Origin

According to Para Singh Tanda Of Labana Sewak, January 2008, Labanas were once part of the Rajputs (a warrior caste). He attributes the name Laban to use of iron (loh) in the armor they wore. Some people from among these warriors started trading to earn their livelihood in times of peace with the result that the name altered to Vanzaras (trade/transport). They first traded in food grains. When the army was in action they would supply foodstuffs to the front lines using mainly oxen or bulls (thagha) as pack animals or to pull their wagons laden with the supplies necessary to keep an army on the move. Travernier in his book, "Travels of India" wrote that an ox or bull can carry weight of around 300 to 500 pounds (135 to 225 kg).

The kaafila was of 10,000 to 12,000 thagaas in which they took rice, wheat, salt, etc. Colonel Gulcharan Singh said, "the Lobanas took products from all over South Asia to the harbours of Soorat to be sent to ports scattered around the world on ships that were often owned by Lobanas. Makhan Shah Labana was the maalik (owner/master) of many ships. Travernier also wrote that one Lobana owned at least 100 to 200 thagaas. The Sardar of a kaafila (caravan) was known as a Naik (also a modern term of rank in the Indian army). In the past the Naiks would wear a garland of diamonds and pearls around their necks.

They were fast walkers too because of dhagaas walk so fast. Lobanas had to travel a lot for trade so they learned a lot about geographical areas and the needs of the people in those areas. Lobanas were also used by kings for the demand study of their people of kingdom. and also used by old kings as intelligence or spies. Gulcharan Singh also claims that both Tipu Sultan and the Duke of Wellington were also labanas. Labanki the dialect of labanas have mixture of Rajasthani Gujrati & Marathi. The bodies of lobanas were fit and they were tall as they were fighters later they travel a lot. The Ladies of Lobanas were said to be beautiful and fair in colour. they were bold to as their husbands use to go out for trade so they control all activities household and were not like old women which use to live in purdah etc. they were not fearful. J.H Huttel in book the Tribe & caste wrote that The ladies of labans were famous for beauty & Ghareloo Azadee and also put beautiful clothes.

In Ludhiana and Jhang districts, the Lobanas claimed to be the descendants of Chauhan Rajputs of Jaipur and Jodhpur.^{[citation needed]} In Gujrat district, they claimed to be Raghuvanshi Rajputs.^{[citation needed]} The Lobanas of Kangra and Hoshiarpur districts claimed their origin from the Gaur Brahmins of Pilibhit.^{[citation needed]} A good number of them traced their origin from Gaur Brahmins who came to the Punjab from Ranthambore in Aurangzeb's time.^{[citation needed]} It appears to be more appropriate to regard the Lobanas as a sub-division of the great Banjara tribe, forming one of their principal sub-castes. For more details click www.labana.org

The Lobanas are well-known in the history of the Punjab in general and that of the Sikhs in particular since the days of the last two Sikh Gurus.