Surname Kurtoglu - Meaning and Origin
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Kurtoglu: What does the surname Kurtoglu mean?
Kurtoglu is a patronymic surname of Turkish origin. Patronymic surnames are derived from the given name of the father and are passed down from generation to generation. The given name from which the Kurtoglu surname derives is Kurt, which means "wolf." In some forms, such as the eastern Turkish form of Kurtoglu, the added suffix -oglu indicates a higher social status or a prestigious family. It can be logically concluded that the Kurtoglu surname likely originated from a family that adopted either a Turkish-style surname or the suffix -oglu to denote their higher social standing.
The modern Turkish language is a descendant of Ottoman Turkish, a language primarily associated with the ethnic Turkic population of the Ottoman Empire. As an ethno-linguistic group, Turks can trace their ancestry to Central Asia and have been present in Anatolia – today's Turkey – since the 11th century CE. Turks have established a vibrant culture and political tradition in Anatolia and enjoy a distinct language, which holds considerable influence among the Turkic peoples of the region.
Today, Turks living in Turkey, as well as those living in other countries, use the surname Kurtoglu as a reminder of the history and identity associated with their shared cultural and linguistic heritage. The surname has continued to be a source of pride and solidarity for Turkic peoples in Turkey and elsewhere, strengthening their sense of community and identity.
Order DNA origin analysisKurtoglu: Where does the name Kurtoglu come from?
The last name Kurtoglu is most commonly found in Turkey today. It was first recorded in the region in the 16th century, when a lot of people began to use the surname after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. The family is believed to originate from the area of Zevgoli, in the province of Tokat in present-day Turkey.
Since then, the name Kurtoglu has spread and is now found in many other countries around the world. It is particularly common amongst the Turkish diaspora in Europe, especially in Austria, Germany and France. It is also widely found in North America, especially the United States and Canada, where the name has been adopted by many families who immigrated from Turkey.
In the 21st century, Kurtoglu is still a relatively common last name in Turkey, with many members of the same family bearing the same name. Today, the surname can also be found in other regions such as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and as far away as Peru.
Variations of the surname Kurtoglu
Kurtoglu is a surname of Turkish origin. The variants, spellings and surnames that are related to it come from different languages. In Turkish, the phrase 'Kurt Oglu' translates to 'son of Wolf' and the surname can also be spelled as Körtöglu, Körtoglu, Körtgeli and Körtogullari. All of these variant spellings carry the same meaning.
In Turkish, the surname has multiple alternate versions including Kurtulgan, Kurtoglan, Kurtulgu and Kurtoglu. Much like the Turkish variants, all of these spellings have the same meaning.
The surname Kurtoglu is also transliterated to Kurtoğlu in Turkish and spelled as Kortoglu in Greek. Another version of the surname in Turkish is 'Kurt olma' which means 'to be of wolf'.
In English, the surname can be spelled as Kurtoghlu, Kortoglu, Kurtoghly and Kortogli. It is also transliterated to 'Kort ogli' in Russian and ‘Kortog Ul’ in Crimean Tatar, both carrying the same meaning.
In Armenian, the variant is spelled as Kurtoyan. Similarly, in Azeri, the surname is spelled as ‘Kürtoğlu’ and Korean speakers spell it as ‘Gulgu’.
Overall, the surname Kurtoglu is very versatile, as many languages have its alternate versions which carry the same meaning. Some other spellings, variants and surnames here include Kurtsoglu, Guelgue, Gurtoowa and Kertoglu.
Famous people with the name Kurtoglu
- Erol Kurtoglu: Actor, director, and screenwriter from Turkey, well known for Ankara: Iki Golge Kirli Lank (2006) and Atiye (2018).
- Can Kurtoglu: Turkish-German singer and songwriter, popular for songs like "Dilenci", "Yillar Sonra" and "Teselli".
- Isaac Kurtoglu: Magazine editor and publisher from the US, known for his work at the Boston Globe magazine, Manage Magazine, and Money magazine.
- Ufuk Kurtoglu: Turkish professional basketball player, best known for his career with the junior Turkish team, and playing in the U.S. with West Texas A&M.
- Mehmet Kurtoglu: Turkish footballer who formerly played in the Turkish Super Lig as a defender for Sivasspor and Alanyaspor.
- Hadi Kurtoglu: Turkish director, producer and writer, well known for making films “Kötü Kiz” and “Denge Denge”.
- Yusuf Kurtoglu: Retired Turkish weightlifter, who held numerous records in the sport during in his career and won the bronze medal in the 1980 Olympics and the World Championships in 1979.
- Mine Kurtoglu: Actress, writer, director and film producer from Turkey, known for her works “Araf”, “Ayik” and “Kadere Mektup”.
- Laurin Kurtoglu: Swiss-Armenian guitarist and prolific songwriter, active with the band Yoggle and his own music projects.
- Ali Kurtoglu: Turkish football manager, best known for his role as the manager of Sivasspor from 2007 to 2008.