kattab

Kattab is an Arabic term whose root relates to writing. The form kattab, and related spellings such as katib or kuttab, function as an occupational label meaning “writer” or “scribe.” In historical contexts, a kattab or katib was a scribe or clerk responsible for drafting documents, letters, and official records within a government or court.

In addition to its use as an occupational title, the term kuttab denotes a traditional educational setting. A kuttab was a small classroom or school, often attached to a mosque, where children learned to read and write Arabic and to recite the Qur’an. Such institutions were common across the Islamic world and persisted in various regions into the modern era, though modern schooling has largely replaced the traditional kuttab system in many places.

As a surname, kattab (and its transliterations such as Qattab, Katab, or Kuttab) is found among people of Arab origin and in diaspora communities. Surnames derived from occupational terms like kattab are part of a broader pattern in which ancestral roles influencing family identity become family names. The use and spelling of the name vary with language and country of residence.

See also: Katib, Kuttab, Maktab.

Note: The exact usage and prominence of the term can differ by region and historical period, reflecting broader linguistic and educational practices in the Arab and Islamic world.