Vaidya (Sanskrit: वैद्य), or vaid is a Sanskrit word meaning "doctor, physician".[1] Vaidyan or Vaidyar is a similar term used in the southern region of India to denote a physician, particularly in Kerala.Today it is used to refer to traditional practitionerers of Ayurveda", an indigenous Indian system of alternative medicine.[2] Senior practitioners or teachers were called Vaidyarāja ("physician-king") as a mark of respect. Some practitioners who had complete knowledge of the texts and were excellent at their practices were known as Pranaacharya. Some royal families in India had a personal vaidya in attendance and these people were referred to as Rāja Vaidya ("the king's physician").[3][4]
In Maharashtra, like many other last names, the last name "Vaidya" is linked to the profession that the family followed.[5]
It is so in Maharashtra at least . Thus, the surnames Deshmukh, Desai, etc., indicate the title that the family possessed; Joshi, Vaidya, Purohit are derived from the professions.