Chaudhry Chaku Khan the founder of Chakwal and the chief of the Minhas Rajput tribe from Jammu, who founded Chakwal in 1525 C.E during the era of the Mughal Emperor, Zaheerudun Babur.
Other important Rajput clans are the Bhakral, Bhatti, Minhas and Janjua, who form the four largest tribes in the tehsil.
Other Rajput clans of the district include the Hon, Dhamial, Bhakral, Kahut, Khingar, Chib, Minhas, Hattar, Mitwal, Mangeal, Johad, Adhial, Kurar, Jhottial, Mair-Minhas, Tuh, Chanial, Bhatti-Mehra, Bhatti-Kanjal, Bhatti-Jangle, Bhatti-Badhuer and Bhatti-Shaikh.
It was founded by his grandson, Raja Yassir H. Sarfraz, and was named after a Rajput prince, Raja Mair, the first settler in this area and ancestor of the Mair-Minhas tribe, an offshoot of the Jamwal Dogra Rajputs.
He was born to a family that had settled in Gurdaspur from Jammu and Kashmir and belonged from a Minhas clan predominantly found in Northern Punjab and in Kashmir regions.
Some Hafyal claim to be Chughtai Mughals, although traditions make them out to be a branch of the Minhas Rajputs.
Sardar Maninder Singh, son of Sohan Singh Minhas (a Khiala resident), currently resides in Vancouver, Canada.
As a great warrior, his service was equal to his contemporaries, Bhai Bachittar Singh Minhas, Bhai Jaita and Bhai Sangat Singh Minhas, Mai Bhago.
Sangat Singh Minhas was the first Doaba Sikh Rajput to join the army of Guru Gobind Singh.
However, besides Chakwal, there are a quite a few other Minhas villages scattered all over the province including the famous village of Rohtas in Jhelum, Sagri in Rawalpindi, and in Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Sargodha and Faisalabad.