Shukla (Sanskrit: शुक्ल) is a word of Sanskrit origin that means white. Similar to what goes for Shuklapaksh (Sanskrit: शुक्लपक्ष) bright moonlight during waxing phase. The Shukla Brahmins were considered to be the fairestin complexion and the highest amongst the Brahmins of the north India, hence the name Shukla (white) was atributed to them.
Due to the elite treatment given to them it has always been treated as a patriarchal group of elite brahmins, as a result Shukla Brahmins have only Bharadwaj gotra, while other Brahmins can have multiple gotra that change with surname.