Surname Afacan - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'A'
Afacan: What does the surname Afacan mean?
The last name Afacan is generally found among people of Turkish ancestry originating from the outskirts of Istanbul. The meaning of the name itself is derived from the Turkish words 'afa' meaning thin and 'can' meaning life. It is believed to have been a name passed down through generations, indicative of a way of life that placed a strong emphasis on humility and contentment.
The name has often been used to describe the hardworking character of the people who adopted it as their last name. The same characteristics can be found in many modern family lines, with the members of the family placing strong emphasis on devotion and perseverance.
Although the name may have had its origin in Eastern Europe, in recent years it has spread to many other parts of the world. In the United States, many of those with the Afacan last name have settled in New Jersey, New York, and the South as well as other parts of the country.
The Afacan last name is a symbol of hardworking individuals striving to make a better life for themselves and their family. The name evinces a respect for the values that allowed the people to make their mark in the world. It is an echo of a bygone era that still carries a strong identity of its own in modern times.
Order DNA origin analysisAfacan: Where does the name Afacan come from?
The last name Afacan is most commonly associated with Turkish descent. In fact, according to records from the Turkish Republic's Population Registry, the last name Afacan is one of the earliest recorded family names in the Republic. The last name is found in many regions of modern Turkey today, in particular in the Central, Eastern, and Western parts of the country.
In addition to Turkey, Afacan is also quite common in Kurdish communities across the Near East. In particular, due to its location, the last name is very prevalent in Iraq, Syria, and Iran, where Kurds make up a large population.
Afacan is also found in large concentrations in Europe. This is due to the fact that many Turkish citizens moved to Europe during the 1980s and 1990s, and Turkish last name names such as Afacan remain highly popular in countries such as France, Germany, and Austria.
Lastly, there is also an emerging presence of Afacan outside of Europe. In particular, Afacan is becoming increasingly popular in North America due to a growing Turkish immigrant population, especially in the USA and Canada.
Regardless of its origins, the last name Afacan has become increasingly more widespread over the past few decades. It can now be found in a large part of the world and is associated with a number of different ethnicities and nationalities.
Variations of the surname Afacan
The surname Afacan is of Turkish origin and refers to someone from Afacan, a small town near İzmir in Turkey. Variants of this surname include AFAKAN, AFACANER, AFACANLI and AFACANLIOGLU, and AFACANYAN in some cases. These surnames all derive from the same root, AFA, which possibly originates from the old Turkic word for ‘wind’. It is worth noting that it is rare to find surnames derived from this root outside of Turkey.
The first written record of this surname dates back to the late 15th century in İzmir, where a local chief was recorded as ‘Ali Afacan’. The most common spellings today are Afacan and Afakan, with the latter being the most common form in western Turkey and some parts of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Afacanlioglu spelling is predominantly found in Eastern Anatolia and the Black Sea region, while Afacaner is rare and used mostly in northwestern Turkey. It is possible that some members of the same family have different spellings of the surname in different parts of the country.
The best way to trace the history of this surname is to look for local records kept by the towns people over the centuries. In some cases, it may be possible to trace the origin of the surname back even further. For those interested in finding out more about their own family's history, researching local archives and records from the town of Afacan is an important first step.
Famous people with the name Afacan
- Ceyhun Atuf Kansu Afacan (founder and CEO of VELİX.Ö)
- Halil Afacan (Turkish football referee)
- Ersin Afacan (Turkish football player)
- Recep Afacan (Turkish football player)
- Sibel Afacan (Turkish actress and singer)
- Recep Afacan (Turkish footballer)
- Melih Afacan (Turkish actor)
- Serhat Afacan (Turkish footballer)
- Furkan Afacan (Turkish footballer)
- Yunus Emre Afacan (Turkish footballer)