Surname Turkeltaub - Meaning and Origin

Turkeltaub: What does the surname Turkeltaub mean?

The surname Turkeltaub is of Ashkenazi Jewish origin. It is a compound of two German/Jewish elements: 'Turkel' and 'taub'. The first part, 'Turkel', is considered to be a variant of 'Turk', originating from Turkic-speaking peoples in Central Asia and could imply a person who originated from there. The second part, 'taub' is a German word literally translating to 'dove' in English. The whole surname combined might have been used metaphorically to describe a person's characteristics, the same way certain animal attributes are used to describe people in English (e.g., lionhearted, quick as a hare, etc.). It is also possible that 'Turkeltaub' might have signified a person who traded with 'Turks' or someone who traveled there often. However, the definitive origin or meaning may vary, as surnames often carried specific anecdotes, occupations, or characteristics of a family or person, and may have altered in spelling and meaning over centuries. It is also important to remember when dealing with name origins that certainty is often elusive, and the most we can share are educated speculations.

Turkeltaub: Where does the name Turkeltaub come from?

The surname Turkeltaub is generally considered to be of Jewish origin, with its roots tracing back to Central and Eastern Europe. It is most commonly found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Germany, and Austria, however, it is also present in several other countries throughout the world.

In America, Turkeltaub can be seen most prominently in states such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, and Illinois. Records show that many Turkeltaubs settled in the United States during the 19th century, when many Jewish families made the journey there to escape persecution and violence in Europe. Interestingly, the surname can still typically be found in the areas these families settled in.

The first Turkeltaub to arrive in the United States was Simon Turkeltaub, in 1861. However, the name began to significantly increase in popularity in the 1880s and 1890s due to a great degree of immigration from Eastern Europe. An influx of Italian Turkeltaubs began to arrive in the 1920s, too.

When it comes to Canada, many Turkeltaubs can be found in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Records of the name Turkeltaub in Canada first appeared in the late 1800s, during the first wave of Jewish immigration.

In recent years, there has been an upsurge of people researching their Jewish family roots, and so there is a good chance that there are many people spread across the globe who are descendants of the Turkeltaub family.

Variations of the surname Turkeltaub

The surname Turkeltaub is of Ashkenazi Jewish origin and can be spelled in several different ways. The most common variants are Turkel, Turkul, Turkow, Turkiel or Turkelin, and the surnames Turkultaub, Turkaltaub, Terraultaub or Terktaub.

Turkeltaub literally means “bird of Turkish origin” from Germanic and Middle Eastern origins, derived from “turk” whom were nomads of Central Asian origin. The “taub” or tauf suffix, likely derived from 'dove' in German, would have indicated the family were of Jewish descent.

Variants of Turkeltaub date back to as early as the 15th century, when the surname was found in various German-speaking regions, such as in the border provinces of Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. Jewish families living in this area were known to change their surname when moving around, or when writing their name in Hebrew or Yiddish.

The surname Turkeltaub was later found in various countries across Central and Eastern Europe, most notably in Prussia, the Czech Republic, Poland and Belarus, as a result of migration throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The Russian variant, Turkiel, was later found in Ukraine.

By the onset of the 21st century, there were 584000 people in the US, Canada, UK, Argentina, France, Israel, Australia, South Africa and Brazil with the surname Turkeltaub, Turkel or a variation thereof. These families would range from the descendants of those who escaped Central-European persecution by moving to the ‘new world’, to those who moved to Israel following the Holocaust.

Famous people with the name Turkeltaub

• Dr. Peter Turkeltaub: bestselling author and practitioner of integrative medicine, specializing in medical nutrition in Bethesda, Maryland.
• Bryon Turkeltaub: founder and CEO of an investment management firm in Los Angeles, California.
• Rebecca Turkeltaub: spoken word poet from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Ryan Turkeltaub: award-winning video editor in Austin, Texas.
• Kathryn Turkeltaub: author and public speaker in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• Paul Turkeltaub: artist and sculptor in Baltimore, Maryland.
• Sarah Turkeltaub: Emmy-award winning television director in New York City.
• Melinda Turkeltaub: award-winning photographer based in Washington D.C.
• Tara Turkeltaub: Vice President of a family owned printing business in Dallas, Texas.
• Dr. Jonathan Turkeltaub: emergency physician with a special focus on wilderness medicine in Traverse City, Michigan.

Other surnames

Turkeltov