Menon (title)

Menon (Malayalam: [meːnoːn]) is a Kshatriya subdivision of the nair community and an honorific aristocratic hereditary title, often used as an affix to one's name, bestowed by the various kings of Kerala to the members of Nair community. The recipient of the title held it lifelong, and the male members of the family held it in perpetuity along the both patrilineal and matrilineal line.

Historically, the Menons were feudal landlords or Jenmimar with some of them being Naduvazhi's. They were often engaged in various administrative and political duties, such as being ministers, accountants and advisors of the Kings of Kerala. Many members of the Menon subcaste are related to the Cochin royal family, Zamorin of Calicut, Paliam royal family, & Kodungallur royal family since the members of royal families in Central Kerala were often married to aristocratic Menon families. Thus, the children of such Rajahs and Maharajahs held the Menon title and passed it to subsequent generations via Patrilineal way sometimes also matrilinealy. majority of them get this title by patrilineal

Many royal families also emerged from this subcaste. The famous Paliath Achans from the Paliam Royal family of Cochin and the Shekhari Varmas of the Palakkad Royal family, both belong to this subcaste.