Türkiye Soyadları A sourced dictionary of Turkish surnames

SURNAMEEntry 4,180

Tavgaç

Tavgaç /tavˈɡatʃ/ ASCII Tavgac

“Old Turkic name for China”1

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

How do you pronounce Tavgaç?

Tavgaç

IPA /tavˈɡatʃ/

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

What does the surname Tavgaç mean?

Tavgaç is a later form of Tabgač, the name the Orkhon inscriptions and Mahmud of Kashgar use for China; it goes back to the Tuoba dynasty that ruled northern China. Karakhanid rulers also bore the title “Tavgaç Khan”.1

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

What is Tavgaç made of?

Tavgaç is a single root: tavgaç (Tabgač: Old Turkic name for China and the Tuoba dynasty).

Tavgaç root tavgaç Tabgač: Old Turkic namefor China and the Tuoba… OTHER Tabgaç “Old Turkic name of theTuoba dynasty and of…” Tavgaç tavgaç root Tabgač: Old Turkic name for China andthe Tuoba dynasty Tabgaç OTHER “Old Turkic name of the Tuobadynasty and of China”
Tavgaç: parts and root words
  • Tabgaç Other — Old Turkic name of the Tuoba dynasty and of China1

How was the name Tavgaç formed?

Tavgaç is the word tavgaç (“Tabgač: Old Turkic name for China and the Tuoba dynasty”), taken unchanged as a surname.

Shared note · 1934Surnames became compulsory with Surname Law No. 2525 of 21 June 1934.3

Who are some well-known people named Tavgaç?

  1. İsmet Tavgaç politician 1918–2010

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

Is Tavgaç also a first name?

Yes. Tavgaç is given as a first name too, carrying the same sense: “Old Turkic name for China”.

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

How is Tavgaç written and pronounced abroad?

In foreign records the name often appears as Tavgac: ç becomes c or ch.

Where do these facts come from?

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

Common questions about Tavgaç

Q1

What does the surname Tavgaç mean?

Tavgaç is a later form of Tabgač, the name the Orkhon inscriptions and Mahmud of Kashgar use for China; it goes back to the Tuoba dynasty that ruled northern China. Karakhanid rulers also bore the title “Tavgaç Khan”.
Q2

What is the origin of the surname Tavgaç?

The root word of Tavgaç is Tabgaç (another language): “Old Turkic name of the Tuoba dynasty and of China”.
Q3

How do you pronounce Tavgaç?

Tav·gaç, 2 syllables; IPA: /tavˈɡatʃ/.