Surname Karahan - Meaning and Origin

Karahan: What does the surname Karahan mean?

The last name Karahan is a Turkish surname derived from the Turkish word "karahisar," which translates to "black fortress." The Karahan surname is associated with the Girne Karahans, a noble family who served in the court of the Ottoman Empire in the fifteenth century.

The family was important to the nobility at the time and provided essential services to the Sultan, such as minting coins, managing financial and diplomatic affairs and serving as military officers. Some members of the Karahan family even served as Viziers, or governmental advisors. Throughout their tenure in the Ottoman Empire, the Karahans helped to shape the structure of the monarchy and its internal workings.

The Karahan family has a storied legacy of influence and courage within the Turkish community. Even today, members of the Karahan family are seen as highly influential, and many of them have gone on to achieve great success in the worlds of business, education, and politics.

Whether it is through creating meaningful opportunities for further generations or demonstrating successful entrepreneurial capability, the members of the Karahan family have proven to be a powerful force in the modern world. They carry a proud name with strong roots that connect them to the Ottoman Empire and beyond.

Karahan: Where does the name Karahan come from?

The last name Karahan is common mainly in Turkey and other countries in the Middle Eastern region. It is a surname associated with the Turkish and Islamic world. It is a Turkic name from the Ottoman period, which is thought to be derived from either the Baḳaraḥan area of Ankara, located south of the Black Sea, or else from the Turkic Qarahan (grey wolf).

In the present day, the last name Karahan is commonly found in the Turkish city of Istanbul, including in the suburbs of Kadıköy, Bakırköy, and Hatay. It is not uncommon to find individuals with this last name in areas of Syria and Iraq, and other places in the Middle East such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel.

The last name Karahan can also be found in Europe, mainly in places where there is a Turkish diaspora, with some occurrences in Germany, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Within these countries, particular cities with a larger Turkish population tend to have the most occurrences of this last name.

In the United States, the last name Karahan is not too common, but it does appear among the Turkish diaspora population within the US. In particular, cities such as New York, Maryland, California, Michigan, and the state of Texas are where most Karahan-surnames can be found.

Overall, the last name Karahan is a common name in countries with a large population of Turkish and Islamic descent. It is prevalent in Turkey, the Middle East, Europe, and the United States among the Turkish diaspora population.

Variations of the surname Karahan

The Karahan surname is a Turkish surname that is believed to have originated in Turkey. Common variants of the Karahan surname include Karahanoglu, Karahanoğlu, Karahanovic, or Karahano Vich, which is the Serbian variant.

The Karahan surname is derived from two Turkish words, “kara” and “han”. “Kara” means “black” in Turkish, while “han” is a term for a leader or prince and is often in the names of dynasties. Therefore, the Karahan surname literally translates as “black prince.”

In Latin, the Karahan surname is written as “Carahanus” which means “gentleman”, and as “Karajaņš” in Croatian. The surname is also spelled Karahanidi in Greek and Karaagacoglu in Armenian. In Belarus, the surname is written as Kaŝań.

The Karahan surname has several related surnames, including Karahasan, Kardhashan, Karkashan, Kharahan, Karakashan, and Kharrahan, all which derived from the same root words as Karahan.

The Karahan surname is still found in Turkey today, particularly in the country's Eastern region near Erzurum and Bitlis, as well as in neighboring countries such as Iran, Iraq, Bulgaria, and Greece. It is also found in Serbia, Croatia, Belarus, Armenia, and other parts of Europe. The popularity of the surname has led to many variations and spellings of the same root word.

Famous people with the name Karahan

• Fikret Karahan: Turkish historian
• Gültekin Karahan: Turkish politician
• Ahmet Karahan: Turkish sports journalist
• Metin Karahan: Turkish psychiatrist
• Süleyman Karahan: Turkish singer and composer
• Murat Karahan: Turkish musician
• Ekin Karahan: Turkish actress
• Selçuk Karahan: Turkish athlete
• Savaş Karahan: Turkish actor
• Erdoğan Karahan: Turkish businessman
• Yakup Karahan: Turkish wrestler
• Ufuk Karahan: Turkish actor
• Nazmi Karahan: Turkish journalist
• Fuat Karahan: Turkish basketball coach
• Abdurrahman Karahan: Turkish academic
• Ahmet Akif Karahan: Turkish prosecutor
• Metin Yaşar Karahan: Turkish astrophysicist
• Murat Karahan Türkoğlu: Turkish footballer
• Işıl Karahan: Turkish actress
• Ülgen Karahan: Turkish football referee

Other surnames

Karahasan