sarraf

Sarraf is a term used in Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and related languages to denote a money changer or currency broker. Etymologically it derives from the Arabic verb sarafa or noun form sarraf, meaning to exchange money; the agent is a sarraf who conducts currency exchange, often in markets or storefronts, and may engage in related financial services such as small lending or gold trade.

Historically, sarrafs were part of urban financial life in the Middle East and Central Asia, functioning as intermediaries between buyers and sellers of foreign currencies and precious metals. In Ottoman and Persian commercial practice, sarrafs kept accounts, quoted exchange rates, and sometimes extended credit.

In modern usage, the term remains an occupational title in Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, and South Asia, though the practice has largely been absorbed into formal banking and licensed money exchange businesses. In addition to its occupational sense, Sarraf is a surname in Turkish, Persian, and diasporic communities, where it may be encountered in various spellings. The surname does not inherently signify a current occupation and often reflects historical family association with currency dealing or trade.

Overall, sarraf denotes a traditional figure in money exchange and reflects how language preserves occupational terms as surnames and cultural identifiers.