[8] According to N. Ramaswani, the word is etymologically Bhūm-jo meaning "people originating from Bhum areas, i.e. Singhbhum, Dhalbhum, Manbhum, Barabhum, etc.

[9] The social structure of the Bhumijas is characterized by its dynamism, incorporating both tribal traits inherited from their parent tribe, the Munda, and elements from caste-based society.

Each one of these groups consists of a number of exogamous sub-groups called "kili", the names of which are chosen from diverse sources representing fauna and flora, heavenly bodies, earth, etc.

[13][better source needed] The Bhumijs are primarily inhabitants of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Bihar.

They are divided into many clans (killi) such as Kaitra, Garur, Kasim, Bhugal, Baundra, Ban, Nag, Shona, Shar, Tresha, etc.

[16] Herbert Hope Risley noted in 1890 that the Bhumij inhabit that tract of the country which lies on both sides of the Subarnarekha River.

But in 19th century Bhumijas migrated to tea gardens of Assam and coal mines of Bihar for work, they settled down and live there till date.

The well known Chuar revolt, a series of peasant rebellions started between 1766 and 1816 by the inhabitants of the countryside surrounding the West Bengali settlements of Midnapore, Bankura and Manbhum against the rule of the East India Company (EIC).

[19] The rebels rose in revolt due to the exploitative land revenue policies of the EIC, which threatened their economic livelihoods.

O’Malley, an EIC administrator who wrote the Bengal District Gazetteer, "In March 1766 Government resolved to send an expedition into the country west and north-west of Midnapore in order to coerce them into paying revenue, and to capture and demolish as many of their strongholds as possible."

[20] In 1798, when the Puncheet estate was sold to pay taxes required of it by the East India Company, the Bhumij led a revolt against the British.

A younger son of the patrani, Madhaba Singh, was appointed diwan but became widely detested as a cheat who abused his position.

In Jharkhand and Bihar, the Bhumij even today depend upon agriculture, fishing, hunting and forest produces.

Thus, the Bhumijs who are mainly agriculturists also hunt and trap birds and animals in the jungles, and the landless among them work as labourers.

Marginal income from wage labour, minor non-forest products and animal husbandry are the main source of livelihood for the rural Bhumij.

Young girls are fond of ornaments such as nose-rings, earrings, bead necklaces, armlets and bangles made of brass.

Usually the wedding would be at the bride's house, where a square space, called a marwa, would be created in a courtyard by dabbing it with rice-water.

A priest, would chant mantras, then the bride would light and blow out the lamps at the corners of the marwa 5 or 7 times, depending on the custom.

[12] Sex before marriage was not considered taboo, but it was understood that if the girl became pregnant she would marry the father of the child.

After death, the rich section of the Bhumijs generally cremates the bodies of adults, and the poor ones bury them due to cost of firewood.

The Bhumijs also worship Paori, a female deity, in Jaistha (May–June) and again in Asadh (June–July) for timely rains and general welfare of the village.

An unmarried male goes to the jungle and brings a branch of the Karam tree and plants near the house of the Dehuri or at any particular place meant for it.

[12] The community priest, variously known as Laya, Naya or Dehuri, is from their own tribe rather than a Brahmin, and he solely conducts all the rituals and ceremonies for all deities.

For his services he receives a few plots of rent-free land and the heads of sacrificed animals in the communal religious rites.

For this, in addition to performance of religious rituals, he makes certain sacrifices like avoiding certain food and observing fast on certain occasions.

People dance to the tune of a madal (drum) and sing religious and romantic songs depending on the occasion.

The institutions of soya and phul among the Bhumijs of Manbhum help in establishing ceremonial friendship with people of other communities.

[12] The followers of Sarnaism among the Bhumij have been organising protests and petitions to have their religion recognised by the government of India in census forms.

[26] In Bihar, they are recognized as Scheduled Castes [sic],[27][28] and in Tripura and Assam (as the Ex-tea garden community), they fall under the category of Other Backward Classes.