The word Bhumihar consists of two Sanskrit words, bhoomi (भूमि), meaning "land" and har (हर), meaning 'seizer'. There are a lot of theories about the origin of this caste and there is no unanimous accord over any of them excepting one which is the authority of Swami Sahajanand Saraswati who gives the most acceptable account of the origin and history of Bhumihar Brahmins. The name of his book is "Brahmarshi Vansha Vistar". Some of the other theorists owe the origin of the Bhumihars to the displacement of Brahmins from Western India following the Muslim invasion or, a change of religion to Buddhism and reconversion to Hinduism or, a change of profession from priesthood to farming or, a gradual shift from priestly and academic activities to farming and conquest, owing to lack of support from the rulers during the reign of ignorant kings.
