The history of the Padathu Mappila family began when its founder, Padathu Mathen Tharakan, built his house around 1550 AD at Meenadam, a village around 15 kilometers to the east of Kottayam town. The king had allotted a land for him to build his house. This house was close to a large paddy field and the malayalam transalation of paddy field is 'Paadam'. Those days, it was customary for all Hindus to address christian men as 'Mappilas.' Mathen Tharakan was a 'Mappila', and since he lived near a paddy field (Padam), he became popular as Paadathu Mappila. And the family he founded has since that time had known as Padathu Mappila Family.How Paadathu Mappila  build his house and how he spent the rest of his life, had described in an official publication of St.Mary's Church, Manarcadu called 'Athbhutha Soudham.' This book had based on the history about Padathu Mappila on the manuscripts recorded by Rev. Fr. Cherian Kurian of Vattakkunnel family, who had served as the vicar of the Manarcad church for several years. It was his son, His Grace Baselios Marthoma Mathews I, late Catholicos of Malankara Orthodox Church, who gave his father's manuscripts to the Church. This has motivated Church authorities to publish the 'Athbhutha Soudham' and reveals the origins and importance of our family.

    Padathu Mappila, as explained earlier, was not his real name, but It was the name by which he became popular in later years. His original name was Mathen. Since the king had given him authority to collect a tax called 'tharaku' on certain merchandise like pepper, cardamum, etc. on behalf of the king, he was, as was customary then, conferred with the title, Tharakan. Thus Mathen became Mathen Tharakan, and Mathen Tharakan later came to be popular as Padathu Mappila because he had his house near Padam (paddy field).