Shett

Shett (also spelt as Shet, Sheth)( Konkani: शेट, Marathi: शेठ, Kannada: ಶೆಟ್ಟ), is a name given to the Daivajnas of Konkani origin residing on the west coast of India. It is also an honnorific title and a common surname used by them in Coastal Karnataka and Kerala.

Etymology

The word Shet is corrupted form of Sanskrit word Śreṣṭha (Devanagari:श्रेष्ठ) or Śreṣṭhin (Devanagari:श्रेष्ठीन्) meaning superior, Prakritised as Seṭhī(Devanagari:सेठी),and then Śeṭ(Devanagari: शेट) or Śeṭī (Devanagari: शेट) in modern Indo-Aryan dialects.

The guilds of the traders,merchants and their employees (who were mainly artisans,craftsman,husbandman etc.)in ancient Goa,like other parts in India,were called as Śreṇī,and the head of these guilds were called as Śreṣṭha or Śreṣṭhīn,which would mean His Excellency.

Usage

Various Romanised versions found during the colonial period include Chatim,Xete,Xetim,Xatim,Chati,Sette etc. Alternatively it is also spelled as Shet,Sait,Shetty nowadays.

Before the Goa Inquisition,Daivajna men used the titles Sethi etc. after their first names. e.g. Virupa Chattim, Gana Sethi etc.Father's name was used as a middle name. Daivajna diaspora started using village names after their first names to distinguish themselves from other communities. Daivajna people still in Goa still use to continue it as an honorific title.Due to various socio-economic reasons Daivajna people migrated from Goa to other places,some started using Shet as their surname just to distinguish themselves from others (especially in South Canara, Udupi, Shimoga, some parts of North Canara and Kerala.