Surname Kadayifci - Meaning and Origin
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Kadayifci: What does the surname Kadayifci mean?
The last name Kadayifci originates from Turkey, and is originally a Turkish occupational surname. It is derived from the Turkish word “Kadayıf” which refers to a type of dessert-like pastry, often enjoyed with unsalted butter or syrup.
The surname is typically associated with individuals whose family members were once associated with the baking and selling of Kadayif. This includes bakers and pastry chefs, as well as salespeople for the famous Turkish treat. It was not uncommon for these individuals to be given the surname Kadayifci, or its Turkish variation, Kadayifcioglu.
The name Kadayifci is still in use today mainly in Turkey, but it can also be found in various other Middle Eastern countries, including Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran. It is often used by individuals descended from Ottoman Turks who settled in these countries. The Kadayifci surname can also be seen on signboards, storefronts, and buildings associated with the food industry.
In the modern age, the Kadayifci surname proudly bears the memory of a culinary tradition that has spanned generations. For many Turkish families, the name Kadayifci is synonymous with joy, celebration, and fond memories. It also speaks to a sense of identity and belonging in Turkish culture, a testament to the interconnectedness of the culinary arts and the lives of those families that its name serves to honor.
Order DNA origin analysisKadayifci: Where does the name Kadayifci come from?
Kadayifci is an uncommon surname of Turkish origin. It is not commonly found in any other country, and does not appear in any of the top 1000 surnames in any World Names Profiler data. However, it can still be found among the Turkish population today.
In the 2013 census of Turkey, 1.7 million people had Kadayifci as their surname. This is about 0.2% of the population. The majority of them live in Marmara and the Black Sea regions. In Istanbul, one of the most populated countries in the world, Kadayifci is the 67th most common surname.
Kadayifci is derived from an Arabic term which means "a man who has a lot of money". This likely relates to the Islamic tradition of trading in the Middle East. It has a long history, as records of it go back as early as the 17th century.
It is most likely that the majority of Kadayifci are descended from those areas, and they maintain a presence in the same mostly urban areas as the original individuals. This includes the cities of Istanbul, Marmara, and the Black Sea.
Today, Kadayifci is still quite common among modern Turkish people. The name is often seen in Turkish media and businesses, suggesting that the prevalence of this name in the Turkish population is still significant and will continue to be passed down for generations to come.
Variations of the surname Kadayifci
Kadayifci is an Ottoman Turkish surname of Arabic and Turkic origin, originating from the city of Konya in modern Turkey. It is found mainly as a surname in Central Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, Turkey, and also in the diaspora of former Ottoman countries. The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for Kadayifci include:
Kadaifci, Kadayifchilar, Qadaifchi, Khadayifchilar, Qadayifchi, Khadaifchilar, and Khadayifchi. Such variants originate from the word Kadayif—a shredded wheat and nut-filled dessert popular in the Middle East.
Families with the Kadayifci name can also be found in the communities of Anatolia, Middle East, North Africa, South Africa, Europe, Canada, and the United States. Its variations are slightly different between countries and ethnicities, such as the presence of additional letter y in the middle of some variants in Azerbaijan.
Some surnames have been affected by language changes, for instance, the surname ‘Kadayifchilar’, which is used as a family name in Azerbaijan, is the altered version of the original Ottoman Turkish phrase “ekadayifci” which literally means "cookie maker."
The surnames, such as Qadaifchi, Khadayifchilar, Khadaifchilar, and Khadayifchi, are used in various Turkish-speaking countries and regions, at times with slight differences between letterings as a result of language conjugation changes.
Surnames derived from Kadayifci could be found in various parts of Turkey including in the cities of Istanbul, Antalya, Izmir, Antep, Konya, and many others. With the expansion of the Ottoman Empire, the surnames also spread to other parts of Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Arabia, as well as into North Africa and East Europe.
Famous people with the name Kadayifci
- Erhan Kadayifci: Erhan Kadayifci is a Turkish-German entrepreneur and technology entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of Home24 e-commerce business, a startup that’s revolutionizing the lives of millions of people across Europe with its convenient furniture and furnishing shopping experience.
- Hacer Kadayifci: Hacer Kadayifci is a Turkish television presenter and actress who has starred in TV shows and films since 2009. She is best known for her roles as the lead in the Turkish television drama Zümrüdüanka and the film Kızıl Gül.
- Koray Kadayifci: Koray Kadayifci is a Turkish footballer who plays for İstanbul Başakşehir on loan from Beşiktaş J.K. A left back, he’s been called up to the national team. Despite his youth, he has already made appearances with the Turkish national team.
- Zeki Kadayifci: Zeki Kadayifci is a Turkish football manager and pundit. He is currently the manager of Zonguldak Kömürspor in the TFF First League. He is a youth coach who has managed a lot of successful youth projects and has been able to create and develop a lot of players.