Comparison·Top 10
TÜİK · ADNKS 2025Yılmaz or Kaya?
For every Kaya there are about 1.31 Yılmazs (2025). Since 2018, Kaya has grown 6.1% and Yılmaz 3.8%, so the gap is narrowing. Nationally Yılmaz ranks 1st and Kaya 2nd.1
SURNAME · No. 1
Yılmaz
“undaunted, one who never gives up”
- People
- 1,177,896
- Per 1,000
- 13.7
- Since 2018
- +3.8%
- Provinces led
- 57
- Origin
- Turkic
- Category
- Courage and resilience
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
How have Yılmaz and Kaya changed since 2018?
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yılmaz | 1,134,443 | 1,144,894 | 1,152,872 | 1,160,248 | 1,167,108 | 1,171,014 | 1,174,516 | 1,177,896 |
| Kaya | 847,737 | 858,398 | 866,547 | 875,113 | 883,067 | 888,828 | 894,360 | 899,722 |
| Year | Yılmaz | Kaya | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 1,134,443 | 847,737 | 1.34 |
| 2019 | 1,144,894 | 858,398 | 1.33 |
| 2020 | 1,152,872 | 866,547 | 1.33 |
| 2021 | 1,160,248 | 875,113 | 1.33 |
| 2022 | 1,167,108 | 883,067 | 1.32 |
| 2023 | 1,171,014 | 888,828 | 1.32 |
| 2024 | 1,174,516 | 894,360 | 1.31 |
| 2025 | 1,177,896 | 899,722 | 1.31 |
Which one leads in which provinces?
In the 2025 province lists, Yılmaz ranks above Kaya in 65 provinces and Kaya above Yılmaz in 16 provinces.1
Yılmaz ahead
Kaya ahead
- Diyarbakır1.35,014
- Şanlıurfa3.33,035
- Van2.15,328
- Ağrı1.15,283
- Mardin3.12,273
- Elazığ2.11,108
- Kahramanmaraş3.10,414
- Malatya3.9,455
The most populous entries are shown; the figure is the count in that province.
Do they share a root?
Both Yılmaz and Kaya go back to words of Turkic origin; Yılmaz is a from a verb and Kaya a plain noun formation.
- Yılmaz The verb yılmak means to be daunted, to lose heart and back away; the suffix -maz negates it. Yılmaz therefore describes someone who does not lose heart and does not give up in the face of hardship. It was already a male given name before the Surname Law.
- 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.
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