Niyogi

Niyogi is a surname of Indian origin, most commonly found among Bengali-speaking communities in West Bengal, India, and in Bangladesh. The name is also present among Bengali diaspora communities around the world. In Bengal, it is used by people across several communities and is not restricted to a single caste or group.

Etymology: The origin of the surname is uncertain. One scholarly proposal traces it to the Sanskrit term niyoga, meaning appointment or assignment, or to the Bengali noun niyog, meaning duty or office. According to this view, the name may have originated from an ancestral association with administration or official duties, later becoming hereditary.

Geographic and cultural context: In Bengal, Niyogi surnames have been found among families associated with intellectual, administrative, or scholarly occupations over generations. The distribution and social usage of the surname can vary by region and community.

Contemporary use: Today, people named Niyogi pursue diverse professions, including academia, science, literature, and the arts. The surname reflects historical patterns of family affiliation and social role within South Asian naming traditions, rather than signaling a fixed caste identity.