Until a few decades ago, the Nairs were divided into several sub-castes and inter-dining and inter-marriages were practically non-existent amongst them. The 1891 Census of India, undertaken by the British listed a total of 138 Nair subcastes in the Malabar region, 44 in the Travancore region and a total of 55 of them in the Cochin region.
The caste hierarchy within the 20 major divisions among the Nairs is as following (From the highest ranked subcaste to the lowest ranked one)
Royal Subcastes
(1) Koil Thampuran or Perumal (Rajah, Thampan.etc) - Samanta Kshatriya
(2) Samanthan Nair (Thampi, Thampurans, Thirumulpad, Adiyodi, Nedungadi.etc) - Malayala Kshatriya
Other Kshatriya Subcastes
(3) Kiryathil Nair (Nambiar, Kaimal, Kartha, Kurup.etc) - Malayala Kshatriya
(4) Illathu Nair (Thirumukom, Pillai.etc) - Malayala Kshatriya
(5) Swaroopathil Nair, Menokki & Charna Nair (Menon, Menoky.etc) - Malayala Kshatriya
(6) Padamangalam Nair - Malayala Kshatriya
(7) Tamil Padam Nair - Malayala Kshatriya
Non-Kshatriya Subcastes
(8) Itasseri Nair - Malayala Kshatriya / Malayala Sudra
(9) Maaran - Ambalavasi Brahmin
(10) Chempukotti Nair - Malayala Sudra
(11) Otattu Nair - Malayala Sudra
(12) Pallicchan - Malayala Sudra
(13) Puliyath Nair & Matavan Nair - Malayala Sudra
(14) Kalamkotti Nair & Anduran Nair - Malayala Sudra
(15) Chakkala Nair & Vattakkatan Nair - Malayala Sudra
(16) Asthikkuracchi Nair & Chitikan Nair - Malayala Sudra
(17) Chetty Nair - Arya Vysya
(18) Chaliyan Nair - Malayala Sudra
(19) Veluthedathu Nair (OBC)- Malayala Sudra
(20) Vilakkithala Nair (OBC)- Malayala Sudra
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THAMPI
Since the Varma kings or Maharajahs of South Kerala (Travancore) also belong to the Warrior race of the Nairs, they followed the matrilineal system (Marumakkathayam) of inheritance. Hence when a king died his sister's son would become the next Varma (Samanthan Nair) ruler and his own son born of his wife, usually of the Illathu Nair caste would be called Thampi with the title "Kannaku Chempakaraman" which was also one of the highest titles of nobility in Travancore.
During the early 18th century a rebellion occurred in Travancore after Maharajah Marthanda Varma succeeded to the throne from his uncle, Rajah Rama Varma in 1729. Rajah Rama Varma had left two sons, namely Sri Padmanabhan Thampi and Sri Raman Thampi, known as the Kunju Thampis. Their mother Abhirama Ammachi also known as Vempadi Valiammachi belonged to the Royal House of Kosala. The Kunju Thampis wanted to succeed to the throne of their father by putting an end tothe matriarchal system in practice known as Marumakkathayam. With this view, they organised a private army with the help of the wicked 'Pillamar' and Azhagappa Mudaliar. The Thampies were also misguided by Sundarayyan, a cunning brahmin from Tamil Nadu.
The Kunju Thampis for some time remained low. But their instigators, the Ettuveetil Pillamar against whom the Maharajah had secured documented evidence of conspiracy to assassinate him and instigating the Kunju Thampis to seek Pandyan help, came to their heed once again. On the morning of 28 October 1730, Padmanabhan and Raman Thampi called on Maharajah Marthanda Varma who was then at Nagercoil Palace. The sentries at the door had been particularly informed not to permit the Kunju Thampis entry into his chamber, where he was sleeping on a swinging cot.
Raman Thampi, who after seeing the possible defeat at the hands of King Marthanda Varma, headed towards Kalkulam to kill the former. But he was stopped by Ramayyan, who killed Raman Thampi in a fierce encounter that followed.Hearing about his younger brother's death, Pappu Thampi rushed into the Maharajah's chamber and tried to attack him. He missed his aim and his sword struck the low ceiling of the room giving enough time to Marthanda Varma to recover from the shock, who eventually disarmed Pappu Thampi and later killed the elder Thampi with his mighty sword.
While this is the generally believed story, there is no clarity as to the reason why the sister of the Kunju Thampis, Ummini Thankachi also known as Kochumadathamma committed suicide. The mother of Thampies and Thanka, Vempadi Valia Ammachi also had a mysterious death at Vempadi Koikkal Palace. It is said
that Ummini Thanka spied for Marthanda Varmma. Although Veera Marthanda Varma wanted to protect Thanka, she committed suicide seeing the tragedy of her brothers and mother. She later acquired the status of a minor Goddess known as 'Melangode Yakshi'. Her temple is still there in Kaliyan kadu surrounded by a
forest of cacti which is known as 'Kallimullu' in Malayalam. However, the great Royal Family of Travancore wiped out the followers of Thampies and now Thampies are a minuscule minority with in the Nair community.
Thampies are also called "Thoruvam", a corrupted form of Swaroopam, in Trivandrum as they had Royal origins. There is a poem in praise of these Thampies of Nagercoil who fought against Vara Vanchi Veera Marthanda Varma, called "Thampimar kadai" which is very popular in South Western Tamil Nadu.
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