SURNAMEEntry 2,950
Tarhan
“old Turkic title”2
- CategoryOld Turkic titles
- OriginTurkic
- FormPlain noun
- Letters / syllables
- 6 / 2
- Formation
- Plain noun
- Vowel harmony
- back
Contents§1–§12
How do you pronounce Tarhan?
The stress usually falls on syllable 2 (marked). In everyday Turkish, stress in surnames varies by speaker and region.
What does the surname Tarhan mean?
Tarhan, also known as tarkan, is a title given to high-ranking men in old Central Asian states such as the Göktürks and the Khazars. The origin of the title is debated: some scholars derive it from East Iranian languages, others regard it as Turkic, and Doerfer argues for a non-Turkic source. In Turkish it is used as a male given name.2
The origin is disputed. The views put forward are:
- Some historians derive the title from an East Iranian language such as Sogdian or Khotanese Saka; others regard it as Turkic.
- Doerfer argues for a non-Turkic origin, since its Old Turkic plural (tarxat) is not Turkic; the exact source is unknown.
What is Tarhan made of?
Tarhan is a single root: tarhan (high title in old Turkic states).
- tarkan Turkic — Old Turkic: title of high-ranking men2
How was the name Tarhan formed?
Tarhan belongs to the “plain noun” class of surnames.
How else is Tarhan spelled?
- Tarkanspelling
Where in Türkiye is Tarhan most common?
Tarhan is outside the national top 30, but it appears in the top-30 list of 1 province; its best rank is 21st in Bitlis.1
- In the province top 30 1
- Not listed
| # | Province | Rank | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Bitlis | 21 | 1,146 |
Who are some well-known people named Tarhan?
- Abdülhak Hamit Tarhan politician 1852–1937
- Şevval İlayda Tarhan sport shooter 2000–
- Nevzat Tarhan author 1952–
- Emine Ülker Tarhan politician 1963–
- Mehmet Tarhan military personnel 1978–
- Bilge Tarhan association football player 1941–2016
- Candan Tarhan association football player 1942–1989
- Mehmet Hayri Tarhan soldier 1880–1934
People surnamed Tarhan as recorded in Wikidata, ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions.
Is Tarhan also a first name?
Yes. Tarhan is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “old Turkic title”.
Tarhan as a first name: meaning and statistics — turkiyenames.com →
Where do these facts come from?
- 1 Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK)ADNKS TÜİK Nüfus İsim Portalı: En çok kullanılan soyisimler (ADNKS)
- 2 Wikimedia Wikipedia: Tarkhan
- 3 Wikimedia Foundation Wikidata: people with this family name
- 4 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Kanunu (Kanun No. 2525)
- 5 T.C. Resmî Gazete / Mevzuat Bilgi Sistemi (mevzuat.gov.tr) Soyadı Nizamnamesi (Bakanlar Kurulu Kararı 2/1759)
- 6 Natural Earth Natural Earth: Admin-1 boundaries
- 7 turkiyenames.com Türkiye İsimleri (turkiyenames.com)
Common questions about Tarhan
- Q1
What does the surname Tarhan mean?
- Tarhan, also known as tarkan, is a title given to high-ranking men in old Central Asian states such as the Göktürks and the Khazars. The origin of the title is debated: some scholars derive it from East Iranian languages, others regard it as Turkic, and Doerfer argues for a non-Turkic source. In Turkish it is used as a male given name.
- Q2
What is the origin of the surname Tarhan?
- The root word of Tarhan is tarkan (Turkic): “title of high-ranking men”. There are 3 competing views on where Tarhan comes from, all set out on this page.
- Q3
How do you pronounce Tarhan?
- Tar·han, 2 syllables; IPA: /taɾˈhan/.