Turek
A Slavic surname often derived from a word for a Turk, usually as an ethnic nickname or identifier.
The #7,803 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 72,800 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Turek is most commonly explained from Slavic words meaning “Turk,” especially Polish and Czech turek. As a surname, it likely began as a nickname or label for someone thought of as Turkish, foreign, or associated with Turkic people. In some cases it may also have been used more loosely for someone from a different region or with an exotic appearance or manner.
History
The name is found across several Slavic-speaking areas, especially Poland and the Czech lands, and it also appears in immigrant communities in North America. Like many ethnonym-based surnames, it may not always point to direct Turkish ancestry; it could reflect a medieval nickname or local identification. Modern bearers in the United States are often descendants of Central and Eastern European immigrants.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the surname comes from an ethnonym, it belongs to the same broad surname type as names like Pole, French, or German in English-speaking countries.