Etymology
The word "Dera" is derived from the Saraiki word
ḍerā which means "encapment".
This word is commonly used for residential towns in the Indus valley
such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Bugti, Dera Murad Jamali, Dera Allah Yar,
Dera Ismail Khan, etc. Dera Ismail Khan thus means the residential town
of Sardar Ismail Khan Baloch. People of Dera Ismail Khan as well as Dera
Ghazi Khan are also known as Derawal or sometimes as Dervi while the
latter is used as Pen name or Takhallus. Historically the Derajat were
established at the time when in 15th century, Baloch tribal immigration
took place from Makran, Qalat and Sibi Balochistan, to Indus Valley.
Sultan Husain, the Langah Dynasty's Sultans of Multan, being unable to
hold his trans-Indus possessions; called the Baloch tribal warriors, for
help and assigned these territories to Sardar Malik Sohrab Khan Dodai
Baloch as "Jagir". Sohrab's sons, Ghazi Khan, Ismail khan and Fateh
Khan, founded the three Deras or villages' named after them.
