Tarkhan is a north Indian tribe which has been historically present in a Punjab and its nearby areas. Tarkhans are an ethnic minority and most of Tarkhans are followers of Sikhism and small number is a follower of Hinduism. Very small of number of ethnic Tarkhans are found in Pakistan, these Tarkhans are followers of Islam. Tarkhans are subdivided into various clans. The Tarkhan is a group of peoples commonly found in the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. They are traditionally carpenters by occupation. They became jangid brahman in 20th century The Hindu Tarkhans are generally identified as Khatis or Suthar, Lohar following the Vishwakarma (Craftsmen) community of India.

 

According to the 1921 census of India, which may not be reliable, some Tarkhan Sikhs owned large areas of land and, in some cases, whole villages. Tarkhan Sikhs are among those groups identified as Ramgarhias, after the Misl leader Jassa Singh Ramgarhia. Despite Sikhism generally rejecting the caste system, it does have its own very similar socio-economic hierarchy and in that the Ramgarhias, of which the Tarkhans are a part. Tarkhan Caste along with its synonyms Dhiman, Barhai, Thawin, Kangere, Chitere.

In 2001, the Punjab Government included Ramgarhia, Tarkhan and Dhiman in the list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) to improve their economic conditions. They were also added in the list of backward classes by the governments of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

 

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