Surname Topsakal - Meaning and Origin
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Topsakal: What does the surname Topsakal mean?
The last name Topsakal is of Turkish origin and dates back to the Ottoman Empire. It is derived from a combination of two components, the first being "top" which means "hat" and the second being "sakal" which means "beard". Together they represent a symbolic figure of male strength and power. In some societies, wearing hats and having facial hair indicated a man’s accomplished status, success, and strength. It is believed that the first recorded bearer of this name was a wealthy noble who was remarkable for wearing a hat and sporting a well-manicured beard.
In addition to representing leadership, the name Topsakal also conveys powerful paternal authority. The Turkish language also has an old saying, “Topa sakal takmak babasının emridir” or “It is the father’s command to wear the hat and grow the beard.” This proverb suggests that fathers in the Ottoman Empire were often responsible for setting the example of strength and power for their children.
Today, the last name Topsakal still holds a special place in modern Turkish culture. As its historical past implies, it stands for something meaningful – power, strength, success, and respect. Although the proverb is no longer used in the same context as centuries ago, it carries immense sentimentality in Turkish society as a reminder of the hard-working and inspiring ancestors who wore the hat and kept a well-groomed beard.
Order DNA origin analysisTopsakal: Where does the name Topsakal come from?
The last name Topsakal is common in Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, and other countries in the Balkan region. The surname is most prevalent in Turkey and is often found in the country’s western and central Anatolian regions. It is speculated that the surname is of Slavic or Turkish origin.
In terms of its distribution among the regions, the surname is more likely to be found in the city areas of the major cities in Turkey such as Istanbul, Antalya, Ankara, Bursa, and Izmir. In other Balkan countries, Topsakal is a fairly popular surname as well. Specifically, Bulgaria shows the second highest population of Topsakals, followed by Greece, Serbia, and Romania.
The meaning of the surname, which is “Top of the sky”, probably contributes to its geographic popularity. From an early times the name Topsakal suggested that the family had a higher social standing than other families and may even be descended from the ruling class. During the Ottoman Empire, many Turkish families assumed relative positions of power and prestige.
In recent years, many Topsakals have immigrated to the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. This has introduced the surname to many new cultures, although its most common current home remains the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.
Variations of the surname Topsakal
Topsakal is a surname of Turkish origin meaning "dagger handle". Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin can vary from region to region and even person to person. Some of the variants include Topçakal, Topçu, Topcukal, Topcakal, Topçokal, Topcoglu, and Topcuoglu.
Topçakal is an alternative spelling for Topsakal and has passing similarity to Topçu, which is the Turkish word for Surveyor. This is however a separate last name.
The surname Topcukal, which is the plural form of the last name meaning "dagger handle", refers to the way a handle is formed on a dagger. The surname Topcoglu and Topcuoglu is a patronymic form based on the Ottoman Turkish religious name "Topcu", which means "gunsmith".
In many cases, the spellings and surnames that have the same origin as Topsakal have even been combined and used as two separate words in one surname. This can be seen in the surnames Topcuoglu-Topsakal and Topcakal-Topçu.
No matter what variant, spelling, or surname of Topsakal, all are originated from the same root name and have the same meaning.
Famous people with the name Topsakal
- Ayfer Topsakal: Turkish actress who starred in the television series 1001 Gece (1001 Nights) as Adalet.
- Alp Topsakal: Turkish singer, songwriter, and composer, who has released several albums and singles since 2008.
- Oktay Topsakal: Turkish Olympic judoka and silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
- Sergen Topsakal: Turkish professional football player who plays as a midfielder for Istanbul Basaksehir.
- Mustafa Topsakal: Turkish professional basketball player for Galatasaray in the Turkish Basketball Super League.
- Neşet Topsakal: Turkish journalist, author, and poet, best known for his works on Turkish contemporary culture.
- Ugur Topsakal: Turkish author and professor of economics, specializing in health economics, public economics, labor economics, and intertemporal optimization.
- Gullu Topsakal: Turkish actress who has had roles in movies such as Leyla ile Mecnun and Yagmur Lale.
- Emre Topsakal: Turkish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Sakaryaspor in the Turkish Second League.
- Fatoş Topsakal: Turkish musician, vocalist, songwriter, and composer, best known for her works on classical and folk music.