Top 80 Turkish Last Names or Surnames

Surnames or family names are often considered a sign of pride as they reflect families’ roots and lineage. Turkish people make up a good proportion of the European continent and are very well-known for their outstanding Turkish surnames. After the introduction of the Surname Law on the 21st of June, Turkish people started wearing official surnames, unlike the time during Ottoman Empire when people had titles that defined their profession or status in society. General people also used the name of their village, words from the Holy Quran, or the head of the family as their surname. Here in this article, we present you with the top 80 Turkish surnames or family names with their meanings and history.

80 Popular Turkish Surnames or Family Names With Meanings

1. Aga

Aga is a variant of the original surname Agha, which means leader or ruler.

2. Agha

This is an ancient last name which was used in Turkey. Although not very common now, it means “leader of the family”.

3. Akbas

One of the most common Turkish family names, it means “whitehead”.

4. Aksoy

This Turkish surname is made up of the words ‘Ak’ and ‘soy’, meaning “white” and “lineage”, respectively.

5. Arap

It is a Turkish rendition of the word “Arab.”

6. Arslan

The surname has Mongol, Turkic and Persian roots. This last name translates to “lion”.

7. Asker

This elegant and sophisticated surname means a soldier.

8. Aslan

Aslan is a variant of Arslan, both of which means lion.

9. Ataturk

was one of the most ancient and one of the first last names to be used in Turkey. It means “the father of the Turks”.

10. Avci

Avci is one of the common Turkish last names and has Turkish origins. The name means “hunter”, which is a nice surname to have.

11. Aydem

In Turkish, this name means “bright” or “enlightened”.

12. Aydin

Aydin is another common Turkish last name which stands for intelligent or intellectual.

13. Badem

It is taken from the Turkish word which means “almond”.

14. Baig

Although this is an old name, it is still used around the world amongst many families. It is taken from the Turkish Ottoman title, “Beg” which means “lord” or “master of the family”.

15. Balik

This surname is one of the names that is inspired by a living thing. The name means “fish”.

16. Bardakci

In Turkish, Bardak means “glass”. This surname translates to “glassmaker”.

17. Barak

This Turkish last name stands for shaggy-haired.

18. Baris

The surname Baris comes from the same given name, “Baris”, which means “peace” in Turkish.

19. Bata

Bata shares its roots with Arabic and Turkish culture. It means duck.

20. Beg

Beg is a high title of respect in Turkey. It refers to high power in society or in the family.

21. Begum

This surname has Persian roots from the word “Beygom”, which means “madam” or “lady”. It was used as a royal title for Muslim females in Central and South Asia.

22. Binci

Binci is another occupation Turkish last name meaning horse rider.

23. Binici

Coming from the Turkish word “Binici”, the name means “rider” or “horseman”.

24. Bulut

This surname means “cloud” in Turkic.

25. Burakgazi

The roots of this name are unknown, but it seems to be a combination of the given name “Burak”, which refers to the creature that carried the Prophet and “Ghazi”, an Arabic word for “warrior”.

26. Cetin

It is a popular last name in Turkey, and it means “tough” or “robust”.

27. Ceylant

This is a cool Turkish surname to have and it is taken from the Persian word “Caran”. The meaning of the name is “Gazelle”.

28. Demir

The name means “iron” in Turkish, but it refers to an ironworker.

29. Demirci

Similar to Demir, this name has Turkish roots, and it means “blacksmith”.

30. Dogan

This surname is also inspired by a living thing. The name means “hawk”.

31. Durmaz

This is a variation of the Turkish word “Durmak”, which means “to persist”.

32. Ekmekci

This tasty surname also has Turkish roots and means “baker”.

33. Erdogan

Turkish surname that means “warrior”. The current President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan adorns this surname.

34. Ersoy

This ancient last name has roots in Turkish culture as well and means “descendants or ancestors of soldiers”.

35. Gultekin

This name is derived from the second Kaganate of Turkey, Kul Tigin. It is considered to be one of the ancient last names in Turkey.

36. Katirci

The name comes from the Turkish word for “mule” and it is a name for a person transporting something by a mule.

37. Kaya

Short and sweet, this last name has Turkish roots and means “rock”.

38. Kartal

This is also an interesting Turkic surname. It means “Eagle”.

39. Kemal

Kemal stems from the Persian name, which means beauty and perfection.

40. Kilic

Kilic in Turkish stands for a sword.

41. Koc

Adapted from Polish, this name means blanket. In Turkish, it means little.

42. Köse

Köse is a known Turkish surname which means beardless.

43. Kucuk

The literal meaning of the surname Kucuk is little or tiny.

44. Kundakci

It comes from the Turkish word “Kundak”, which means “stock” or “the wooden part of a rifle”.

45. Kunt

An ancient last name, it is derived from a mountain range in Asia where the Turks are believed to have originated. The last name means “solid”.

46. Macar

The name is Turkish but is used by Hungarians who settled in Turkey, many centuries ago. The surname also means “Hungarian”.

47. Malas

Malas is a Turkish family name meaning trowel.

48. Mataraci

This is an occupational name which is used by someone who makes bottles or flasks.

49. Mogul

Mogul or Mügül stems from the Persian Moghol, which refers to Mongol.

50. Nacar

A Turkish variant of the Arab name “Najjar”, meaning “carpenter”.

51. Onder

Onder stems from the Turkish first name Önder, which means leader.

52. Osman

Osman in Arabic means “tender youth”.

53. Ozan

Ozan comes from an old Turkish first name Ozan.

54. Ozdemir

A very popular last name in Turkey, it means “pure iron”. The origins can also be traced back to Turkish culture.

55. Ozturk

This surname sounds unique and is of Turkish origin. It means “pure or core Turk”.

56. Ozuturk

Ozuturk has a very different and bold meaning. It means pure Turk.

57. Pasha

An old surname, this is used across the planet by many Muslims. It was used as an honorary title in the military.

58. Peynirci

This is a strange, yet unique surname which translates to “cheese”.

59. Polat

Polat has Persian roots. The meaning of this surname is metal or strong. The meaning signifies the strong and supreme power of the last name.

60. Reis

Reis stems from the Greek name Reizis. It means chief or boss.

61. Sadik

It comes from the given name Sadiq, meaning “true” in Arabic.

62. Sahin

A surname inspired by a living thing, it means “falcon”.

63. Sakarya

Sakarya is a habitational surname which comes from an important name in Turkish history. It is the name of the river, Sakarya river, which was an important place during the Turkish War of Independence.

64. Sari

Pronounced as Sa-Ru, this Turkish family name comes from a descriptive name yellow.

65. Şimşek

Şimşek is certainly a unique name which means lightning in Turkish. Many people use this as a first name as well.

66. Solak

This Turkish surname refers to a left-handed person.

67. Soydan

Mixing two words “Soy” and “Dan”, the name translates to someone who has an excellent lineage.

68. Sydin

Sydin is a stylish surname which means The Enlightened One in Turkish.

69. Tabak

Tabak is an occupational surname in Turkey belonging to people who work in a tannery.

70. Tata

Tata is a humrous preposition as a nickname for a stammerer. In Arabic and Turkish, people mean ta ta as stammer.

71. Turan

A geographical name after the historical place in Central Asia

72. Tiryaki

It is possibly derived from a nickname that means “stubborn”.

73. Uzun

In Turkish, this name means “long” or “tall”.

74. Ulusoy

An ancient name meaning “supreme lineage”.

75. Yavuz

This is a cool last name, and it means “ferocious” or “resolute”.

76. Yildirim

Yildirim is a stylish and bold Turkish last name meaning lightning and thunder.

77. Yilmaz

Comes from the same given name, which means “dauntless”

78. Yildiz

This cute Turkish surname means a rising star.

79. Younan

Although of Turkish and Iranian origin, this is an ethnic name for a Greek.

80. Zorlu

Zorlu is a popular Turkish name that means strong and powerful.

Turkish last names sound super unique and out of the ordinary. Many of these last names might be unheard of but that’s what makes them stand out, no matter where you are. Be sure to choose the right last name, as it is something that will go down in the history books for future generations to come.