Surname Turok - Meaning and Origin

Turok: What does the surname Turok mean?

The surname Turok is of Eastern European origin, specifically traced back to Hungary. This surname is derived from the Hungarian word "turó" which means "cottage cheese" emphasizing a possible connection to dairy farming in the family history. It can also be an altered form of the name "Turóc", which is the name of a region in northern Hungary, indicating a geographical origin. Furthermore, as is common with surnames, it may also have related to a profession or occupation practiced in the family, though the specifics for the name "Turok" aren't definitively known. It's also worth noting that Turok is a recognizable name due to a popular video game series named "Turok", which features a Native American protagonist. However, the game's title refers to a fictional character and isn't related to the real-life surname origins. There is a diverse multiplicity of uses and meanings for the name Turok, making it both unique and interesting.

Turok: Where does the name Turok come from?

The last name Turok is most commonly associated with Eastern European countries. It is a Polish and Jewish last name that is found throughout Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Lithuania, Moldova, and Russia. The surname is also considered to be a derivative of the given name Turo or Thurok and could be found in Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Sweden, and the Czech Republic.

In the United States, the surname Turok has its roots in immigration from Central and Eastern Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This influx typically followed a Jewish diaspora, where citizens were fleeing persecution in their home countries. Today, many people who have the last name Turok in the USA are either descendants of those immigrants or are of Eastern European Jewish decent.

The last name Turok is less common in Western countries, though due to centuries of immigration, it is still found in places such as Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Scandinavia, South America, Canada, and Israel, as well as the USA. It is estimated that in the US, there are approximately 3,100 people with the last name of Turok.

Variations of the surname Turok

The surname Turok is of Hebrew origin, meaning ‘rock’, which is derived from the root ‘tsur’. The spelling of Turok is commonly found in the United States and countries with a large Jewish population, such as Israel. Additionally, the surname Turok can be found as Turek, Tureck, Turik, Torok, Turke, and Turick. In some cases, the surname can also be transliterated as Turisky and Taroke. Additionally, some variants of the surname are also found in Eastern Europe, such as the Polish name Turowski and the Ukrainian version, Turiy.

In the US and Israel, the surname Turok is most commonly found in its original Hebrew spelling, although a few families have made the transition to other languages, such as the Turek and Tureck families, who adopted the Polish variant of their original name. The Azerbaijani version of the surname, Urək, is also popular in Israel.

Variants of the Turok surname have existed for centuries, and many families have used these alternate spellings since their arrival in the US. Each of these names is closely connected to the original spelling of Turok, and often represent the same family line. As a result, many American families often find themselves tracing their lineage back to one of these related spellings.

Famous people with the name Turok

• George Turok: an American football safety who played college ball at Iowa and in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders.
• Todd Turok: Canadian pro golfer who won the 1980 Mexican Open and toured for several years with the Canadian Tour.
• Davis Turok: Native American artist and educator who has works in museum collections around the world.
• Alan Turok: an English actor, best known for his appearances on the BBC series People as well as in several independent films.
• Paul Turok: a Canadian theater director, producer, and playwright and author, best known as the founding artistic and general director of The Chippawa Creek Theatre.
• Darius Turok: a Zimbabwean cricketer who played for the national team from 1992 to 2004.
• Sarah Turok: an Inuk songwriter and actress, known for her part in the film The Snow Walker and her musical contributions to the film Tannara.
• Zane Turok: an English actor, best known for his role in the musical Breathless.
• Mike Turok: a former Canadian football player and coach, who played for the Calgary Stampeders and later coached the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
• Alex Turok: a Russian-born painter and sculptor.

Other surnames

TurockTuron