Brahman (Bahun) is a colloquial Nepali term for a member of the Pahari or "hill" Brahmin caste, who are traditionally educators, scholars and priests of Hinduism. By tradition—and by civil law until 1962—they represented the highest of the four Hindu varna or castes. Bahuns from the "hills" have been represented disproportionately in Nepal's education system, political parties and civil service since Prithvi Narayan Shah period.
Excluding the indigenous janajati ethnic groups Newar, Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Mananggay, Mustang-gi, Thakali, Dolpo, Walungi and similar ethnic groups comprise over 50% of the population of the Middle Hills, the Khas Bahun represent 31% of the Hindu population while the second-ranked Khas Chhetri or Kshatriya and Thakuri castes who were traditionally rulers and soldiers make up another 42%. This leaves only 27% engaged in occupational castes such as blacksmiths, tailors/musicians, tanners/cobblers, potters, sweepers and goldsmiths. This top-heavy social structure contrasts strongly with that of Nepal's Terai plains and the adjacent territories of northern India.
The Brahman community is the major chunk of the community of Nepal. They moved eastward along Xinxiang province of China, the Western Tibet, the himalayan foothills from Kashmir and Kumao/Garwal. They settled first in the Karnali River basin, then the Gandaki. finally the Kosi basin as well as into Sikkim and Bhutan after the treaty between LIMBUWAN FEDERAL KINGDOM and NEPAL
Family names of the Bahun
- A अ - Acharya (आचार्य), Arjel (अर्जेल)/Arjyal (अर्ज्याल)/Aryal (अर्याल)
- Ā आ - Atreya (आत्रेय),
- B ब - Banskota (बास्कोटा)
- Bh भ - Bhatta (भट्ट), Bhattarai (भट्टराई)
- Ch च - Chalise (चालिसे), Chapagain (चापगाईँ)
- D द - Dahal (दाहाल), Devkota (देवकोटा)
- D ड - Dumre (डुम्रे)
- Dh ढ - Dhakal (ढकाल)
- G ग - Gaudel (गौडेल), Guragain/Gurangain (गुरागाईँ), Gyanwali (ज्ञवाली), Gaire (गैरे)
- Gh घ - Ghimire (घिमिरे)
- H ह - Humagai (हुमागाई)
- K क - Kafle (कफ्ले/काफ्ले), Koirala (कोइराला)
- Kh ख - Khanal (खनाल), Khatiwada (खतिवडा)
- L ल- Lamsal(लम्साल), Lohani (लोहनी)
- N न- Nepal (नेपाल), Neupane (न्यौपाने), Niraula (निरौला)
- P प - Parajuli(पराजुली), Pageni (पंगेनी), Pandey (पाँडे), Pandit (पण्डित), Pant (पन्त), Pathak (पाठक), Pokhrel/Pokharel (पोखरेल), Paudyal (पौड्याल)/Poudyal/Paudel (पौडेल), Pudasiani (पुडासैनी), Panthee
- R र - Regmi (रेग्मी), Rijal (रिजाल), Rimal (रिमाल)
- S स - Sapkota (सापकोटा),Subedi (सुवेदी),
- T त - Timilsina (तिमल्सेना), Tiwari (तिवारी), Tripathi (त्रिपाठी)
- U उ - Upadhyaya (उपाध्याय)
- Very often, Khas Bahuns can be identified by their middle names being Dev (देव), Nath (नाथ), Mani (मणि), Raj (राज), Prasad (प्रसाद), Devi (देवी) or Kumari (कुमारी). They never use bahadur (बहादुर) or Kumar in their names because it is associated mainly with Chhetris (Kshatriya) and "martial tribes".