Surname Gülen - Meaning and Origin

Gülen: What does the surname Gülen mean?

The last name Gülen is a Turkish surname derived from the Turkish word "gül" meaning "rose". The surname is likely to have originated in Turkey as a toponymic name, meaning a place that is associated with roses or the color rose. This may have been a place name, a nickname, or simply a reference to a renowned local character with an attachment to the color, which was then adopted as a family name.

The earliest records of the Gülen surname date back to the early 1700s, when the Ottoman Empire was in its golden age and the modern Turkish state as we know it today had not yet been established. At this time, administrated entities were referred to as provinces, and the Gülen family was first recorded in the Aydin Province, located in the western Aegean sea.

The Gülen surname is associated with one of Turkey’s most famous living figures: Fethullah Gülen, a renowned Islamic scholar who is the spiritual leader of the Hizmet Movement. He is also the founder of the international network of educational institutions and humanitarian initiatives known as Gülen Movement.

Despite the well-known association of the Gülen name with one individual, many Turkish people bear this surname. The sheer number of people with the Gülen surname suggests that its origins have nothing to do with the achievements and renown of the movement’s leader, but with the Rose of the Aegean, and the beautiful city of Aydin.

Gülen: Where does the name Gülen come from?

The surname Gülen is most prevalent today in the region of Anatolia in Turkey. The surname has been well-known in this region for many centuries and is still commonly found in many of its villages and cities.

The name Gülen is also widely spread around the world by followers of Fethullah Gülen, a prominent Turkish Islamic scholar and educator. In 1999, Gülen initiated the Hizmet Movement - an international civil society movement with the aim to strengthen the values of democracy, tolerance, and understanding. To date, the Hizmet Movement has established hundreds of educational institutions in more than 160 countries across the globe, many of which are named after Fethullah Gülen. As his followers have spread across the world, it is not uncommon to find the Gülen surname present in countries around the world such as Pakistan, the United States, and the United Kingdom.

Despite having originated in the Anatolian region of Turkey, the surname Gülen is no longer exclusive to this region. Today, it can be found not only throughout Turkey but also in countries beyond its borders. The Gülen community has grown significantly in the 21st century, and has become an international phenomenon that connects people from all over the world.

Variations of the surname Gülen

The surname Gülen has numerous variants in spelling, and other surnames from the same origin. The most common various spellings are Gulen, Guelen, Conelen, and Conlen. In addition, variants such as Gulon, Gunelen, Külen, Gulanne, and Goulen can be found in some regions.

Gülen is widely found throughout Europe, especially in Turkey, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands as well as France, Norway, and Sweden.

Gülen may come from one of several distinct surnames, including the Turkish Gulen, which means "eloquent and wise speaker"; or it may be derived from the Scots-Gaelic surname MacCormaic, which comes from the Irish MacGillfhionn, meaning " noble son"; or from the northern German surnames Gollen or Gollin, each of which may mean either " good man" or "golden."

Other surnames from the same origin as Gülen include Khullen, Kullen, Cullin, Kollen, Kollin, Kolle, Kulin, and Kullmann.

The surnames Cülen, Cülon, Cüland, and Cülin are also found out of Turkey, from Galicia to Argentina and Uruguay.

Gülen is sometimes confused with the Turkish surname Gül, which means "rose," and Golmoski, also from Central Europe but possibly related to the Gulen surname.

There are a number of surnames that are also similar sounding to Gülen, though from different origins, such as Kolstel, Kollmann, and Kolmannskog.

Overall, Gülen is a surname with many variants and spellings, as well as related surnames from the same origin, many of which can be found around the world.

Famous people with the name Gülen

• Fethullah Gülen: Fethullah Gülen is a Turkish Islamist scholar and preacher, who has been living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, United States since 1999. He runs an Islamic social movement named Hizmet and an organization called Gülen Movement, which is also known as the Gülen Community. His followers have established educational organizations, charities and business associations that have become prominent elements of Turkish life and politics.
• Osman Gülen: Osman Gülen is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Denizlispor and the Turkish national team. He is one of the most promising young players in Turkey and often compared to his brother Yusuf Gülen, an international star of the Turkish national team.
• Yusuf Gülen: Yusuf Gülen is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Galatasaray S.K. in the Turkish Süper Lig and the Turkish national team. He is one of the most promising young players in Turkey and is often compared to his brother Osman Gülen.
• Mehmet Gülen: Mehmet Gülen is a Turkish assistant professor of physics at Anadolu University and mechatronics engineer who specializes in autonomous robots. He has received numerous awards for his research in robotics and machine learning.
• Ahmet Gülen: Ahmet Gülen is a Turkish actor who has appeared in films such as Tek Basina: Son Osmanli Yandim Ali and Sukutu Gecmez. He has also appeared in numerous popular Turkish television series and theater productions.

Other surnames

Gülenc