Surname Turkoff - Meaning and Origin
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Turkoff: What does the surname Turkoff mean?
The surname Turkoff is commonly believed to have ethnic origins from Eastern Europe, specifically from Russia or Bulgaria. The name might have been patronymic or occupational in nature. It could derive from the word "Turk", possibly referring to a person of Turkish descent or someone who had a connection with the Turkish region, with the Slavic suffix "-off" or "-ov" meaning "son of". Hence, Turkoff could possibly mean "son of a Turk". However, these interpretations are not definitive, as its meaning can change based on geographic locations and cultural shifts over time. Its exact meaning may be determined through personal genealogical research. Surnames often hold historical significance related to one's ancestors' occupations, descriptions, or places of residence. Like many surnames, interpreting the meaning or origin of the name Turkoff could be subjective and speculative without specific historical or familial context.
Order DNA origin analysisTurkoff: Where does the name Turkoff come from?
The Turkoff surname is of Jewish origin and is found mainly in countries with significant Jewish populations. The surname is still fairly common in both Israel and parts of Eastern Europe, such as Ukraine, Belarus, and Lithuania. The Turkoff surname is believed to be derived from the original nickname “Turk”, which was used to describe Jewish immigrants from the Ottoman Empire. It is estimated that around 300,000 Turks, or “Turks of the faith”, immigrated to Israel during the first and second waves of immigration in the 18th and 19th centuries. During this period, migration patterns meant that the Turkoff surname became particularly prominent in the small towns of Ukraine, Lithuania and Belarus.
Today, the Turkoff surname is distributed across Eastern Europe and Israel, with many of its bearers descended from members of the 18th and 19th century Ottoman Jewish diaspora. In 2021, the surname was most commonly found in the United States, due to the large number of immigrants from lands historically associated with the Turkoff surname. Notably, it was the 46th most common name among those of Jewish descent living in New York City. Although relatively uncommon outside of Eastern Europe and Israel, the Turkoff surname continues to be widely recognized and respected among the Jewish diaspora.
Variations of the surname Turkoff
Turkoff is an anglicized spelling of the German-Slavic surname Türkoff, which is derived from the Turkic word Türk or Turko. This surname is a patronymic surname meaning 'son of Turk'. Variant forms of the surname Turkoff include: Turkof, Turckoff, Turckhoff, Turchetoff, Turkethoff, Turkethov, Turloff, Toloff, Tholoff, Thuloff, Tholopf, Thulopp, Taureckoff, and Tolchokoff.
The German-Slavic surname Türkoff has historically been found in various parts of modern-day Germany, Belarus and Russia. In Germany, this surname is localized to the states of Saxony and Brandenburg. In Belarus, this surname is localized to the cities of Minsk and Vitebsk. The surname Turkoff is also found in the United States, where it has been primarily localized in Pennsylvania.
As many surnames spellings were changed during their journey to the United States, further variants of the surname Turkoff could be encountered in records of the 19th and early 20th century. In English-speaking countries, such variants tend to be anglicized versions of the spelling of the German-Slavic surname Türkoff, (e.g., Turckoff, Tokoff, Thuloff, and Tholoff).
The surnames most closely associated with Turkoff are Tollof, Tholoff, Tholopf, Turckoff, Thulopp, and Taureckoff. All of these surnames are patronymic surnames meaning 'son of Turk', and could be derivatives of the same ancestor. All these variants highlight the dynamic nature of surnames over time and across countries.
Famous people with the name Turkoff
- Michael Turkoff: American writer and producer.
- Nadejda Turkoff: American sculptor and painter.
- Boris Turkoff: American sculptor and teacher.
- Tali Turkoff: American photographer and visual artist.
- Gena Turkoff: American actor and singer.
- Mark Turkoff: American painter and musician.
- Susanna Turkoff: Russian philanthropist and artist.
- Oscar Turkoff: American professional golfer.
- Charles Turkoff: British composer and conductor.
- Robert Turkoff: Russian-born American actor and singer.