Thampi and Thankachi

The Thampis and Thankachis are the titles given to the sons and daughters of the Maharajahs of Southern Travancore (Present-day Kanyakumari) and their queen consorts. They belong to the Samanthan Nair caste. The titles "Thampi" and "Thankachi" was also given by the royal families in the region of Padmanabhapuram (Travancore Kingdom) to their Nair relatives. The Thampi surname is also used by certain non-Nair communities, and they have no relation to the aristocratic Nair Thampis.

The very term ''Thampi'' and ''Thankachi'' means "brother" and "sister" respectively, which indicated the position of the Thampi families as the non-crown inheriting royal relatives of the Royal House of Travancore as per the matrilineal law followed.

The consort of the ruling Maharajah (king) as well as Elayarajah (crown prince) was known as the ''Ammachi'', with the title of Panapillai Amma. To the names of the sons of the Maharajahs was prefixed the title of ''Sri'' suffixed with Thampi. The daughters were known as Kochammas. The other members as well as the descendants of the Ammaveedus, however, were simply known as Thampi and Thankachi. Provided by Wikipedia