Surname Özkök - Meaning and Origin
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Özkök: What does the surname Özkök mean?
The last name Özkök is derived from Turkish origins and is a compound surname made up of two distinct parts. Öz translates to ‘self’ and Kök translates to ‘root’, so Özkök literally means ‘root of the self’ or ‘original root’.
The surname carries a deep symbolic meaning of self-determination and autonomy, hinting at a person or family with deep cultural and community roots who establish their own personal identity and independence. This conveys the sense that individuals with this surname take pride in their roots and are unwilling to be swayed by outside influence.
It is likely that individual family lines with the surname Özkök descended from different regions in Turkey, although the origin of the surname is not specifically known. Today, individuals with the surname Özkök are thought to be found mainly in countries with a large population of Turkish immigrants; namely the United States, Canada, and other European nations.
Overall, the surname Özkök carries immense significance in terms of its symbolic meaning and its implied strong sense of self-identity and autonomy. Furthermore, family lines with this surname likely have deep historical roots and can trace their ancestral lineage back to somewhere in Turkey.
Order DNA origin analysisÖzkök: Where does the name Özkök come from?
The last name Özkök is a common Turkish and Azerbaijani name, although it is not often found outside of the Middle East. In Turkey, Özkök is a very common surname, with over 1,000 listings in the telephone directory. It is found in many Eastern Anatolian regions, including Şanlıurfa, Diyarbakır, and Kars, as well as in some other provinces such as Istanbul.
In Azerbaijan, Özkök is usually found in regions bordering Turkey, such as the capital Baku and Zagatala. Additionally, Özkök is a popular surname among Azerbaijani immigrants to Turkey, especially in the cities of Gaziantep and Antalya.
In the past, the Özkök surname was associated with the Royal Family of Yusufeli, which is believed to have been founded several centuries ago and was the ruling family of the region for two centuries before the dynasty's collapse in the early 1880s due to infighting and the increasing strength of the Ottoman Empire. There is also some evidence that the Özkök family can be traced further back, to Pagan tribes present in Anatolia from before the 10th century CE.
Today, the Özkök family is still present throughout Turkey and Azerbaijan, where it is a well-known and respected name. While the Royal Family of Yusufeli is no longer in power, the Özkök surname still stands as a reminder of the family's illustrious past.
Variations of the surname Özkök
The surname Özkök is an uncommon Turkish surname. Its variants include Ozkok, Ozkök, Ozkok, Ozkoklu and Ozko. Spellings Ozkok, Ozkoki, Ozko, Ozkoeku, Ouzcuk and Ouzkuk are also used for the same surname.
In Cyprus, the surname Ozkok is the spelling variant of the name Çöcük. In some parts of Turkey, the Ozkök surname appears as Acarkök, which is derived from the Turkish word "Acar" meaning a person whose origin is from the Caucasus.
In Albania, the spelling variant of the surname Ozkök is Çöçkök, derived from the Turkish word "Çöçük" just like in Cyprus. The surname Tözkök in Turkey is derived from the Turkish word "Tözcük" which has the same origin as Özkök.
The surname Özkök is also found in Germany. There, it is spelled as Ozkock and Ozköck. A variant of this surname is Aköc, derived from Aya Kök which means "the root of my father", a Turkish word.
The surnames Ucuk, Uncik, Ucin, Uzcuk, Uzoic and Uzic are considered to have the same origin as Özkök, but have been changed over the centuries. These surnames typically found in Serbia and Bosnia.
The Ozkok surname is also found in Greek-speaking regions of the Middle East. There, it is spelled as Ozkous, Ozcos and Ozkouss.
In the United States, the surname Özkök has been anglicized as Ozkok and Ozko. Other surnames with the same origin can be found in England, Wales, Australia and Canada, with spellings such as Ozkoc, Ozcok, Ozkuck and Ozcyk.
Famous people with the name Özkök
- Osman Özkök: Osman Özkök is the former editor-in-chief of the respected Turkish daily newspaper Hürriyet. He was a prominent voice in Turkish media and politics, and is considered to have been highly influential in the country.
- Ahmet Özkök: Ahmet Özkök is a retired Turkish former Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs (1997–2002). He was a leader of the Motherland Party (ANAP) which held power from 1984 to 2002.
- Sevilay Özkök: Sevilay Özkök is a Turkish swimmer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics. She was the first Turkish female swimmer to win a medal when she won silver in the 800 m freestyle.
- Semih Özkök: Semih Özkök is a Turkish footballer who plays for Çaykur Rizespor. He has previously played for Manchester City, Trabzonspor, Besiktas, and other teams both in Turkey and abroad.
- Ahmet Hakan Özkök: Ahmet Hakan Özkök is a Turkishborn professor of philosophy at Marymount University in Virginia. He is a renowned scholar in philosophy of religion and modern Islamic philosophy.
- Ümmügülsüm Özkök: Ümmügülsüm Özkök is a Turkish Olympic swimmer who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics. She won two bronze medals at the 1997 European Short Course Swimming Championships.
- Özcan Özkök: Özcan Özkök is a Turkish pace bowler who has played international cricket for Turkey since 2015. He has captained the team in several matches and was part of the Turkish team that qualified for the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Five.
- Mustafa Özkök: Mustafa Özkök is a violinist and composer of classical Turkish music. He is the founder of the Istanbul Strings Orchestra, a chamber orchestra dedicated to the performance of Turkish music both classic and contemporary.