Itasseri Nair
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Travancore. | |
| Languages | |
| Malayalam | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Nairs |
Itasseri Nairs or Itacheri Nairs were one of the subcastes belonging to the Nair community in Kerala. They used to be gentry, feudal lords, administrators or owners of temples and even vendors of milk, butter and curd.
According to the 1891 Census, Itasseri Nairs composed around 2.1% of the total Nair population. The Idasseri Nair subcaste is found only in Travancore, where they constitute less than 5% of the total Nair population. History has never ever recorded Itasseri Nairs being inferior to Malayali Brahmins by any means, in fact they exercised dominance over some Brahmin communities like the Arya Pattar and Iyer. Along with the Illathu Nairs, they form the largest section of Kshatriya Nairs in Travancore.
According to the caste hierarchy, the Itasseri Nairs are considered inferior to the Samanthan Nairs, but superior to some other Nair castes like Swaroopathil Nairs & Chakkala Nairs.