Fellar

Fellar is a term with no single, universally fixed definition in English. In many contexts, it is a variant or historical transliteration of fellah or fellahin—the Arabic word for a peasant farmer, typically associated with rural communities in the Middle East and North Africa. The Arabic root فلاح (fāllāḥ) denotes a tiller or cultivator of the soil, and transliterations vary by language and period. Standard English spellings include fellah and fellahin, while older or regional texts sometimes render the word as fellar. In ethnographic and historical writings, fellar commonly refers to members of the rural agrarian class and their social and economic roles within local communities, including periods under Ottoman and post-Ottoman governance.

Beyond its use as a transliteration of an Arabic occupational term, “Fellar” may appear as a surname or place name in some records. Such usage is uncommon and typically reflects historical or transliteration variance rather than a distinct, inherited meaning. When encountered, it is best understood in context with related spellings such as Fellah, Fellahin, or Feller. The term’s primary significance today remains historical and linguistic, illustrating how transliteration choices can shape the recording of a well-known social category.

See also fellah, fellahin, peasant, agrarian.