
Census in British India: New Perspectives. New
Delhi: Manohar. p. 154. Retrieved 2011-08-28.
2. [1] (http://www.ucip.ch/rp/ina/tj.htm) Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20110707004409/http:
//www.ucip.ch/rp/ina/tj.htm) July 7, 2011, at the
Wayback Machine.

3. "Kerala: Radical Reform as Development in an Indian

State (FF, 1994, 140 p.): 11. Women and the Kerala
reforms". Nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
4. "Kashmir terror trail vanishes in Kerala's political
sands .:. newkerala.com Online News".
Newkerala.com. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
5. India: development and participation - Google Books.
Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2011-06-13.

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6. "Peoples Participation In Kerala By Rajaji Mathew

Thomas". Countercurrents.org. 2005-03-18. Retrieved
2011-06-13.
7. India votes: Lok Sabha & Vidhan ... - Google Books.
Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
8. Zachariah, Kunniparampil Curien; Mathew, Elangikal
Thomas; Rajan, Sebastian Irudaya (2003). Dynamics
of migration in Kerala: dimensions, differentials, and
consequences. Orient Longman.
ISBN 978-81-250-2504-7.
9. Communism in Kerala: a study in ... - Google Books.
Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
10. Social development and demographic ... - Google
Books. Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2011-06-13.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Nair_community

11. Zachariah, Kunniparampil Curien; Mathew, Elangikal

Thomas; Rajan, Sebastian Irudaya (2003). Dynamics
of migration in Kerala: dimensions, differentials, and
consequences. Orient Longman. p. 91.
ISBN 978-81-250-2504-7.
12. G.O.K 1971: Appendix XVIII : For percentage of
Nairs in total population of Kerala, adjusted for
decrease due to emigration and low birth rates.
13. Communism in Kerala: a study in ... - Google Books.
Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2011-06-13.
14. Educational Development In India - Google Books.
Books.google.co.in. Retrieved 2011-06-13.

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