Surname Karayigit - Meaning and Origin
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Karayigit: What does the surname Karayigit mean?
Karayigit is a Turkish surname that originates from the Black Sea region. It is derived from the Turkish words "kara," meaning "black," and "yigit," meaning "heroic young man or brave soldier." The term came to symbolize the courage and strength of the people of the Black Sea region in fighting against foreign invaders.
As such, the surname Karayigit is often associated with physical, spiritual, and mental courage; these traits tie into areas that are particularly valued within the traditional Turkish culture. It is seen as a symbol of courage, sacrifice, and bravery, and these characteristics are integral elements of traditional Turkish culture. The choice of the surname would signify the courage of its bearer and their ability to overcome hardships and struggle.
The words also communicate aspirations of an individual, wishing to be seen as brave and heroic in the face of adversity. For those with Karayigit as a last name, it can be a source of inspiration, reminding them of the courage and strength imbued in their ancestors. For many, the name Karayigit is a proud reminder of a long-standing tradition of resisting against enemies, often through war.
Order DNA origin analysisKarayigit: Where does the name Karayigit come from?
The Karayigit surname is quite common today in Eastern Turkey, particularly in the provinces of Elazig, Erzincan and Tunceli. The region is known for its Yazidis population, and some suggest that Karayigit share a distant origin with the Yazidis, though this is not certain. While the origins of the Karayigit surname are somewhat unknown, what is known is that the Karayigit surname is a rather old one, having been found as far back as the 1500s in the ancient records of the region. The first known bearers of the name originated in villages of the Elazig region.
Today, there are still a number of Karayigit families living in eastern Turkey, along with some living in other cities of the country, such as Istanbul or Ankara. A small number of Karayigit have also moved abroad to places like the United States, Europe, and other regions in the Middle East like Israel.
In the Elazig region, the Karayigit family has become fairly well-known, and many prominent local figures have grown up in the family, including businessmen, politicians, and academics. The Karayigit’s have oftentimes held cultural and social events to celebrate their heritage, including festivals, dinners, and gatherings in the region.
The Karayigit surname is one of the oldest and most common in the region of Eastern Turkey, and is still present in many of the villages of the Elazig province today.
Variations of the surname Karayigit
The surname Karayigit has no variants or distinct spellings, however it could appear as different surname through mutation or mistakes when transcribed in records. Some variations you may find are Karayagit, Karyagit, Karayicit, Karayyicit, Karayijit, Karyygit, and Karaygid.
Karayigit is an uncommon and unique Turkish surname, which means "son of Karay." It originated in the town of Karayazı, near the present day city of Erzincan in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The surname is likely derived from the Karay people, the Turks who settled in the region during the 10th century.
The surname can sometimes be found with the first name Ottomanprefix - Karayigit Osman, for example. This prefixwas used to emphasize the loyalty of a person or family to the Ottoman Empire, and it wasoften adopted even when one was not an official member of the government.
Another related and more common surname is Karadeniz, which means "Black Sea."This is derived from the region where many of the Karay people settled - the Black Seacost. As it is more popular, Karadeniz is easier to find than Karayigit, but bothsurnames describe the same family origin in the Karay ethno-linguistic group.
In addition, Karayigit could also be found as a link name joining two patronymic surnames - Karay igit Osman, for example. This was quite a common practice in Ottoman society.
Finally, there are also derivatives of the Karayigit familyname-less obvious ones like Solmaz, Serin, Gorgulu, and Gijik.
Famous people with the name Karayigit
- Burak Karayigit: Turkish Football Player
- Ismet Karayigit: Turkish Football Player
- Abdullah Karayigit: Turkish Wrestler
- Memik Karayigit: Turkish Freestyle Wrestler
- Ayhan Karayigit: Turkish Football Player
- Ahmet Karayigit: Turkish Politician
- Cengiz Karayigit: Turkish Politician
- Gülşen Furkan Karayigit: Turkish Fashion Designer
- Esra Karayigit: Turkish Photographer
- Kadir Karayigit: Turkish Actor
- Barış Karayigit: Turkish Actor
- Nuray Karayigit: Turkish Actress
- Gönenç Karayigit: Turkish Graphic Designer
- Serhat Karayigit: Turkish Football Player
- Erkan Karayigit: Turkish Music Producer
- Erhan Karayigit: Turkish Football Player
- Yılmaz Karayigit: Turkish Wrestler
- Moses Karayigit: Kenyan Professional Boxer
- Salih Karayigit: Turkish Musician
- Hasan Karayigit: Turkish Film Director