The Bhurtiya are a sub-division of the Ahir community. Like other Ahirs, they claim descent from the god Krishna. They are said to have immigrated to Gujarat, where they were known as Chaurasia. About three centuries ago, these Chaurasia settled in Awadh. The etymology of the word Bhurtiya is that it is a corruption of the Hindi word phurti, which means quickness. According to their tribal legends, an ancestor of the community was in such a rush, that she left her jewellery, and was given the nickname phurti, and this name was given to her descendants. Over time this was said to be corrupted to Bhurtiya. They are found mainly in the districts of Varanasi, Allahabad, Meerut and Mathura.
