Originally they resided in Bikaner, whence they migrated and founded the state of Kathiawar, which takes its name from the Kathia tribe, and is in modern day Gujerat State of India.
In April 1808, despite the brief deployment of the ship of the line HMS Albion and frigates HMS Phaeton and HMS Dedaigneuse to the Persian Gulf, pirate dhows appeared off Gujerat, raiding shipping at Surat before they were driven off by ships of the Bombay Marine.