Turkish Last Names
Turkish surnames are one of the youngest naming systems in Europe. Before the Surname Law, people were known by a first name plus a nickname, a father’s name or a title such as Pasha or Efendi. When the law took effect, every family had months to pick a name — and many chose bold words like Yılmaz (“undaunted”), Demir (“iron”) or Kurt (“wolf”).
Below are more than 90 Turkish last names with meanings, grouped into the most common surnames, nature and animal names, virtues, trades, “son of” names and famous families. Match them with first names from our lists of Turkish boy names and Turkish girl names, or return to the Turkish names guide. You may also like Greek last names.
The 20 most common Turkish last names
This is the familiar top tier of Turkish surnames, led by Yılmaz. Nearly all of them describe strength, courage or a proud animal.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Yılmaz | “Undaunted, one who never gives up” | The most common surname in Turkey |
| Kaya | Rock | Short and sturdy |
| Demir | Iron | Symbol of strength and resolve |
| Şahin | Falcon | From Persian shahin |
| Çelik | Steel | Pronounced “Che-lik” |
| Yıldız | Star | Also a girl’s first name |
| Yıldırım | Lightning bolt | Epithet of Sultan Bayezid I |
| Öztürk | “Pure Turk” | Öz = pure, true |
| Aydın | “Enlightened, bright” | Also an Aegean city |
| Özdemir | “Pure iron” | Very common in Anatolia |
| Arslan | Lion | Older spelling |
| Aslan | Lion | Modern spelling |
| Doğan | Falcon; also “born, rising” | Classic |
| Kılıç | Sword | Pronounced “Kuh-luch” |
| Çetin | Tough, hard | Also a first name |
| Kara | Black; also “strong, great” | Used as a prefix in many surnames |
| Koç | Ram | A symbol of strength; also a major business family |
| Kurt | Wolf | The grey wolf is a Turkic emblem |
| Özkan | “Pure blood,” noble lineage | Also a first name |
| Şimşek | Lightning | Fast and bright |
Turkish surnames from nature and animals
Birds of prey, clouds and seas were favorite choices when families picked names in 1934. For more wolf imagery, see names that mean wolf.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Kartal | Eagle | Also an Istanbul district |
| Atmaca | Sparrowhawk | Pronounced “At-ma-ja” |
| Kaplan | Tiger | Bold and memorable |
| Bozkurt | Grey wolf | From the Turkic origin legend |
| Bulut | Cloud | Soft and poetic |
| Akbulut | White cloud | Ak = white |
| Deniz | Sea | Also a first name |
| Karadeniz | Black Sea | Common in the northeast |
| Toprak | Earth, soil | Grounded |
| Irmak | River | Also a first name |
| Güneş | Sun | Bright and warm |
| Taş | Stone | Pronounced “Tash” |
| Çınar | Plane tree | Symbol of longevity |
| Tunç | Bronze | Short and strong |
| Ateş | Fire | Pronounced “Ah-tesh” |
| Keskin | Sharp | Suggests a keen mind |
Surnames that describe character
Many families chose a virtue they wanted the next generation to live up to.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Güler | “One who smiles” | Warm and friendly |
| Tekin | Prince (Old Turkic tegin) | Also “unique” |
| Güven | Trust | Pronounced “Gew-ven” |
| Sağlam | Sturdy, sound | Pronounced “Saa-lam” |
| Yavuz | Stern, formidable | Epithet of Sultan Selim I |
| Cesur | Brave | From Persian |
| Erdem | Virtue | Also a first name |
| Uçar | “One who flies” | Light and energetic |
| Korkmaz | “Fearless, does not fear” | Classic |
| Durmaz | “Never stops” | Tireless |
| Yücel | Exalted, lofty | Uplifting |
| Bilgin | Scholar, learned | Also a first name |
| Akın | Raid, charge; a rushing wave | Energetic |
| Turan | The legendary Turkic homeland | Footballer Arda Turan |
| Uysal | Docile, gentle | Calm |
| Sönmez | “Never fades” | Also “inextinguishable” |
| Tatlı | Sweet | Friendly |
Occupational Turkish surnames
The Turkish suffix -cı/-ci (-çı/-çi after hard consonants) means “one who does,” just like -er in English. Compare with English trade names in our most common last names.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Demirci | Blacksmith | From demir, iron |
| Kuyumcu | Jeweler, goldsmith | Common in cities |
| Terzi | Tailor | From Persian |
| Çoban | Shepherd | Pronounced “Cho-ban” |
| Avcı | Hunter | From av, hunt |
| Balcı | Honey seller | From bal, honey |
| Arıcı | Beekeeper | From arı, bee |
| Kasap | Butcher | From Arabic |
| Aşçı | Cook | From aş, food |
| Bakırcı | Coppersmith | From bakır, copper |
| Değirmenci | Miller | From değirmen, mill |
| Ekmekçi | Baker | From ekmek, bread |
| Kahveci | Coffee maker | Classic Istanbul trade |
| Saraç | Saddler | From Arabic |
| Nalbant | Farrier | Shoes horses |
| Yazıcı | Scribe, clerk | From yazı, writing |
| Hoca | Teacher; religious scholar | Also a title |
-oğlu surnames and place-name surnames
The ending -oğlu means “son of,” much like Mac- or -son. A -lı/-li ending means “from” a place.
| Surname | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Osmanoğlu | “Son of Osman” | Surname taken by the Ottoman dynasty after 1924 |
| Karaosmanoğlu | “Son of Kara Osman” | An 18th-century Aegean ruling family |
| Hacıoğlu | “Son of the hajji” | Honors a pilgrim ancestor |
| Kılıçdaroğlu | “Son of the sword-bearer” | Politician Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu |
| Türkoğlu | “Son of a Turk” | NBA player Hedo Türkoğlu |
| Kemaloğlu | “Son of Kemal” | Patronymic |
| Ahmetoğlu | “Son of Ahmet” | Patronymic |
| İnceoğlu | “Son of the slender one” | Nickname-based |
| Çalhanoğlu | “Son of Çalhan” | Footballer Hakan Çalhanoğlu |
| Trabzonlu | “From Trabzon” | Black Sea coast |
| Konyalı | “From Konya” | Central Anatolia |
| Erzurumlu | “From Erzurum” | Eastern Anatolia |
| Bursalı | “From Bursa” | The first Ottoman capital |
| Kayserili | “From Kayseri” | Central Anatolia |
Famous Turkish surnames and their stories
Some of the best-known Turkish surnames were given or chosen in 1934 with a deliberate message.
| Surname | Meaning | Famous bearer |
|---|---|---|
| Atatürk | “Father of the Turks” | Granted by parliament to Mustafa Kemal; reserved for him alone |
| İnönü | After the Battles of İnönü | İsmet İnönü, second president |
| Erdoğan | “Born a hero” | President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan |
| Pamuk | Cotton | Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk |
| Şafak | Dawn | Novelist Elif Şafak |
| Gündoğan | Sunrise | Footballer İlkay Gündoğan |
| Tevetoğlu | Patronymic surname | Pop star Tarkan Tevetoğlu |
Tips for understanding Turkish surnames
- Read the suffix. -oğlu means “son of,” -cı/-ci marks a trade, and -lı/-li means “from.” Once you know them, most surnames decode themselves.
- Watch the prefixes. Öz- (pure), Kara- (black, mighty) and Ak- (white) are added to many base words: Özdemir, Karadeniz, Akbulut.
- Don’t drop the special letters. Çelik and Celik, Şahin and Sahin look alike in English but are pronounced differently in Turkish.
- Remember Atatürk is unique. By law no one else may take the surname Atatürk, and his adopted daughters used different surnames.
- Compare neighbors. Many -oğlu names parallel the -poulos of Greek last names and the -ov of Russian last names.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common last name in Turkey?
Yılmaz is the most common Turkish surname, followed by names like Kaya, Demir, Şahin, Çelik and Yıldız. Yılmaz means “one who never gives up.”
When did Turkey adopt surnames?
The Surname Law was passed on June 21, 1934, and took effect in 1935. Before that, most Turks used only a given name with a nickname, father’s name or title.
What does -oğlu mean in a Turkish surname?
-oğlu means “son of.” A name like Hacıoğlu means “son of the hajji,” and Osmanoğlu means “son of Osman.”
Why do so many Turkish surnames mean iron, wolf or lion?
When surnames were chosen in the 1930s, the young republic promoted a proud, pure-Turkish identity. Words for strength, like Demir (iron), Kurt (wolf) and Arslan (lion), were natural favorites.
Can Turkish women keep their surname after marriage?
Yes. Since a 2014 Constitutional Court ruling women may keep their maiden name alone after marriage, and many already used it alongside their husband’s surname.