Khan's in Pakistan

[Srinivas]

Pasthuns are said to be lost tribes of Jews not Khans.

 

[Surenas]

Pathans are said to be lost tribes of Jews not Khans.

Bnei Menashe are said to be that lost tribe to. Article posted today:

'Lost tribe' begin migration from India to Israel | News.com.au

 

[khanboy007]

About those lost tribes of Israel. Not only the Khans, but also Ethiopians, Indians and other claim to be that tribe. I think none of them is true.

no its true as u would read in some news that there are african jews residing in israel too.... and khans are ALL TIME FAMOUS in INDIA

 

[Srinivas]

Bnei Menashe are said to be that lost tribe to. Article posted today:

'Lost tribe' begin migration from India to Israel | News.com.au

There is a theory that Pashtuns are lost tribe of Jews I correct my earlier post.

Theory of Pashtun descent from Israelites - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[haviZsultan]

Za Khan yam... I don't think every khan is an ismaili. What's it matter anyway.

Welcome to PDF. Khushamadeed. And maa farsi nimedanam.

 

[Kambojaric]

My mother always told me that the people with Khan as their surnames are actually Ismailis, descendants of Hasan i Sabah? Does anyone know if that's true?

Khan or Han in Turkish is a honorific title found originally in Central Asia, but with the spread of Turkic and Mongol Empires came to be used throughout Asia. In Mughal times, the title of Khan was granted by the Emperor to notable subjects like generals, governors etc. (much like the title of "Lord" is granted by the Queen in UK). That explains why there are many Khans in N. India and E. Pakistan. In Afghanistan and W. Pakistan the surname of Khan is even more prevalent. In fact the joking stereotype name for Pakhtuns used by non Pakhtuns in Pakistan is very often "Khan sahab". I am not sure why it became so common in Afghanistan and W. Pakistan. But the point is that in Central and South Asia, the name Khan is not associated with Ismailis, but is in fact even more commonly used by Sunnis.
Coming to the Middle East, I understand which point of view you are coming from. I have a Lebanese friend whos surname is Khan and he is a Druze (which i believe is a branch or offshoot of Ismailism). I live amongst people from the Middle East in Sweden and have never heard any other other person from the Middle East called Khan. So yes, your mother was probably right when speaking in the Middle Eastern context, but otherwise the name Khan is used as a surname throughout Asia in one form or another without being associated with a specific religious community.