The legend of their origin is given in Sir B.Robertson's _Census Report_ of 1891: "The chief of Garhpahra or old Saugor detained the palanquins of twenty-two married women and kept them as his wives.

The issue of the illicit intercourse were named Dangis, and there are thus twenty-two subdivisions of these people.

There are also three other subdivisions who claim descent from pure Rajputs, and who will take daughters in marriage from the remaining twenty-two, but will not give their daughters to them." Thus the Dangis appear to have been a mixed group, recruiting their band from all classes of the population, with some Rajputs as leaders.

The name probably means hillman, from _dang_, a hill.

_Khet men bami, gaon men Dangi_ or 'A Dangi in the village is like the hole of a snake in one's field,' is a proverb showing the estimation in which they were formerly held.