Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 1,943

Ertem

Ertem /eɾˈtem/

“virtue (archaic form of erdem)”1

Letters / syllables
5 / 2
Formation
Plain noun
Vowel harmony
front
Initial
E
Contents§1–§10
  1. §1Pronunciation
  2. §2Meaning
  3. §3Root tree
  4. §4Formation & 1934
  5. §5Name family
  6. §6Notable people
  7. §7As a first name
  8. §8Sources
  9. §9Questions
  10. §10Related

How do you pronounce Ertem?

Ertem

IPA /eɾˈtem/

The stress usually falls on syllable 2 (marked). In everyday Turkish, stress in surnames varies by speaker and region.

What does the surname Ertem mean?

Ertem rests on the older form, with t, of the modern word erdem. Its root sense is “manliness, valour”, which later widened to “moral excellence, virtue”. The surname keeps this archaic sound shape alive.1

Grammar A single word; the t-form of the same root as erdem.

That Ertem goes back to erdem is probable rather than proven: the dictionary entry cited supports it.

What is Ertem made of?

Ertem is a single Turkic root: ertem (ertem: old form of erdem; manliness, virtue).

Ertem + root ertem ertem: old form of erdem;manliness, virtue TURKIC erdem “virtue, moral excellence” TURKIC erdem “Old Turkic ärdäm‘manliness, virtue’” Ertem ertem root ertem: old form of erdem; manliness,virtue erdem TURKIC “virtue, moral excellence” erdem TURKIC “Old Turkic ärdäm ‘manliness,virtue’”
Ertem: parts and root words
  • erdem Turkic — virtue, moral excellence1
  • erdem Turkic — Old Turkic ärdäm “manliness, virtue”1

How was the name Ertem formed?

Ertem is the word ertem (“ertem: old form of erdem; manliness, virtue”), taken unchanged as a surname.

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.5

Which surnames are related to Ertem?

Ertem Erdem Erdemli Erdemoğlu Ayerdem
Circle area shows the number of bearers; dashed circle: no national count published. Solid line: same root; dashed line: same affix.
#SurnameRelationRankPeople
01 Erdem same root – –
02 Erdemli same root – –
03 Erdemoğlu same root – –
04 Ayerdem same root – –

Who are some well-known people named Ertem?

  1. Ceylan Ertem singer 1980–
  2. Sadri Ertem politician 1898–1943
  3. Cemil Ertem journalist 2000–
  4. Kaan Ertem actor 1968–2021
  5. Ali Ertem historian 1950–2021
  6. Birol Ertem statesperson
  7. Halil Ertem politician 1916–1992
  8. Mehmet İlhami Ertem politician 1918–1978

People surnamed Ertem as recorded in Wikidata, ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions.

Is Ertem also a first name?

Yes. Ertem is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “virtue (archaic form of erdem)”.

Ertem as a first name: meaning and statistics — turkiyenames.com →

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Sözlük: erdem accessed 9 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: erdem accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 Wikimedia Wiktionary: erdem accessed 8 November 2026
  4. 4 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name accessed 8 November 2026
  5. 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026
  6. 6 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 9 November 2026

Common questions about Ertem

Q1

What does the surname Ertem mean?

Ertem rests on the older form, with t, of the modern word erdem. Its root sense is “manliness, valour”, which later widened to “moral excellence, virtue”. The surname keeps this archaic sound shape alive.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Ertem?

The root word of Ertem is erdem (Turkic): “virtue, moral excellence”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Ertem?

Er·tem, 2 syllables; IPA: /eɾˈtem/.