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'''Hazarika''' was a Paik officer under the administration of the Ahom kingdom and Koch kingdom.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kakoty |first1=Sanjeeb |title=Technology, Production And Social Formation In The Evolution Of The Ahom State |date=2003 |publisher=Regency Publications |isbn=9788187498735 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6DtuAAAAMAAJ&q=Technology,+Production+And+Social+Formation+In+The+Evolution+Of+The+Ahom+State |language=en}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=June 2025}} The commander over 1,000 (''Hazar'') ''paiks'' was known as a ''Hazarika''. As it was a purely administrative position, the title holder could belong to diverse ethnic groups and religions.{{citation needed|date=June 2025}}
The surname mostly belongs to the Ahom, Chutia and Koch ethnic groups. Apart from the Ahom Hazarikas, there is mention of ''Chutia Hazarikas'' in several instances of Buranjis. For example, during the reign of the Ahom king Susenphaa, the Banrukia Hazarika was of Chutia origins.<ref>Barua, Gopalchandra, ''Ahom Buranji'', p. 29</ref> At the start of the Moamoria rebellion, Kirtichandra Barbarua first sent a force led by a Chutia Hazarika to fight the rebels, who was killed in the battle.<ref>Barua, Gopalchandra, ''Ahom Buranji'', p. 294.</ref> During the Dafala invasion of 1672 AD, a Chutia Hazarika was involved in the battle with the Dafalas.<ref>Barua, Gopalchandra, ''Ahom Buranji'', pp. 219-220.</ref> After the fall of the Chutia kingdom, Hazarikas were appointed among Chutia blacksmiths and other guilds to look after the works.<ref>{{harvcol|Sarma|1993|p=287}} Dewanar Atla: "Suhungmung or Swarganarayan, after defeating Dhirnarayana and his minister Kasitora, received a number of ''Dola'', ''Kali''..''Hiloi'' and gunpowder (''Kalai-khar''). Besides these, he also made a number of blacksmiths (''Komar'') prisoners, settled them either at Bosa (in present-day Jorhat district) or Ujjoni regions and ordered them to make iron implements and weapons (Dah, Katari, Hiloi, Bortop). A section of them were appointed as Saikias and Hazarikas to look after the works. It was only during the time of Suhungmung that the guild of blacksmiths and its trade started in Assam (Ahom kingdom). There were three thousand blacksmiths during this period."</ref>
''Hazarika'' was also an administrative position in the Koch army. There is mention of a Koch Hazarika in wars against the Ahoms.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Uo2zCgAAQBAJ&dq=koch+hazarika&pg=PT52 "The Koch Hazarika in charge of the fleet had watched as the Ahom boats pushed out into the river,"]</ref>
Previously, the surname was also written by some Sonowal Kacharis, but it was later replaced by the ''Sonowal'' surname. The Kaibarta people also use this surname.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g9MVAQAAMAAJ&q=hazarika+kaibarta |title=People of India: India's communities |date=1998 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-563354-2 |language=en}}</ref>
==Notable Hazarika people== <!---♦♦♦ Only add a person to this list if they already have their own article on the English Wikipedia ♦♦♦---> <!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order ♦♦♦--->
*Sushila Hazarika, politician * Pijush Hazarika, politician * Prabin Hazarika, politician *Atul Chandra Hazarika (1903–1986), Assamese litterateur *Baroness Ayesha Hazarika (born 1975), British-Assamese member of the House of Lords *Bagh Hazarika, 17th-century Assamese military commander *Balaram Hazarika, Assamese animal tracker *Bhupen Hazarika, Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, singer, poet and filmmaker *Debananda Hazarika, Indian politician *Dhruba Hazarika (born 1956), Indian novelist *Diganta Hazarika, actor *Elvis Ali Hazarika (born 1981), Assamese swimmer *Jiten Hazarika, Professor, VC, Dibrugarh University *Jogendra Nath Hazarika, Indian politician, Chief Minister of Assam *Mafizuddin Ahmed Hazarika (1870–1958), Assamese poet *Mrinal Hazarika *Pritam Hazarika (born 1969), Indian cricketer
==See also== *{{intitle|Hazarika }} *Assamese people
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography== *{{Citation |last=Sarma |first=Benudhar |title=Maniram Dewan|publisher=Manuh Prakashan |place=Guwahati |year=1993}}
Category:Surnames of Indian origin Category:Assamese-language surnames Category:Ahom kingdom