Sunar

Sunar, also spelled Sonar or Sona(r), is a term used in South Asia to designate an occupational group traditionally engaged in goldsmithing and metalwork, and it is also used as a surname. The word derives from Sanskrit suvarna meaning gold, and is cognate with words for gold in several regional languages, such as Sonar in Hindi and Punjabi, Sona in Gujarati and Bengali, and Sunar in Nepali. The Sunar communities are found throughout India, Nepal, and parts of Pakistan and Bangladesh, and among diaspora communities worldwide. Historically, Sunars organized as craft guilds or subcastes focusing on gold jewelry making, bullion handling, and related crafts. Their social and economic roles have varied by region, with some communities maintaining traditional crafts while others have diversified into business, education, or professional occupations.

In contemporary contexts, Sunar communities continue to preserve customary rites and festivities while adapting to modernization and urban economies. Surnames such as Sunar, Sonar, and Soni are common in South Asia and among people of South Asian descent, often indicating ancestral association with the goldsmith trade. Variants and transliterations reflect linguistic and geographic diversity. See also Sonar (disambiguation), Soni, Goldsmith.

This article uses Sunar as a general ethnographic and onomastic term; for a specific regional tradition, consult regional sources.