The word Agamudayar is derived from the root Agam which in Tamil means Land and or House signifying that Agamudayars were Landlords and Householders. The suffix Udaiyar indicates ownership. The word is also used in another form, Agam Padaiyar, signifying the meaning of a particular profession, whose office it was to attend to the business in the Interior's of the King's Palace or in the Pagoda". The name," Mr. J. H. Nelson writes, "is said by the Rev. G. U. Pope, in his edition of the Abbe Dubois' work to be derived from agam, a temple, and padi, a step, and to have been given to them in consequence of their serving about the steps of temples. But, independently of the fact that Madura pagodas are not approached by flights of steps, this seems to be a very far-fetched and improbable derivation of the word. Or, perhaps, the name comes from agam in the sense of earth, and padi, master or possessor."
Agamudayars having a population of more than 10 million are distributed in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka. Also they had settled in the countries of Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Myanmar and living there for many decades.
- Titles wise distribution
Agamudayars living in the districts of Ramanathapuram, Pudukkottai, Thoothukudi, Sivaganga use Servai as title.
Agamudayars living in the districts of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Vellore, Villupuram, Thiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Salem, Perambalur, Krishnagiri use 'Agamudaya Mudaliyar' especially in South Arcot and North Arcot Districts' as title.
Sub-sections
- Rajakulam
- Kottai patru
- Irumbuthalai
- Ivali Naadu
- Naattu Mangalam
- Rajapoja
- Rajavasal
- Kalian
- Sani
- Malai Naadu
Titles of Agamudayar
- Servai
- Mudaliar
- Desigar
- Udaiyar
- Maniakkarar
- Thevar
Gazetted officer
- Dr.K.Ramanathan M.A,M.PHIL,PH.D,Principal of Pasumpon Thiru Muthuramalinga Thevar Memorial College Kamuthi.
Politicians
- P. U. Shanmugam, former minister
- Tha. Kiruttinan, former Minister of State Highways
- Pon. Muthuramalingam, former minister
- Dr. K. Ponmudi, Minister For Higher Education, Tamilnadu.
- J. Anbazhagan, Secretary, Chennai South, DMK. former MLA,
MPs
- TR Baalu, MP, Sriperumbudur
- T. K. S. Elangovan, MP, Chennai North
- O. S. Manian, MP, Mayiladuthurai
MLAs
- Ko. Si. Mani, minister for co-operation, statistics and ex-servicemen in the Tamil Nadu state of India
- C. Gnanasekharan, MLA, Vellore constituency
- N. R. Rengarajan, MLA, Pattukkottai constituency
- Thagamthenarasu MLA,Education minister.
- Latha Adhiyaman, MLA, Thirumangalam Constituency
Religion
- Nandhi Thevar, Agamudayar of Lord Shiva
- Pamban Swami
Tamil Literature
- C. Ilakkuvanar
- Kaveripakkam Namachivaya Mudaliar
- Arani Kuppusami Mudaliar
- Pulamaipithan
- Muthulingam
- Ke.A.Pe.Viswanathan
Cine Field and Arts
- P. U. Chinnappa Bhagavathar, Yesteryears actor
- S. S. Rajendran, Yesteryears actor
- Thengai Srinivasan, Yesteryears actor
- Sando Chinnappa Thevar, Yesteryears actor
- S. S. Chandran, Yesteryears comic actor
- Vairamuthu,kavignar
- KS Ravikumar, film director
- Vivek, comic actor
- Kovi. Manisekaran, writer and film director
- N. Veeraswamy, Kannada film producer
- V. Ravichandran, Kannada actor
- Vijaya bhaskar, yesteryears Kannada Music Director
- M. S. Bhaskar, artist and voice actor
- Vasanthabalan, film director
- Kalaipuli S. Dhanu, film producer
- Simbuthevan, film director
- S. P. Jananathan, film director
- Kathaga. Thirumavalavan, Film Director
- Sangili Murugan, film producer
- Sivanarayana Murthy, actor
Philanthropists
Business
- Sivasankaran: Chairman of Sterling group
