The name of our community is derived from the Tamil word 'vanmai' which means strength. We have nearly 92 different names / sub-caste titles. They include names such as Vanne, Kapur, Hebbar or Hebbe and Nayakar. In Andhra Pradesh, we are generally known as Pallis.

Depending upon the roots, the members of the our caste use titles such as Padayatchi, Gounder, Naicker / Nayagar, Kander / Kandar, Palli in Tamil Nadu, in Karnataka they are called Tigala or Thigilaru with a common suffix of Gowda and Nayakar. In Andhra Pradesh, we are usually known as Pillai, Agnikula, Kshatriya, Vanne Kapu or Naik. There are 92 different names or sub caste/sub titles in our community.

28% population in Tamil Nadu and 65% population in Pondicherry belong to our caste. Members of our community are primarily rooted in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. We speak our native Dravidian languages namely, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada respectively.
We are present in large numbers and follow Hinduism. Members of our caste are very well educated and knowledgeable. Today members of our brethren stand as shining stars in various fields. We also have many distinguished jurists, educationists, scientists, engineers, politicians, doctors, philosophers, poets, and scholars as part of our large family.

Did you know?

• In the grand temple in Vaitheeswaran Koil, a small town near Sirkazhi, one can find inscriptions about Vanniyar Puranam.
• Vannia Kula Kshatriya is the only Tamil community with an exclusive puranam on their own. The puranam was written in classical Tamil
• Our forefathers had played a prominent role in the military of the Chola Dynasty (dating from about the 9th century CE to the 13th), under whose rule the whole of South India was unified for the first time.