The Exogamous sub-divisions of the caste are termed as gotras in vernacular language, which is a sub-division of the caste.
There are 26 exogamous sub-divisions, termed “Gotras” are as under:
Kashyapa
Krip
Deval
Waidhruva
Bhargava
Shandilya
Paingya
Atri
Vishwamitra
Garga
Bharadwaja
Goutam
Jamadagnij
Vasishta
Bhrigu
Agastt
Raibha
Bhagur
Saufehyayana
Maitrayana
Gandhamadan
Vyaghra
Kapil
Pulah
Samir
Varun
The Gotras, however, do not indicate that a family using any one of the Gotras is the descendant of the particular “Rishi”, whose name it uses, but it indicates that the ancestor of the family had accepted the particular Rishi as his Guru, and therefore he adopted the particular Gotra. This caste is purely Kshatriya, and is, therefore one of the three regenerate classes, viz., Brahmans, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas who are authorized to perform the “Upanayana” ceremony obligatory upon the aforesaid “Dwija” twice born classes. The practice of not allowing marriage between families of the same Gotra is therefore observed out of reverence to the Rishis who were made preceptors at the time for the ” Upanayana ” ceremony by the ancestors of the families.
There are no endogamous divisions of the caste. At one time “Dawne Prabhus” were considered as an endogamous sub-division, as this caste took food with them, but did not allow marriage with them. This caste after satisfying themselves that the ” Dawne Prabhus” were simply called so on account of their residence in the district of “Daman” and that “Damane ” was changed into “Dawane” that they have all along been “Chandraseniya Kayastha Prabhus” and had gone to reside there, allowed marriage connections with them. They are now treated without any distinction.