Iyer (pronounced [aiʝar] (Tamil: ஐயர், Kannada: ಅಯ್ಯರ್), Malayalam: അയ്യര) (variously spelt as Iyer, Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer or Aiyer) is the designation given to Hindu Brahmin communities of Tamil or Telugu origin who are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara. Apart from the prevalent practice of using their caste-name as surname, Iyers also use other surnames as Sāstri, or Bhattar They are found mostly in Tamil Nadu as they ...
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Iyer (pronounced [aiʝar] (Tamil: ஐயர், Kannada: ಅಯ್ಯರ್), Malayalam: അയ്യര) (variously spelt as Iyer, Ayyar, Aiyar, Ayer or Aiyer) is the designation given to Hindu Brahmin communities of Tamil or Telugu origin who are followers of the Advaita philosophy propounded by Adi Shankara. Apart from the prevalent practice of using their caste-name as surname, Iyers also use other surnames as Sāstri, or Bhattar They are found mostly in Tamil Nadu as they are generally native to the Tamil country. But they are also found in significant numbers in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.
The name 'Iyer' was used as a designation for all Tamil Smartha Brahmins in the medieval period when different sects of Brahmins residing in the then Tamil country organized themselves as a single community. A breakaway sect of Sri Vaishnavas later formed a new community called "Iyengars".
As per popular tradition, Iyers are the descendants of Indo-Aryan migrants from North India. However, genetic researches have...
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