SURNAMEEntry 3,058
Topal
“lame (byname)”2
- CategorySurnames from nicknames
- OriginTurkic
- FormAdjective
- Letters / syllables
- 5 / 2
- Formation
- Adjective
- Vowel harmony
- back
Contents§1–§10
How do you pronounce Topal?
The stress usually falls on syllable 2 (marked). In everyday Turkish, stress in surnames varies by speaker and region.
What does the surname Topal mean?
Topal is a word for someone who walks with a limp because of a problem with one leg. Such bodily bynames were common in the old naming tradition, as in historical epithets like Topal Osman, and many were registered as surnames in 1934. The origin of the word is uncertain; Wiktionary notes a possible link with *top, “round object”.2
That Topal goes back to topal is probable rather than proven: the dictionary entry cited supports it.
Topal is also an ordinary word in everyday Turkish.
What is Topal made of?
Topal is a single root: topal (lame, limping).
- topal Turkic — lame, limping2
How was the name Topal formed?
Topal belongs to the “adjective” class of surnames.
Which surnames are related to Topal?
| # | Surname | Relation | Rank | People |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Topaloğlu | same root | – | – |
Where in Türkiye is Topal most common?
Topal is outside the national top 30, but it appears in the top-30 lists of 4 provinces; its best rank is 19th in Artvin.1
- In the province top 30 4
- Not listed
| # | Province | Rank | People |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kahramanmaraş | 24 | 3,900 |
| 02 | Osmaniye | 30 | 1,539 |
| 03 | Artvin | 19 | 905 |
| 04 | Bartın | 27 | 729 |
Who are some well-known people named Topal?
- Mehmet Topal association football player 1986–
- Recep Topal amateur wrestler 1992–
- Zühal Topal actor 1976–
- Murat Topal association football player 1976–
- Ahmet Topal association football player 1993–
- Aydoğan Topal musician 1982–
- Aykut Topal association football player 1991–
- Bahtiyar Topal association football player 1957–
People surnamed Topal as recorded in Wikidata, ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions.
Where do these facts come from?
- 1 Türkiye İstatistik Kurumu (TÜİK)ADNKS TÜİK Nüfus İsim Portalı: En çok kullanılan soyisimler (ADNKS)
- 2 Wikimedia Wiktionary: topal
- 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
Common questions about Topal
- Q1
What does the surname Topal mean?
- Topal is a word for someone who walks with a limp because of a problem with one leg. Such bodily bynames were common in the old naming tradition, as in historical epithets like Topal Osman, and many were registered as surnames in 1934. The origin of the word is uncertain; Wiktionary notes a possible link with *top, “round object”.
- Q2
What is the origin of the surname Topal?
- The root word of Topal is topal (Turkic): “lame, limping”.
- Q3
How do you pronounce Topal?
- To·pal, 2 syllables; IPA: /toˈpaɫ/.