Knanaya Community is formed 1700 years back in Kerala with the arrival of Thomas of Cana in AD 345 with a group of people from Mesopotamia. Mar Knai Thomman (Thomas of Cana) was a merchant who had business with Kerala at that time. With his leadership, 72 families with around 400 people migrated to Kerala to strengthen local Christian community. The group included Bishop Urhah Mar Yousef and some priests. 72 families were from the 7 tribes of Israel (Bagi, Belkuth, Hadi, Kujalig, Koja, Mugmuth, Thegmuth)
They came to Kodungallur in Thrissur district. Cheraman Perumal was the King at that time and he welcomed the new immigrants with 72 privileges engraved in a copper plate which is called Knai Thomman Chepped.
With modern transportation and need for skilled workers in many parts of the world, Knanaya people migrated to many countries now. Since community is spread across many countries, it created many challenges to keep the community together. KnanayCommunity.org is an attempt to connect community through technology and make its survival possible as long as there is “Sun and Moon” as famously quoted by our Bishop Mar Kuriakose Kunnacherry.
- 🌳 Interactive Family Tree
- 📷 Photo Integration
- 🧬 Detailed Profiles
- 🔗 Smart Relationship Links
- 🖥️ Mobile & Desktop Friendly
- ✍️ Editable and Shareable
- 🛡️ Private & Secure
- 🏷️ Explore by Family Name
- 🌍 Geographic View
- 🧓 Lineage Tracing
- 📚 Historical Narratives
- 🗂️ Grouped by Lineage
- 🔍 Searchable Family Database
- 🤝 Reconnect with Long-Lost Relatives and Friends
- 👨👩👧👦 View Family Details and Photos to learn more
- 🌳 Explore Ancestry and Family Trees to understand deep-rooted connections
- 📍 Use GPS Navigation to visit family
- 📞 Contact via Phone, WhatsApp, or Email directly from the app
- ❤️ Find a Suitable Partner for yourself or your loved ones within the community
KnanayaCommunity.org is such a valuable gift to our community! I recently added my maternal family name, and the process took less than 10 minutes. This site is preserving something priceless — our family connections and heritage — so future generations can always know where they come from.
While many people spend huge amounts of time and money searching for their ancestry, we have the opportunity to build and access ours right now, together. It’s amazing to think that one day I’ll be able to show my grandchildren our family tree and connect them to relatives all over the world.
If you are Knanaya, I highly recommend joining. It’s quick, easy, and the benefits will last for generations!
We’re six siblings spread across different countries, tracing our roots to our forefathers from Punnathura and Kurumulloor in the late 1800s. For years we wanted to document that history—with photos—for future generations.
KnanayaCommunity.org finally made it possible. We’ve recorded our family up to today, and from here it’s as simple as updating births and deaths. Now anyone in our family can easily understand how we’re all connected.
I’m grateful for this system—it’s a true gift to our Knanaya community..
I’m so glad I came across KnanayaCommunity.org—and so is my whole family! What started as a simple search for my maternal family name led to the amazing discovery that Reshma Karakkattil (Ex. KCYLNA President), my fellow organizer of the first international youth convention in London, is actually my third cousin!
My uncle, Mr. Thomas Kizhakkekattil, had been collecting our family history for years, and thanks to this platform, we were able to upload everything and document seven generations of our family. It’s been a meaningful way to preserve our roots and bring everyone closer. We now hope to connect with even more branches of our extended family.
This site has truly made a difference for us!
