Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 1,428

Esmer

Esmer /esˈmeɾ/

“dark-complexioned”2

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

How do you pronounce Esmer?

Esmer

IPA /esˈmeɾ/

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

What does the surname Esmer mean?

Esmer describes a person with olive or dark skin and dark hair. The word comes from Arabic asmar ‘dark-coloured’. Folk songs often praise the esmer güzeli, the dark-haired beauty. There is also a village called Esmer in Tutak, Ağrı.1,2

Grammar Adjective borrowed from Arabic.

Esmer is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.

What is Esmer made of?

Esmer is a single root: esmer (dark-complexioned, brunette).

Esmer + root esmer dark-complexioned,brunette ARABIC esmer “dark-skinned; brunette” ARABIC asmar “dark-coloured” Esmer esmer root dark-complexioned, brunette esmer ARABIC “dark-skinned; brunette” asmar ARABIC “dark-coloured”
Esmer: parts and root words
  • esmer Arabic — dark-skinned; brunette2
  • asmar Arabic — dark-coloured1

How was the name Esmer formed?

Esmer belongs to the “adjective” class of surnames.

Who are some well-known people named Esmer?

  1. Enis Esmer film actor 1978–
  2. Pelin Esmer screenwriter 1972–
  3. Dilek Esmer athletics competitor 1988–
  4. Ahmet Şükrü Esmer politician 1891–1982
  5. Yılmaz Esmer political scientist 1946–
  6. Ahmet Rıza Esmer researcher
  7. Güven Esmer basketball player 1980–
  8. Metin Esmer association football player

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

Is Esmer also a first name?

Yes. Esmer is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “dark-complexioned”.

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

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Wikimedia Wiktionary: esmer accessed 8 November 2026
  2. 2 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Sözlük: esmer accessed 8 November 2026
  3. 3 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name accessed 8 November 2026
  4. 4 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026
  5. 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Nizamnamesi (Bakanlar Kurulu Kararı 2/1759) accessed 8 November 2026
  6. 6 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com) accessed 8 November 2026

Common questions about Esmer

Q1

What does the surname Esmer mean?

Esmer describes a person with olive or dark skin and dark hair. The word comes from Arabic asmar ‘dark-coloured’. Folk songs often praise the esmer güzeli, the dark-haired beauty. There is also a village called Esmer in Tutak, Ağrı.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Esmer?

The root word of Esmer is esmer (Arabic): “dark-skinned; brunette”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Esmer?

Es·mer, 2 syllables; IPA: /esˈmeɾ/.