Surname Török - Meaning and Origin
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Török: What does the surname Török mean?
The last name Török is of Hungarian origin, and is derived from the word "török," which means "Turk." It is believed that the name was taken on by families with a violent past or who were of Turkish descent.
The Hungarian language is related to other languages spoken throughout the region, like Finnish, Estonian, and Turkish itself. Therefore, many Hungarian surnames, such as Török, are derived from words of other languages. It is possible that the name was adopted by a family with a Turkic heritage, or as a result of warfare and intermarriage between somehow related cultures.
The suffix "-ök" means "belonging to" or "from" in Hungarian, thus indicating that someone bearing the name "Török" is of Turkic origin. This is further supported by the fact that in Hungary the name Török was associated with those of Turkish descent.
In Hungarian culture, there is also an expression "solymász Török," which means "falconer Turk." This suggests that those with the name Török could be descended from Turkish people who held positions as professional falconers and came to Hungary centuries ago.
Today, the last name Török is still found mainly in Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine, and other Eastern European countries. It can also be found in the United States, Canada, and other countries with a large Hungarian Diaspora. In any of these places, all people who share the surname are likely descended from ancestors originating in Hungary, and are all related in some way.
Order DNA origin analysisTörök: Where does the name Török come from?
The last name Török is most commonly found today in Europe, particularly in areas of the former Austrian-Hungarian Empire, such as Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria. It is most populous in Hungary, which also has the highest concentration of Töröks in East-Central Europe.
Török is an old name derived from the Turkish word turuk, translated as "you are Turk." Historically, it was given to people of mixed heritage who were likely descended from Turks along with other ethnic populations.
Although Török originated in Eastern and Central Europe, the name can be found elsewhere in Europe as well as Australia, the United States, Canada, and South America. It's also not uncommon to find Töröks in parts of the Middle East, such as Syria and Lebanon.
In Hungary, Töröks are traditionally seen as being members of the politically advantaged class, and there is significant regional variation in the frequency of the name; some regions even preferring the German form of the name, Turk.
Over the centuries, the name Török has come to represent an ethnic Hungarian family who traces its roots back to the days of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. With Töröks spread all over the world, it continues to be an important symbol of identity for many.
Variations of the surname Török
The surname Török has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. These variations are typically based on the language being used as well as the region of origin.
In Hungarian, Török is written as Tórök. In Polish, it is spelled Toerök. With German, the name is written as Thieröck. In Croatian it is Turicki, and in Czech it is Turík. The surname is also spelled Turok or Turk in some regions.
The surname Török may also be used as a first name, especially in Turkey and some other Muslim countries. The spelling then would be Turuk or Teruk.
Additionally, there are many surnames that have been derived from the original Török family name. These include Tero, Tornak, Torocky, Terenbok, Turek, Turinac, Turic, Toerok, and Tornok.
Some of these surnames may be associated with other origins or countries, however, they all have the same roots as the Török surname. All of these spellings, variants, and derivatives of the name Török help to point to an ethnic origin that is rooted in Hungary, Turkey, and other regions in Central and Eastern Europe.
Famous people with the name Török
- Sándor Török: Hungarian former Prime Minister, politician, and lawyer
- József Török: Hungarian hammer thrower and Olympic medalist
- János Török: Hungarian entrepreneur and former CEO of the MOL Group
- Kata Török: Hungarian classical soprano Singer
- András Török: Hungarian businessperson
- Ákos Török: Hungarian-American producer and director
- János Török: Hungarian handball player
- László Török: Hungarian football goalkeeper
- István Török: Hungarian footballer
- Levente Török: Hungarian skeleton racer
- Balázs Török: Hungarian sprint canoer
- Sándor Petőfi Török: Hungarian publisher
- Ferenc Török: Hungarian film director
- Mónika Török: Hungarian jazz singer and composer
- Anikó Török: Hungarian Olympic canoeist
- Zsolt Török: Hungarian bobsledder
- Péter Török: Hungarian artist
- Károly Török: Hungarian archer
- Pál Török: Hungarian architect and painter
- Imre Török: Hungarian footballer