SURNAMEEntry 1,006
Bey
“bey, lord, chief”1
Published: Last updated:
- Letters / syllables
- 3 / 1
- Formation
- Plain noun
- Vowel harmony
- front
- Initial
- B
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How do you pronounce Bey?
What does the surname Bey mean?
Bey comes from Old Turkic beg, “ruler, lord”. Historically it was the title of the head of a tribe or principality, and the Anatolian beyliks are named after it. Today it is mostly a term of respect placed after a man’s first name: Ahmet Bey. In 1934 a separate law abolished the official use of titles such as bey.1
Bey is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.
How was the name Bey formed?
Bey is the word bey (“bey: chief, lord; term of respect”), taken unchanged as a surname.
Which surnames are related to Bey?
| # | Surname | Relation | Rank | People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Özbey | same root | – | – |
| 02 | Bozbey | same root | – | – |
| 03 | Beyhan | same root | – | – |
| 04 | Beyoğlu | same root | – | – |
| 05 | Bek | same root | – | – |
| 06 | Altunbey | same root | – | – |
| 07 | Canbek | same root | – | – |
| 08 | Koçibey | same root | – | – |
| 09 | Beykan | same root | – | – |
| 10 | Beyleryan | same root | – | – |
| 11 | Bozbeyli | same root | – | – |
| 12 | Canbey | same root | – | – |
Who are some well-known people named Bey?
- Turhan Bey actor 1922–2012
- Toğay bey politician 1601–1651
- Avlonyalı Ekrem Bey politician 1885–1964
- Emre Bey film actor 1997–
- Avlonyalı Nureddin Bey politician 1889–
- Binbaşızade Rıza Bey politician 1861–1930
- Mehmet Şevket Bey Podamialyzade teacher 1873–1955
People surnamed Bey as recorded in Wikidata, ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions.
Which surnames have a meaning similar to Bey?
Ahunbay, Erbey and Bek share gloss keywords with Bey within the same primary category.
Which guides add context to Bey?
Read the root, formation and register information for Bey alongside this guide: How to research a Turkish surname and family tree.
Where do these facts come from?
- 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Sözlük: bey
- 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: bey
- 3 Wikimedia Wiktionary: bey
- 4 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name
- 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525)
Common questions about Bey
- Q1
What does the surname Bey mean?
- Bey comes from Old Turkic beg, “ruler, lord”. Historically it was the title of the head of a tribe or principality, and the Anatolian beyliks are named after it. Today it is mostly a term of respect placed after a man’s first name: Ahmet Bey. In 1934 a separate law abolished the official use of titles such as bey.
- Q2
What is the origin of the surname Bey?
- The root word of Bey is bey (Turkic): “chief of a small community or principality; respectful title after men’s names; husband”.
- Q3
How do you pronounce Bey?
- Bey, 1 syllable; IPA: /bej/.