Thampi and Thankachi

The Thampis and Kochammas are the sons and daughters of the maharajahs of Southern Travancore (Present-day Kanyakumari district and extreme south Trivandrum) and their consorts belonging to Nair caste.

The consort of the ruling Maharajah (King) as well as Elayarajah (Crown Prince) was known as the Ammachi with the title of Panapillai Amma.

[2] The Maharajahs of Travancore (current south Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari districts) adopted the matrilineal custom and inheritance prevalent in the land around the 14th Century AD.

Since the Marumakkathayam system of matrilineal inheritance existed in Travancore, the descendants of these individuals would not gain any distinguishing title other than Thampi (male) and Thankachi (female).

[4] According to a noted expert, in some of the areas on the borders of Travancore and Cochin Kingdom, they formed the third estate colloquially called "Thoruvam Nairs".