Surname Turkovic - Meaning and Origin
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Turkovic: What does the surname Turkovic mean?
The surname Turkovic is of Croatian origin. The root word "Türk" traditionally means "Turk" referring to the ethnic group native to Turkey, and the suffix "vic" is a South Slavic patronymic marker indicating "son of". So initially, Turkovic might have meant "son of a Turk". However, such interpretation may not always accurately reflect the ancestry of everyone with the Turkovic surname, as surnames can have various historical origins and may not necessarily indicate direct lineage. They might also have been associated with the geographical location, profession, or personal characteristics. So, it is crucial to note that not everyone with the surname Turkovic may have Turkish heritage. It's also found among Bosnian Muslims, indicating a connection either real or symbolic with Turkish ancestry or influence given the Ottoman Empire's historical rule in the region.
Order DNA origin analysisTurkovic: Where does the name Turkovic come from?
The surname Turkovic is most prevalent today in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, and in many neighboring Balkan countries. The origins of the name can be traced back to an ancient Turklike tribe that settled in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the late 15th century.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the majority of the Turkovic family live in Sarajevo and its surrounding region. The ethnic composition of the region has changed significantly over time due to various migratory events, but the name still holds a strong presence there. Croatian areas where Turkovic is most common are Zagreb and Istria. Elsewhere, Turkovics also have a strong presence in the historical region of Vojvodina, which is now in Serbia.
Turkovics have also spread to other parts of Europe, the United States and Canada. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had significant influence in the 19th and early 20th centuries in dispersing the family’s name in Europe, while war and economic migration have been responsible for its spread in North America. Today, people with the surname Turkovic are present in many developed countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Turkovic
The surname Turkovic is typically found in South-Eastern Europe, specifically in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Serbia and Montenegro. It is derived from the Croatian language and means ‘son of Turk’, likely referencing someone descended from Ottoman Turkish settlers in the former Yugoslavia.
Variants and spellings of the surname Turkovic include Türkovic, Turkowich, Turkovich, Turkowitch, Turkovich, Turkowitsch, Turkovics, Turkovitch, and Turkowitz.
The surnames with the same origin are also found in Austria and Germany due to Hungarian and Austrian presence in the former Yugoslavia. Variants and spellings of the same origin in these countries include Turkowits, Turkowitschi, Turkowitschko, Turkowith, Tomkowitsch, Tumkowitz, Tomkowitsch, and Tumkowitsch.
In some cases, the surname may have evolved from the variants Türk or Turk, both being of the same origin. Variants and spellings in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Austria and Germany include Turke, Türke, Türck, Turck, Turcka, Turkow, Turka, and Turkevitch.
Famous people with the name Turkovic
- Zlatko Turković: Bosnian actor
- Elvir Turković: Football Coach
- Selver Turković: Commissioner of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Katharina Turković: solidarity activist from Croatia
- Marko Turković: children’s author from Serbia
- Marijan Turković: Bosnian professor of law and politician
- Tugomir Turković: chess grandmaster from Croatia
- Dragan Turkovic: Macedonian politician
- Božo Turković: Croatian football player
- Marko Turkovic: Croatian basketball player