Mukkuvar is a maritime ethnic group found in the Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Eastern and North Western coastal regions of Sri Lanka.
[2][3] They are mostly found on the Malabar Coast, and Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, who have traditionally been involved in fishing and other maritime activities.
Thus the Mukkuvars from present day Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kochi migrated to Venad region of present-day Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Kanyakumari districts and few settled over there.
[17] In the 8th century made mercantile Arabs appearances in Kerala, where they among other married natives such as those from the Mukkuvar community, and formed social groups such as the Mappilas.
As mentioned in Mattakallappu Manmiyam, they also served in the 13th century in the army of the invader Kalinga Magha, who seized control of northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka.