Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 2,663

Kaftan

Kaftan /kafˈtan/

“kaftan, long robe”1

Probable origin Kaftan: root entries for kaftan · How do we know?

Published: Last updated:

Letters / syllables
6 / 2
Formation
Plain noun
Vowel harmony
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Initial
K
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How do you pronounce Kaftan?

Kaftan

IPA /kafˈtan/

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

What does the surname Kaftan mean?

A kaftan is a long, ornate outer robe, usually of silk. At the Ottoman court a precious kaftan bestowed by the sultan as an honour was called hilat. Nişanyan traces the word to Old Turkic ḳaftān “long robe-like garment”.1

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

Kaftan is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.

What is Kaftan made of?

Kaftan is a single Turkic root: kaftan (kaftan: kaftan, long robe-like garment).

Kaftan root kaftan kaftan: kaftan, longrobe-like garment TURKIC kaftan “kaftan, long robe-likegarment” Kaftan kaftan root kaftan: kaftan, long robe-like garment kaftan TURKIC “kaftan, long robe-like garment”
Kaftan: parts and root words
  • kaftan Turkic — kaftan, long robe-like garment1

How was the name Kaftan formed?

Kaftan is the word kaftan (“kaftan: kaftan, long robe-like garment”), taken unchanged as a surname.

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.4

Which surnames are related to Kaftan?

Kaftan Kaftancıoğlu Kaftancı
Circle area shows the number of bearers; dashed circle: no national count published. Solid line: same root; dashed line: same affix.
#SurnameRelationRankPeople
01 Kaftancıoğlu same root – –
02 Kaftancı same root – –

How is Kaftan written and pronounced abroad?

The name has no Turkish-specific letters and is written Kaftan abroad as well.

Which surnames have a meaning similar to Kaftan?

Kaftancı, Kaftancıoğlu and Aba share gloss keywords with Kaftan within the same primary category.

Which guides add context to Kaftan?

Read the root, formation and register information for Kaftan alongside this guide: How to research a Turkish surname and family tree.

Where do these facts come from?

  1. 1 Sevan Nişanyan Nişanyan Sözlük: kaftan accessed 9 November 2026
  2. 2 Wikimedia Vikisözlük: kaftan accessed 9 November 2026
  3. 3 Wikimedia Wiktionary: kaftan accessed 9 November 2026
  4. 4 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525) accessed 8 November 2026

Common questions about Kaftan

Q1

What does the surname Kaftan mean?

A kaftan is a long, ornate outer robe, usually of silk. At the Ottoman court a precious kaftan bestowed by the sultan as an honour was called hilat. Nişanyan traces the word to Old Turkic ḳaftān “long robe-like garment”.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Kaftan?

The root word of Kaftan is kaftan (Turkic): “kaftan, long robe-like garment”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Kaftan?

Kaf·tan, 2 syllables; IPA: /kafˈtan/.