Chatterjee

Chatterjee is a surname widely found among Bengali-speaking communities in India and Bangladesh. It is a variant of the traditional Bengali surname Chattopādhyāya (চট্টোপাধ্যায়). The Anglicized form Chatterjee, along with spellings such as Chatterji, Chatto, and Chattoo, arose from transliteration of Bengali phonology into Latin script during British rule and subsequent migration. The name is historically associated with Brahmin and Kayastha lineages in Bengal and was commonly linked to scholarly or priestly roles; today it is used across social groups in the region and among the diaspora.

Distribution and usage: In India, Chatterjee is most common in West Bengal, with presence in Tripura and parts of Assam; in Bangladesh, it is found in the Dhaka and Chittagong regions; and among Bengali communities abroad, including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Gulf states.

Variations and related names: Variants include Chatterjee, Chatterji, Chatto, Chatoo, and the more formal Chattopādhyāya. These forms reflect differences in transliteration and regional practice in how Bengali names were adapted into English.

Notable people: There are numerous individuals with this surname who have contributed to fields such as literature, science, cinema, and public life in India and beyond, reflecting its broad presence in Bengali-speaking communities.

See also: Chattopadhyay, Chatterji.