Turkish Last Names

These Turkish last names include national favourites like Yılmaz, Kaya and Demir alongside rarer family names, each shown with its meaning, plus the story of the 1934 Surname Law.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Acar

Bold; brave; daring
Ak

White; pure; clean
Akar

Flowing
Akbaş

White head; also Anatolian sheepdog
Akbulut

White cloud
Akdağ

White mountain
Akdoğan

White falcon
Akgül

White rose
Akgün

Bright day
Akın

Raid; wave of cavalry attack
Akkaya

White rock
Akman

White man; pure-hearted
Akpınar

White spring; clear fountain
Aksoy

White lineage; of noble descent
Aksu

White water; clear stream
Aktaş

White stone
Aktürk

White Turk; noble Turk
Akyol

White road; honest path
Akyüz

White face; honorable
Alioğlu

Son of Ali
Alkan

Red blood; noble blood
Alp

Brave hero; valiant
Alparslan

Brave lion; Seljuk sultan
Altay

Altai Mountains, Turkic homeland
Altıntaş

Golden stone
Altun

Gold
Arıcı

Beekeeper
Arıkan

Pure blood
Arslan

Lion
Aşçı

Cook
Asil

Noble; aristocratic
Aslan

Lion (modern spelling of Arslan)
Aslantaş

Lion stone
Atalay

Of famous ancestry
Ateş

Fire
Atmaca

Sparrowhawk
Avcı

Hunter
Avşar

Afshar, an Oghuz Turkic tribe
Ay

Moon
Aydemir

Moon iron
Aydın

Enlightened; bright; also a city in Aegean Turkey
Aydoğan

Born with the moon; rising moon
Aydoğdu

The moon has risen
Ayhan

Moon khan
Aykut

Sacred moon

B

Babacan

Fatherly; kind-hearted
Bakırcı

Coppersmith
Balcı

Honey seller
Barış

Peace
Başar

To succeed; achieve
Başaran

Successful; one who achieves
Batur

Brave hero; valiant warrior
Bayram

Festival; religious holiday
Bektaş

Lord's equal; linked to Hacı Bektaş
Berber

Barber
Berk

Solid; strong; firm
Beyaz

White
Bilgiç

Knowledgeable; well-informed
Bilgin

Scholar; learned person
Boşnak

Bosniak; from Bosnia
Boz

Grey
Bozkaya

Grey rock
Bozkurt

Grey wolf, symbol of Turkic origin myth
Budak

Branch; knot in wood
Bulut

Cloud
Büyük

Big; great

C

Çağlar

Cascading; also the ages
Çağlayan

Waterfall; cascading
Çakır

Blue-grey eyed; also a type of hawk
Çakmak

Flint; fire striker
Çalışkan

Hardworking; diligent
Candan

Heartfelt; sincere
Çelik

Steel; tough as steel
Cengiz

Genghis; mighty universal ruler
Çerkez

Circassian
Çetin

Tough; resilient; hard to overcome
Ceylan

Gazelle
Çiçek

Flower
Çiftçi

Farmer; ploughman
Çınar

Plane tree
Çoban

Shepherd
Coşkun

Enthusiastic; exuberant

D

Dağlı

Mountaineer; from the mountains
Değirmenci

Miller
Demir

Iron; strong as iron
Demirci

Blacksmith
Demirel

Iron hand
Demirkaya

Iron rock
Demirtaş

Iron stone
Deniz

Sea
Dinç

Vigorous; robust
Dinçer

Vigorous man
Doğan

Falcon; also one who is born or rises
Doğanay

Rising moon
Doğru

Straight; honest; correct
Dönmez

One who does not turn back
Duman

Smoke
Dündar

Vanguard; frontier guard
Durmaz

Tireless; one who never stops
Dursun

Let him stay; given so a child would survive

E

Ekin

Crops; harvest
Ekinci

Farmer; grower of crops
Elmas

Diamond
Engin

Vast; boundless
Erbaş

Brave leader; chief warrior
Erdal

Brave branch; brave offspring
Erdem

Virtue; moral excellence
Erdoğan

Born a brave man
Eren

Saint; holy man; brave one
Ergin

Mature; perfected
Ergün

Brave day
Erkan

Brave blood
Eroğlu

Son of a brave man
Erol

Be a brave man
Ersoy

Of brave lineage
Ertürk

Brave Turk
Esen

Healthy; also breeze
Evren

Universe; also mythical dragon

F

Fidan

Sapling

G

Gedik

Mountain pass; notch
Genç

Young; youthful
Gök

Sky; blue
Gökçe

Sky-blue; beautiful
Gökmen

Blue-eyed man; man of the sky
Göktaş

Meteorite; sky stone
Gül

Rose
Gülen

Smiling one
Güler

Smiling; one who laughs
Gümüş

Silver
Günay

Sun and moon
Gündoğdu

The sun has risen
Gündüz

Daytime
Güneş

Sun
Gür

Abundant; thick; lush
Gürbüz

Robust; sturdy
Gürsoy

Of abundant lineage
Güven

Trust; confidence
Güzel

Beautiful; handsome

H

Hacıoğlu

Son of the pilgrim
Hasanoğlu

Son of Hasan
Hoca

Teacher; religious scholar

I

İmamoğlu

Son of the imam
İnce

Thin; slender; refined
İpek

Silk
Irmak

River
Işık

Light

K

Kahraman

Hero
Kalaycı

Tinsmith; one who tins copper pots
Kalkan

Shield
Kaplan

Tiger
Kaptan

Captain
Kara

Black; dark; also mighty
Karabulut

Black cloud; storm cloud
Karaca

Roe deer; also darkish
Karadağ

Black mountain; Montenegro
Karagöz

Black-eyed; also shadow-play character
Karahan

Black khan; great ruler
Karakaya

Black rock
Karakoç

Black ram
Karakurt

Black wolf; also a venomous spider
Karakuş

Black bird; golden eagle
Karaman

From Karaman; Karamanid principality
Karaoğlu

Son of the dark one
Karasu

Black water; deep stream
Karataş

Black stone
Kartal

Eagle
Kasap

Butcher
Kaya

Rock; cliff
Kayaoğlu

Son of the rock
Kaygusuz

Carefree; without worry
Kaynak

Source; spring
Kazan

Cauldron; also to win
Keleş

Brave; handsome (Old Turkic)
Keskin

Sharp; keen
Kılıç

Sword
Kılınç

Sword (variant of Kılıç)
Kızıl

Red
Kızılkaya

Red rock
Koç

Ram; brave young man
Koca

Great; big; elder
Kocabaş

Big head; chieftain
Koçak

Brave; generous
Kocaoğlu

Son of the elder
Korkmaz

Fearless; one who does not fear
Korkut

One who frightens; Dede Korkut
Köroğlu

Son of the blind man; folk hero
Köse

Beardless; sparse-bearded
Koyuncu

Sheep herder; sheep dealer
Küçük

Small; little
Kurt

Wolf
Kurtoğlu

Son of the wolf
Kurtuluş

Liberation; salvation
Kutlu

Blessed; auspicious
Kuyumcu

Jeweller; goldsmith
Kuzu

Lamb

M

Mercan

Coral
Metin

Firm; solid; steadfast
Mutlu

Happy; content

N

Nalbant

Farrier; horseshoer

O

Ocak

Hearth; family home
Oğuz

Oghuz Turks, ancestors of Anatolian Turks
Oktay

Possibly arrow and foal; swift
Önder

Leader
Onur

Honor; dignity
Orhan

Great khan; Ottoman sultan
Oruç

Fasting (as in Ramadan)
Osmanoğlu

Son of Osman; Ottoman dynasty name
Öz

Pure; essence; self
Ozan

Bard; minstrel
Özbay

Pure lord; truly wealthy
Özbek

Uzbek; also pure lord
Özcan

Pure soul; sincere heart
Özçelik

Pure steel
Özdemir

Pure iron; true iron
Özer

Pure brave man
Özgür

Free; independent
Özkan

Pure blood; of noble lineage
Özkaya

Pure rock
Özmen

Pure man; genuine person
Öztürk

Pure Turk; genuine Turk
Özyurt

Pure homeland

P

Pamuk

Cotton
Parlak

Shiny; brilliant
Pehlivan

Wrestler; champion
Polat

Steel (from Persian pulad)

S

Sağlam

Sturdy; sound; reliable
Şahin

Falcon; peregrine hawk
Şanlı

Glorious
Saraç

Saddler; leatherworker
Sarı

Yellow; blond; fair-haired
Sarıkaya

Yellow rock
Sarıoğlu

Son of the blond one
Savaş

War; battle
Saygın

Respected; esteemed
Sayın

Esteemed; honorable
Seçkin

Distinguished; elite
Şeker

Sugar
Selçuk

Seljuk; the Seljuk dynasty
Şen

Cheerful; merry
Şener

Cheerful man
Şentürk

Cheerful Turk
Sevim

Charm; lovable one
Sevinç

Joy; delight
Sezer

Perceptive; one who senses
Sezgin

Intuitive; perceptive
Şimşek

Lightning flash
Sönmez

Unextinguishable; never fading
Soydan

From noble lineage
Soylu

Noble; of good lineage

T

Tan

Dawn; daybreak
Tanrıverdi

God-given
Taş

Stone
Taşçı

Stonemason
Taşdemir

Stone and iron
Taşkın

Overflowing; flood; exuberant
Tatar

Tatar; also courier
Tatlı

Sweet
Tekin

Prince; noble (Old Turkic)
Temel

Foundation; basic
Temiz

Clean; pure
Terzi

Tailor
Timur

Iron (Old Turkic temür)
Tokgöz

Full-eyed; contented; not greedy
Topçu

Artilleryman; gunner
Toprak

Soil; earth; land
Tosun

Young bull; sturdy youth
Tuna

Danube river
Tunç

Bronze
Tuncay

Bronze moon
Tuncer

Bronze man; strong man
Turan

Turan, legendary homeland of the Turks
Turgut

Standing firm; enduring
Türk

Turk; strong
Türkmen

Turkmen; Turkoman nomad
Türkoğlu

Son of a Turk

U

Uçar

Flying; one who flies
Uğur

Good luck; fortune
Uğurlu

Lucky; auspicious
Ülker

Pleiades star cluster
Ulusoy

Of great lineage
Ünal

Gain fame; renowned
Ünlü

Famous; well-known
Ural

Ural Mountains
Üstün

Superior; excellent
Uysal

Gentle; docile; agreeable
Uzun

Tall; long

V

Vural

Strike and take; bold

Y

Yağcı

Oil maker or oil seller
Yalçın

Steep; sheer (of a cliff)
Yalçınkaya

Sheer rock face
Yaman

Formidable; capable
Yaşar

Alive; one who lives long
Yavuz

Stern; resolute; formidable
Yazıcı

Scribe; writer
Yeşil

Green
Yiğit

Brave young man; valiant
Yıldırım

Lightning bolt; thunderbolt
Yıldız

Star
Yılmaz

Undaunted; one who never gives up
Yücel

Exalted; lofty

Generate random turkish surnames

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Results (6)

Tüfekçi

Gunsmith; rifleman
Günay

Sun and moon
Delibaş

Wild head; daredevil
Balta

Axe
Çakmak

Flint; fire striker
Hoca

Teacher; religious scholar

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The 1934 Surname Law and its legacy

Turkey is one of the few countries where almost every family name dates from the same moment. Before 1934, Ottoman Muslims used a given name with a father's name, a title such as Bey, Efendi or Pasha, or a nickname linked to a place or trade. The Surname Law of 1934 required every citizen to register a family name within a set period, as part of Mustafa Kemal's reforms. Parliament gave Mustafa Kemal himself the name Atatürk, meaning father of the Turks.

The rules shaped what families could choose. Names had to be Turkish words and could not use old titles such as Pasha or foreign endings like -of, -viç or -poulos. Registrars sometimes offered lists of suggestions, and some families simply accepted the name a clerk proposed. That is why so many Turkish last names are ordinary Turkish words with bright, strong or patriotic meanings, and why unrelated families across the country share the same name.

Common Turkish last names and what they mean

Yılmaz is the most common surname in Turkey. It means undaunted, or one who never gives up. Kaya (rock), Demir (iron), Şahin (falcon), Çelik (steel), Yıldız (star), Yıldırım (lightning), Öztürk (pure Turk), Aydın (bright or enlightened) and Özdemir (pure iron) complete the top ten in most counts. Strength, nature and loyalty are clear themes, reflecting both the national mood of the 1930s and the words registrars tended to suggest.

Some patterns make names easy to read. The prefix Öz means pure or genuine, as in Özkan or Özgür (free). The ending -oğlu means son of and survives in families that already used it before 1934, such as Karaoğlu or Hacıoğlu (son of the pilgrim). Animal names like Arslan or Aslan (lion), Kurt (wolf) and Koç (ram) are common, as are colour words like Kara (black) and Ak (white), often combined into names like Karadağ (black mountain).

Writing and saying Turkish names correctly

Turkish uses a Latin alphabet with a few extra letters, and they matter. The dotless ı is a short vowel close to the second syllable of cousin, so Yıldız sounds roughly like yuhl-DUHZ. Ş is sh, ç is ch, and ğ lengthens the vowel before it, so Doğan sounds like doe-AHN. Ö and ü are said as in German. Outside Turkey many people drop the marks, so Şahin becomes Sahin and Çelik becomes Celik, which changes the sound completely.

Large Turkish communities in Germany, the Netherlands and Austria have kept their surnames largely intact, so a Yılmaz or a Demir is as familiar in Berlin as in Ankara. For a character, think about generation. Someone born around 1920 would have received a surname as a teenager, while his parents may still be remembered in family stories by an old nickname or title. The letter filter above helps you browse the list by first sound.

Frequently asked questions

Why are Turkish last names only about ninety years old?

Because the Surname Law of 1934 made family names compulsory for all citizens. Before that, most Turks were known by a personal name plus a father's name, a title or a nickname. Families chose or were assigned surnames in 1934 and 1935, so nearly every modern Turkish family name dates from those years.

Which common Turkish last names mean strength?

Several do. Demir means iron and Çelik steel, Kaya rock and Yılmaz undaunted. Arslan and Aslan mean lion, Kılıç means sword and Çetin means tough or hardy. These names were popular choices in the 1930s, when many families wanted a name that sounded strong and patriotic.

What does oğlu mean in a Turkish family name?

Oğlu means son of, from oğul (son). Names like Karaoğlu, Hacıoğlu and Mustafaoğlu often reflect a family name that was already in use before the 1934 law. The ending is especially common along the Black Sea coast, where many families registered their old lineage names rather than new ones.

How do I type Turkish letters in a name?

On most phones, hold the base letter to see accented versions. If you cannot type them, write the plain letter, but be aware that Şahin written as Sahin looks different to Turkish readers. For formal use or published writing, keep the Turkish spelling, including the dotless ı and the capital İ with a dot.