The roots of Poothicote family can be traced back to the beginning of Christianity in Kerala with the arrival of Saint Thomas, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus Christ, in 52 AD. According to tradition, Saint Thomas landed in Muziris, which is known today as Kodungalloor. Following his arrival in Kodungallur, Saint Thomas is said to have traveled to Palayur, which was then a center of Jain and Buddhist influence. Some accounts, including a version of the Songs of Thomas (Thomma Parvam) written in 1601, suggest that Saint Thomas also converted a group of Jews who were already present in Kerala. The Thomma Parvam further narrates his mission in South India and states that before his martyrdom in Mylapore (present-day Chennai), he converted people from various castes, including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras.
Historical records, however, do not provide contemporary evidence of Saint Thomas' presence in the subcontinent. Despite the lack of conclusive proof, it is conceivable for an Aramaic-speaking Jew from Galilee to have undertaken such a journey to Kerala in the 1st century. The presence of Cochin Jews in Kerala during this period lends credence to this possibility. The earliest written account associating Saint Thomas with India is the Acts of Thomas, believed to be composed in the early 3rd century. The historical accuracy of Saint Thomas converting twelve Brahmin families (Pakalomattom, Sankarapuri, Kalli, and Kalikavu are four of those) is debated by some scholars who point out the absence of a significant Brahmin presence in Kerala during the 1st century AD.
However, there is evidence suggesting that some Saint Thomas Christians practiced Brahmin customs and enjoyed privileges typically reserved for Brahmins, such as wearing the sacred thread and having a kudumi. It is important to distinguish these Brahmins from the Namboothiri group who are said to have migrated from Maharashtra much later. The Namboothiri Brahmins, rose to prominence only after the decline of Jainism and Buddhism in Kerala around the 7th or 8th century.
Medieval historian Pius Malekandathil suggests that these customs and privileges were adopted or acquired during the period of Brahmin dominance in medieval Kerala. He proposes that by the 9th century, Saint Thomas Christians, integrated with Persian Christian merchants, had become a powerful trading community. This economic clout likely led to them being granted these privileges by the Brahmins and Hindu rulers, possibly as a strategy to bolster revenue generation and weaken rival Buddhist and Jain traders. The arrival of a foreign missionary named Thomas who debated with Brahmins and converted prominent figures, including a king, is also a recurring theme in Namboothiri Brahmin folklore and is documented in the 17th-century text, Keralolpathi.