it is a Tamil surname, common in
Sri Lanka.
Kanapathi may be related to the name "Ganapati" another name for the Hindu god of good fortune,
Ganesh. and "pillai" is the word for a Tamil land-owning fuedal caste.
so the surname may be a combination of respectful homage to a god, and a reference to one's caste.
This message was edited 1/31/2010, 5:59 PM