Comparison·Top 10
TÜİK · ADNKS 2025Kaya or Demir?
Kaya and Demir are almost level: in 2025 only 22,788 people separate them. Since 2018, Demir has grown 6.9% and Kaya 6.1%, so the gap is narrowing. Nationally Kaya ranks 2nd and Demir 3rd.1
SURNAME · No. 2
Kaya
“rock, crag”
- People
- 899,722
- Per 1,000
- 10.5
- Since 2018
- +6.1%
- Provinces led
- 5
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Mountains, rocks and stones
SURNAME · No. 3
Demir
“iron; strong, steadfast”
- People
- 876,934
- Per 1,000
- 10.2
- Since 2018
- +6.9%
- Provinces led
- 9
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Metals and gemstones
How have Kaya and Demir changed since 2018?
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaya | 847,737 | 858,398 | 866,547 | 875,113 | 883,067 | 888,828 | 894,360 | 899,722 |
| Demir | 820,156 | 831,095 | 840,270 | 849,475 | 858,092 | 864,643 | 871,107 | 876,934 |
| Year | Kaya | Demir | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 847,737 | 820,156 | 1.03 |
| 2019 | 858,398 | 831,095 | 1.03 |
| 2020 | 866,547 | 840,270 | 1.03 |
| 2021 | 875,113 | 849,475 | 1.03 |
| 2022 | 883,067 | 858,092 | 1.03 |
| 2023 | 888,828 | 864,643 | 1.03 |
| 2024 | 894,360 | 871,107 | 1.03 |
| 2025 | 899,722 | 876,934 | 1.03 |
Which one leads in which provinces?
In the 2025 province lists, Kaya ranks above Demir in 47 provinces and Demir above Kaya in 34 provinces.1
Kaya ahead
The most populous entries are shown; the figure is the count in that province.
Do they share a root?
Both Kaya and Demir go back to words of Turkic origin, and both are of the plain noun type.
- Kaya A kaya is a large, hard mass of rock rising out of the ground, a word Turkish has used since its oldest records. As a surname it carries the image of firmness and endurance, something that cannot be shaken. Kaya is also a male given name.
- Demir Demir is the Turkish word for iron, from Old Turkic temür. Figuratively it stands for what is strong, sound and unbreakable. It is a very old personal name across the Turkic world; the name Timur is another form of the same word.
How is this comparison made?
Sources
- 1Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK) · ADNKS, TÜİK Nüfus İsim Portalı: En çok kullanılan soyisimler (ADNKS)
- 2Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK) · ADNKS, TÜİK ADNKS: Cinsiyete göre nüfus, Türkiye ve 81 il