The Nayak, or Naik is a historic Indian title conferred on military generals and governors of feudal states in the Middle Ages. Today it is also a surname. Nayaks are mostly Hindu and few Sikhs, who follow Hinduism and Sikhism respectively.
Today, the surname Nayak is used by various castes and ethnic groups across India. Mostly they belong from forward class and mainly follows Sikhism and Hinduism.[1]
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Naidu is a title assumed by a number of Telugu castes such as Balija, Bestha, Boya, Ekari, Gavara, Golla, Kaingi, Kamma, Kapu, Mutracha and Velama. They had migrated from Telugu country during the Vijayanagar rule.
Naidu.— Naidu or Nāyudu is a title, returned at times of census by many Telugu classes, e.g., Balija, Bestha, Bōya, Ēkari, Gavara, Golla, Kālingi, Kāpu, Mutrācha, and Velama. A Tamilian, when speaking of a Telugu person bearing this title, would call him Naicker or Naickan instead of Naidu
Gauda and Naika are the titles affixed to their names , and the common honorific suffixes Appa and Ayya for males and Avva and Akka for females are also in use
Some Vokkaliga families also have surnames like Nayak and Heggade in this district.