Family Introduction

Kenkre families use 14 different surnames. Families with roots in Goa use Kenkre while those migrated out of Goa centuries back to places in Karnataka (primarily Belgaum) and Madhya Pradesh (primarily Harda) use Kekre.

Kenkres of Goa - There are 7 trees of Kenkre families based on their original residence. These are 1) Kumbharjuve 2) Kolval 3) Hadfade 4) Kutthali 5) Kunkali 6) Kankon 7) Bori. Of these, the first three are main trunks. Number 4, 5 and 6 have branched out of Kumbharjuve trunk. Even the families of Belgaum and Madhya Pradesh Kekres have also branched out of Kumbharjuve trunk.

Kenkre families use 12 other surnames apart from Kekre and Kenkre. The Torsekars, the Khots , the Shahapurkars and the Waghvadekars have branched out of Kumbharjuve trunk.

The Khot family migrated to Belgaum. Main deity at Belgaum was with Khot family. All the Kekres of Belgaum, the Shahapurkars and the Waghvadekars worshipped this deity by feeding “Telwat” every year at Dussehra. Hence the Kekres, the Shahapurkars, the Waghvadekars and the Khots originate from the same trunk.

In a family record of Khot family available with Shri Anil Khot of Belgaum, there is a reference of one Shri Govindrao Khot migrating to Harda (Madhya Pradesh) with his family. The family tree of Kekres of Harda begins with Shri Baburao Khot Kekre. This shows that Kekre family of Harda has branched out from the Khot family of Belgaum.

The Kenkres of Kutthali and the Agashikars have their origins in the same trunk.

The Ambes might have ancestrally owned mango gardens. Because of general defilement by Portuguese, many Saraswat families from Shashti fled to Kunkkali and other inner areas of Goa. This happened about 400 - 450 years back. Assuming one generation of about 25 years, 16 generations have passed since then. At present, we have information for only 7 past generations of these families. Most probably the Kenkres of Kunkkali and the Ambes of Kunkali have their origins from the same trunk.

The Kenkres of Kolwal, the Kenkres of Hadfade, the Advalparkars of Asnoda and the Lavannis of Dicholi belong to one area in Goa. Most probably, these should have their origins form the same trunk. There is an opinion that the Kenkre families from Kolval spread in the nearby area.

The Gunjikars, the Kavades, and the Phadnis have their roots near Belgaum. Therefore they must have emerged from Belgaum branch.

14 Kenkre Surnames

1. Kenkre or Kekre
2. Advalpalkar
3. Agashikar
4. Ambe
5. Gunjikar
6. Halyalkar-Deshpande
7. Kavade
8. Khot
9. Lavannis
10. Phadnis
11. Priyolkar
12. Shahpurkar
13. Torsekar
14. Waghwadekar

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By Madhusudan Kekre