They are also noted as the family of erstwhile nawabs of the former princely state of Pataudi, from which they take their name.

[1] The first nawab was Faiz Talab Khan, an ethnic Pashtun from the Barech tribe of Kandahar, Afghanistan, who became the first Nawab of the Pataudi State in 1804,[2][1] after he aided the British East India Company in their battle against the Maratha Empire, during the Second Anglo-Maratha War.

[2] His descendants subsequently ruled the state until 1949, when it was merged with East Punjab and acceded to Dominion of India.

[3] The Pataudis retained their titles and were granted privy purses until both were abolished by the Indian government in 1971.

[6][7] The present members of the family consist mostly of actors who work predominantly in the Hindi-language film industry.