Preserving Our Community Heritage
Discover families, trace your ancestry, and connect with the Knanaya community worldwide.
Search People
Find individuals and families in the community
Family Ancestry
Explore lineage and family connections
Community Directory
Discover families and churches
Check Relationship
Find connections between families
Our History
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.
Connecting Families Across the Global Knanaya Community
Explore the reach and growth of the global Knanaya community.
👨👩👧 5,000+
Registered Families10,000+
Members Worldwide5+
Continents Connected🌎 44+
Countries Represented
Explore and, find your family roots
Discover your family lineage and explore connections across generations within the Knanaya community.
- Interactive Family Tree
- Photo Integration
- Detailed Profiles
- Smart Relationship Links
- Mobile & Desktop Friendly
- Editable and Shareable
- Private & Secure
Family Ancestry
Discover your family lineage and explore connections across generations within the Knanaya community.
- Explore by Family Name
- Geographic View
- Lineage Tracing
- Historical Narratives
- Grouped by Lineage
- Searchable Family Database
Confused About How Two People Are Related?
Explaining relationships beyond first cousins can be tricky. With our "Check Relation" feature, just select any two people and click to see their connection displayed in a clear, easy-to-follow diagram.
City Family Directory
Discover all Knanaya families—both Catholic and Suriyani—living in major cities around the world. Strengthen our community bonds by seeing who lives nearby and building connections with fellow Knanaites.
Curious where Knanaya families live in a big city?
If you're moving to a new place, it's helpful to see where our community is already established. It also guides decisions on where to build a new church or community center. Our City View feature makes this easy by showing where Knanaya families live across the city.
Search & Find People
- 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
Knanaya Statistics
Having access to detailed community statistics—such as how many people live in each country, the distribution by faith and rite, gender and age breakdowns, and life expectancy—offers valuable insights for planning and decision-making. It helps us understand demographic trends, support targeted programs for different age groups, preserve both Catholic and Suriyani traditions, and prepare for future needs like education, healthcare, and spiritual services. These data points strengthen community development and unity worldwide.
Knanaya World Map
Knanaya families have migrated to over 44 countries and settled in major cities around the world. From Chicago to Sydney, Toronto to Dubai, and London to Bangalore, our community continues to grow globally. A bird’s-eye view of these locations offers a powerful way to visualize migration patterns and understand how our people have spread while staying rooted in culture and faith.
Stories from Our Community
Jincy Njaravelil
Chicago, USA
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!
Benoy Kaniyakunnel
Brisbane, Australia
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..
Jiya (Rosemol) Kizhakkekattil, UK
Ex. UKKCYL President
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!
Discover the Knanaya Community Through Video
