Their history lives on through you.

People, leadership & a changing Punjab

What do we mean by “chief”?

Here, “chief” means a historical leader: a ruler, a military commander, or the head of an influential family or estate. It is a broad term used in older accounts of Punjab. Some chiefs held titles such as Raja, Maharaja or Sardar; others led local estates or served in royal courts. Their powers, communities and family histories varied.

A brief journey through Punjab’s history

During the eighteenth century, as Mughal authority weakened, Sikh groups known as misls became important powers in Punjab. In everyday language, a misl was an association of fighting forces and leaders that controlled territory. Maharaja Ranjit Singh brought many of these territories together, and was proclaimed Maharaja in 1801, with Lahore at the centre of his kingdom. Other ruling houses and hill states retained their own histories and relationships.

British annexation in 1849 ended the Sikh kingdom, while several princely states continued under British paramountcy. Independence and Partition in 1947 changed borders and scattered many families. Old Punjab therefore reaches beyond today’s Punjab boundaries, connecting places now in India and Pakistan, including the plains and neighbouring hill regions.

The families behind the history

This website follows those families through ancestry, ancestral homes, schools and personal stories. A historical title introduces a life; the generations that follow tell what happened next. Your family’s photographs, memories and sourced corrections can help preserve that continuing story.

Explore misls and chief families →   Read about the Sikh kingdom →

Faridkot Royal Family — Explore the Sangar lineage →

Historical names and boundaries follow the source editions. Families can add corrections, new generations and life today for review.