Surname Turko - Meaning and Origin
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Turko: What does the surname Turko mean?
The last name Turko is derived from the term "Turk," referring to a member of the Turkish ethnic group. It is often utilized as a surname in various regions, particularly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The "Turk" component of the surname references the Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups that live in northern, eastern, central, and western Asia as well as parts of eastern Europe. These groups share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits, common ancestry, and the Turkic languages. Thus, the last name Turko could imply a historical or ancestral connection to these regions or ethnic groups.
Order DNA origin analysisTurko: Where does the name Turko come from?
The last name Turko is most commonly found today in Central and Eastern Europe, especially in Ukraine and Belarus. Following the fall of the Soviet Union, many people of Ukrainian and Belarusian origin have migrated to other parts of Europe, North America, and South Africa. Therefore, the name may also be encountered in some of these regions. It is estimated that there are around 12,000 people surnamed Turko currently living in the United States.
In Ukraine, the surname is not particularly common, with only 845 people in Ukraine carrying the name. In Belarus, however, it is more popular, with 11,413 people carrying the name. It is also encountered in the smaller countries of Moldova (409 people), Lithuania (211 people), and Latvia (99 people).
Overall, the name Turko is relatively rare today, as it has not been used for as long as some other surnames. However, it remains highly concentrated in parts of Eastern Europe, with Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova being the main focus points. It is also starting to appear more often in other countries, as more and more people from Ukraine and Belarus migrate to other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname Turko
Turko is a surname of Eastern European origin, likely stemming from Turkic-speaking regions or populations. Variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin include Türkö, Türki, Tuurk, Turkuu, Turkova, Turka, Turkõv, Turkă, Turkay, Turkew, Turkow, Turkoff, Turkiya, Türkei, Türkyilmaz, Turkšić, Turkotti, and Turkaud.
The variants of Turko closely resemble certain words in Turkic languages such as Turkish (Türk), Turk (Türki), and Turkic (Türkyilmaz). The other surnames likely also derive from Turkic-speaking populations, as well, and likely indicate a cultural and familial connection to Turkic peoples throughout Eastern Europe. It is likely that some of these surnames were introduced to Eastern European populations by Turkic invaders, conquerors, and traders.
In modern-day Eastern Europe, many surnames ending in -o (such as Turkoff) have evolved from Turkic origins, indicating the once pervasive presence of Turkic-speaking communities. In this way, surnames like Turko (given its various spellings and interpretations) serve as a testament to the history of the region and provide insight into the movements of Turkic-speaking populations in Eastern Europe over the last several centuries.
Famous people with the name Turko
- Gani Turko: Ukrainian-Russian singer, composer, actor and producer known for incorporating the sounds of 20 different traditional instruments from around the world into his music.
- George Turko: Hungarian former professional football (soccer) player who made 300 appearances for Ferencvárosi TC between 1970 and 1982.
- Mitko Turko: Bulgarian lightweight boxer who had a career spanning from 1970 to 1985 and competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics.
- Laura Turko: Belarusian TV presenter and director.
- Frank Turko: Czech-born ice hockey defenceman who played 469 games in the National Hockey League.
- Franko Turko: Serbian chess Grandmaster and one of the leading figures of the chess life in former Yugoslavia.
- Janis Turko: Latvian professional basketball player and member of the Latvian team at the 2003 Summer Universiade.
- Pavol Turko: Slovak politician and Member of Parliament for ORA in 2009–10.
- Jamel Turko: Tunisian Olympic swimmer who qualified for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona and 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.
- Ebru Turko: Turkish born singer, songwriter and actress.