deshmukh

Deshmukh is a surname and, historically, a title in parts of India, most commonly associated with Maharashtra. The term is derived from Marathi elements desh meaning region or country, and mukh meaning head or chief, and was used to designate a hereditary revenue official and local administrator who governed a district and oversaw land revenue collection in the Deccan and adjoining areas.

Historically, the Deshmukh held considerable local influence under various regimes, including the Deccan sultanates and later the Marathas. The position often conferred landholding status and authority over administrative matters, and many families bearing the Deshmukh surname trace their ancestry to these offices. Following social and administrative reforms, the title gradually became a surname used by descendants rather than an official title. The surname is most prevalent in Maharashtra, particularly in Vidarbha and central regions, with smaller communities among Marathi-speaking populations in neighboring states and diaspora communities abroad.

Notable people with the surname include Vilasrao Deshmukh (1945–2012), an Indian politician who served as Chief Minister of Maharashtra and held national offices, and Ritesh Deshmukh (born 1978), an Indian actor active in Hindi and Marathi cinema and the son of Vilasrao.