Surname Celikkaya - Meaning and Origin

Celikkaya: What does the surname Celikkaya mean?

The last name Celikkaya is a Turkish surname of toponymic origin, deriving from the word "celik", which translates to iron in English. This suggests that the name was likely first created to denote someone who originally had ties to a location where iron objects were crafted or sold.

In a feudal society, such as the Ottoman Empire, it was common for individuals to take a toponymic surname, or note of their geographic origin and allocate it to their family to create a unique identifier. As a result, those surnamed Celikkaya likely hailed from a region located near Iron Works or where iron forging was commonly practiced.

Celikkaya subsequently became an ornamental name, which is adopted by families who no longer have any direct ties to that particular geographic region. While the surname may have originated from a geographic location, its adoption by different peoples or regions can be attributed to migration and intermarriage among different Turkish tribes.

Today, Celikkaya is one of the most common family names among Turkish nationals. Its diffusion as an ornamental name has given those that bear it a unique history, and it continues to remain as a reminder of the migratory events occurring during the Ottoman Empire. The name Celikkaya stands as a testament to the presence of Iron Works throughout the former Ottoman Empire and the changing surface of Turkish culture.

Celikkaya: Where does the name Celikkaya come from?

The last name Celikkaya is primarily found in Turkey and the surrounding regions. This family name is especially prevalent throughout South Eastern Turkey and in more Northern areas of the country like Ankara and Istanbul. It can also be found in Azerbaijan and Kurdish areas of Northern Iraq and Syria.

The Turkish vision of tracing family lines is based on the last name as opposed to the western tradition of tracing through the maternal or paternal lines. This has caused Celikkaya to grow in popularity as much of the population is related to each other due to the minimal immigration throughout the generations.

Celikkaya last names can also be found in some parts of Europe such as in the Netherlands, parts of Germany, France, and amongst the Turks living in the U.K. As well, some North American countries like Canada, the United States, and Mexico have populations sharing this last name. The name can even be found in Australia in areas with larger numbers of Turkish immigrants.

The Celikkaya family name has come to be known as one of the most popular in Turkey, representing a large family tree spread across multiple countries. In general, it can be said that the last name is a relatively common one founded widely across areas of the Middle East and beyond.

Variations of the surname Celikkaya

Celikkaya is an ancient Turkish surname that can be found in many forms. It is thought to derive from the Turkish language and translates to mean "iron house".

The most common variant of the surname, Celikkaya, is seen spelled with various letters. Some of these forms include: Celikkaya, Çelikkaya, Jelikkaya, Chelehkah, Shelikhah, Tchaylichy, and Czelkha.

The surnames of Celikkaya have also changed over time. Some of the more popular variations include: Ceylan, Çelebi (variant of Celik), Celik, Celikoglu, Jelikoglu, Tcheyh licking, Shelikhov, Shelikiah, and Charcoal.

The other surnames associated with Celikkaya are, Çone, Çeleme, Ceyhan, Çolak, Çaltı, and Sulak.

On a more specific level, an individual's family roots may also determine the specific form of the surname. In particular, members of the Turkish Gokturk tribe, or Oghuz tribe, tend to spell the name in a specific way which can also differ in spelling according to the spoken language of the particular sub-group. For example, in areas of Turkey where Gokturk is spoken, the surname may often be spelled as Jelik. In contrast, in areas of Turkey where the language of the Oghuz people is spoken, the name could be seen as either Celik or Çele.

Finally, it is also important to note that this surname, like many of its variants, is sometimes seen with the addition of the suffix -oglu. This indicates that the individual bearing the surname is likely of noble or upper class past. For example, Celikoglu translates to the 'son of Celik'. This suffix is also seen in other surname variants including Jelikoglu and Çelebioglu.

Famous people with the name Celikkaya

• Faruk Celikkaya: A Turkish-Bulgarian lawyer and former politician who was a Member of the Parliament of Turkey.
• Geyhan Celikkaya: The former Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.
• Deniz Celikkaya: A Turkish singer and multi-instrumentalist who has released numerous singles and albums.
• Atilla Celikkaya: A Turkish film director and screenwriter. He is best known for his 1993 film Gece Yolcuları.
• Ercan Celikkaya: A Turkish footballer who currently plays for the second division club 24 Erzincanspor.
• Mustafa Celikkaya: A former professional footballer. He played for numerous clubs in both the Turkish Süper Lig and Cypriot 1. Division.
• Murat Celikkaya: A Turkish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.
• Emin Celikkaya: An international boxer who won an Olympic gold medal in the lightweight division at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
• Umut Celikkaya: A Turkish-Italian professional footballer who currently plays for Serie A club Bologna F.C. 1909. 10.Tuncay Celikkaya: A Turkish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Konyaspor.

Other surnames

Celikkanat