Gujar / Gujjar Population of Punjab According to the 1901 Census of Punjab

In this post, I will look at the distribution of the Gujjar population in Punjab. In 1901, the total Gujar population in Punjab numbered 631,524, which was about 3% of the total population of Punjab. Like other communities in Punjab, the Gujar were found in all three religious, with Muslims numbering 460,450 (73%), Hindus 169,244 (27%) and Sikhs 1,870. By 1931, the last census that counted caste, Gujars numbered 696,442, of which Muslims were 521,347 (75%), Hindus were 170,439 (24.5%) and Sikh were 4,646 (0.5%). Historically associated with pastoralism, the Gujjar were by the begining of the 20th Century becoming a caste associated with cultivation. However as the Pundit Harkishan Kaul, author of the 1911 Census writes:

Allied to Cultivators are the castes and tribes who, although pastoral by origin, have, for

generations, also cultivated land. These are Dogar, Gujar, Pachadha and Ahir, and cattle

rearing forms an important part of their means of livelihood, even now.

Therefore cattle rearing was still an important activity for the caste at the beginning of the century.

Gujar groups

The region of Gujrat, literally meaning the place of the Gujjars was and remains the centre of the tribe. The majority of the Gujjars were found in the foothills of the Himalyas, stretching from Attock to Ambala. A second group, largely nomadic was found in the Punjab Hill States, mainly in Chamba, Nalagarh, Bilaspur and Mandi, who were largely nomadic. These two groups were largely Muslim, although in Ambala there was a large Hindu minority. A third group found Lahore onwards to Ludhiana, largely cultivators and also Muslim. A fourth group were found in present day Haryana, largly still rearing cattle, with a slight Hindu majority. This last grroup spoke Haryanvi.

Punjab circa 1911: Source Wikipedia

In terms of a percentage of the total district population, the Gujjar were as follow:

Rawalpindi Division

Gujrat 15%

Rawalpindi 4%

Jhelum 4%

The total Gujar population of the Division was 168,813 (including Shahpur and Mianwali) which was 27% of the total population in 1901. This was almost entirely Muslim, with only 214 Hindus.

Jalandhar Division (including Kapurthala, Malerkotla and Faridkot States)

Hoshiarpur 8%

Ludhiana 5%

Kapurthala State 3%

Jalandhar 2%

Firuzpur 2%

Kangra 1%

The total Gujar population of the Division (including the princely states of Faridkot, Kapurthala and Malerkotla) was 163,701, which was 26% of the total population in Punjab. In the Jalandhar Division, the Gujars were largely Muslim, numbering 140,732 (86%), while Hindus were 22,969 (14%), most of whom were located in the Hoshiarpur District. The Gujar population in Kangra was still largely nomadic in 1901.

Ambala Division (including Kalsia State)

Kalsia State 8%

Ambala 6%

Karnal 4%

Delhi 4%

Gurgaon 3%

Hisar 2%

Rohtak 0.5%

The total population of the Ambala Division (including the Kalsia State) was 148,427, which was about 24% of the total Gujar population of Punjab. This was the only Division where the majority of the Gujars were Hindus, numbering 107,009 (72%), while Muslims were 41,418 (27%). Only in Ambala and the Kalsia States did Muslims have a slight majority. Most of the Gujars spoke Haryanvi in this region.

Lahore Division

Gurdaspur 5%

Sialkot 1%

Lahore 0.7%

Amritsar 0.5%

Gujranwala 0.3%

The total Gujar population in the Division (including Montgomery) was 76,965, which was about 12% of the total. They were almost entirely Muslim, with only 464 Hindus.

Phulkian State

Nabha State 2%

Patiala State 2%

Jind State 1%

The Phulkian States, were three Sikh ruled states, which got their name from the Phulkian Dynasty, who were descended from the Sidhu Jats. Families of the dynasty ruled Patiala, Jind, and Nabha. The total Gujar population in these states was 45,255, which was about 7% of the total. In this region, the Gujar population was evenly divided by religion, Muslim numbered 23,568 (52%), while Hindus were 21,687 (48%).

District / States	Muslim	Hindu	Sikh	Total
Gujrat	110,478	36		110,514
Hoshiarpur	52,378	20,072	390	77,840
Gurdaspur	50,517	28		50,545
Ambala	23,829	21,670	164	45,663
Rawalpindi	37,978	167		38,145
Patiala State	19,391	16,347	619	36,357
Ludhiana	32,313	682	113	33,108
Karnal	7,673	22,291		29,964
Delhi	2,559	25,671		28,230
Gurgaon	135	24,813		24,948
Jhelum	19,891	11		19,902
Jalandhar	19,415	442		19,857
Firuzpur	12,836	278	33	13,147
Hissar	3,641	7,305		10,946
Sialkot	10,030	57		10,087
Nalagarh State	3,623	5,400	440	9,463
Kangra	7,584	1,054		8,638
Lahore	8,246	112		8,358
Kapurthala State	7,286	400	27	7,713
Nabha State	3,700	3,236	23	6,959
Chenab Colony	6,402	154	24	6,580
Kalsia State	2,835	2,425		5,260
Amritsar	4,716	203		4,919
Bilaspur State	89	3,379		3,468
Rohtak	582	2,834		3,416
Nahan State	1,377	1,266		2,643
Malerkotla State	2,532			2,532
Gujranwala	2,482	41		2,523
Mandi State	805	1,232		2,037
Jind State	477	1,462		1,939
Chamba State	1,296			1,296
Faridkot State	834	41		875
Multan	725	37		762
Bahawalpur State	749	24		773
Montgomery	510	23		533
Jhang	518			518
Shahpur	476			476
Dera Ghazi Khan	380			380
Muzaffargarh	370			370
Mianwali	226			226
Other Districts
Total	460,450	169,244	1,870	631,524