Surname register·Türkiye·1934–2025
The surnames of Türkiye, with their sources.
What each surname means, the words it is built from, and how many people carry it in the official register. Every number with its source and year.
Register · 2025
The 10 most common surnames in Türkiye
| No. | Surname | Meaning | People | Per 1,000 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Yılmaz | undaunted, one who never gives up | 1,177,896 | 13.7 | +43,453 |
| 02 | Kaya | rock, crag | 899,722 | 10.5 | +51,985 |
| 03 | Demir | iron; strong, steadfast | 876,934 | 10.2 | +56,778 |
| 04 | Çelik | steel; tough, resilient | 717,655 | 8.3 | +37,097 |
| 05 | Yıldız | star | 697,080 | 8.1 | +36,300 |
| 06 | Şahin | hawk, buzzard | 688,214 | 8.0 | +27,580 |
| 07 | Yıldırım | thunderbolt; lightning-fast | 666,723 | 7.7 | +29,985 |
| 08 | Öztürk | true Turk, genuine Turk | 586,831 | 6.8 | +20,501 |
| 09 | Aydın | bright; enlightened, educated | 581,387 | 6.8 | +23,298 |
| 10 | Özdemir | pure iron; firm as iron | 556,378 | 6.5 | +21,755 |
Index
Surnames by meaning
- A Nature and landscape Kaya · Yıldız · Yıldırım 9 categories · 528 surnames
- B Metals and objects Demir · Çelik · Özdemir 2 categories · 124 surnames
- C Animals Şahin · Arslan · Doğan 4 categories · 124 surnames
- D Colours and numbers Kara · Çakır · Ağca 2 categories · 58 surnames
- E Character, virtue and appearance Yılmaz · Çetin · Korkmaz 6 categories · 745 surnames
- F Society, kinship and values Öztürk · Abay · Abdal 3 categories · 197 surnames
- G Titles and nicknames Abalı · Abalıoğlu · Aday 3 categories · 218 surnames
- H War and heroism Kılıç · Akatlı · Akbayrak 3 categories · 178 surnames
- I Occupational surnames Abacı · Abacıoğlu · Abaoğlu 7 categories · 373 surnames
- J Lineage, place and name patterns Özkan · Özcan · Erdoğan 8 categories · 905 surnames
Surname Law · No. 2525
A surname for every family
Surname Law No. 2525 was adopted on 21 June 1934 and came into force on 2 January 1935. It required every citizen of Türkiye to carry a surname in addition to their given name. The Surname Regulation issued the same year banned words denoting rank or office, names of foreign races and nations, and words offensive to public morals. Law No. 2590 of 26 November 1934 abolished honorifics and titles such as ağa, hacı, hafız, efendi, bey and paşa.3,4,5
- The 1934 Surname Law (Law No. 2525): what it required
- The Surname Regulation of 1934: the rules, article by article
- Which surnames were banned in 1934, and why?
- 1935–1936: how surnames were chosen and registered
- The whole Surname Law section →
- 1 Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK), TÜİK Nüfus İsim Portalı: En çok kullanılan soyisimler (ADNKS)
- 2 Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK), TÜİK ADNKS: Cinsiyete göre nüfus, Türkiye ve 81 il
- 3 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr), Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525)
- 4 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr), Soyadı Nizamnamesi (Bakanlar Kurulu Kararı 2/1759)
- 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr), Efendi, Bey, Paşa gibi Lakap ve Unvanların Kaldırılmasına Dair Kanun (Kanun No. 2590)