Religion : Hindu / Christian/ Muslim
Language : Konkani
Regional Spread : Most Konkanis live in Goa. Some Konkani people are also settled along the Konkan coast with concentrated population in Mangalore, south coastal Maharashtra, north coastal Kerala and northern Karnataka.
Traditional Occupation : Mainly Farming. Konkanis are now increasingly moving towards tourism. The Konkani people in other states are mainly a business community. A large number of Konkanis have immigrated to the United States and other Western countries. Some Goan Konkanis also work in the oil and service industries in the Arab Gulf States.
Population : About 4.5 million
Food Habits : Some, though not all, Konkani Hindu Brahmins are known to eat fish. These are primarily Gowda Saraswat Brahmins ,Rajapur Saraswat Brahmins,Chitrapur Saraswath Brahmins.
Marriage Preference : Prefer marriage in their own community.
History of Konakis can be traced back to 4000 BC. These tribes are said to have moved to the region of present day Goa sometimes in 11th century AD. Well-documented history of Konkani people starts from the time of the Maratha empire in the 15th century. A large fraction of the population now live in the Konkan coastal pockets of the Ratnagiri and Sawantwadi districts of Maharashtra, Goa, and coastal Karnataka and Kerala. These settlements can be dated from the early 16th Century.
The Konkani people are an Indian ethnic group. The word 'Konkani' is said to have been derived from "kum", meaning 'Mother Earth' and "Kana", meaning 'dust' or 'atom'. Konkani families are known to be large and extended. Most of the families have names like Kamath, Nayak, Bhat, Shanbhag, Puranik, Pai, Shenoy, Baliga, Acharya and Prabhu. Some of these names are derivatives of their profession or are conferred upon them by their Swami or religious head of the community. The Kamaths, Pais and the Shanbhags are known for their restaurants and hotels which are spread across the country.
Some Konkani population are called Daivadyna Brahmins who stay at the Karnataka-Goa border. Surnames start with Shet, Revankar, Palankar, Vernekar, Raikar. Most of them are traditional jewelers.