TURKALJ /turkal/
This web page contains information about Croatian surname or family name TURKALJ. Anyone who knows anything about the origin of this surname or about the history of TURKALJ family may leave the message in the comment section of this page. Thank you!
Frequency in population of Croatia: 1.958 (203rd Most Frequent)
Jakob Turkalj my grandfather immigrated to Pennsylvania in early 1900 or prior. Died in the States. Looking for more information.
Check this link: http://www.likaworld.net/forum/index.php?topic=828.0;wap2 Use Google translate if you don’t speak Croatian.
I recall that there is a facebook group for “turkalk” where I remember they claim the name originated from turkey in the 1100s.
Hi I wish somebody would know where was family name TURKALJ ORIGINATED? I do know about Slunj but where did they com from before SLUNJ? Thanks MYRIAM
Seeking information on my relatives, with the Perkovic name. My great grandfather Miko Perkovic arrived in the US in the 1900’s, he was from a small village called Cerovnik. This village is located in the municipality of Josipdol, within Karlovac County. He was married to Bara Turkalj.
Turkaljs originated in Lika (mountainous region sandwiched between coast and Bosnia), Croatia. Name first appears in Austrian military records in the 1500s when Austria troops captured roughly 10 – 12 Turkaljs outside Bihac from an island named Turkalj. Island was in the Una River.
I recently had a DNA test which shows distant Eastern Anatolian bloodlines that entered my family line roughly in the 1500s. My family is Catholic and Croatian and has been so for a long time.
The name Turkalj, as I was told from our family, meant Turkish Moon. Turkalj lore said that the family called themselves Turkish Moon People. The story goes that the Turkaljs of old would come down off of the mountain to attack the Turks (Western Bosnia-Bihac) every full moon.
Who knows, probably true. I’ve chatted with some Turks, and they informed me of the following: (1) the Turkalj name is commonly found in Trabzon, Turkey; (2) the name can be pronounced in two ways. One way means Turkish Moon, and the other means Turkish Bear.
Additional comment: I’ve only related information that I gleaned from family, 23andMe DNA testing and from several sources online and some Turkish acquaintances. None of what I say is stamped with any authority, as I didn’t live back in the 1500s, etc.
Incidentally, I have family (Perkovic and Turkaljs) who ended up in McKeesport, PA, in the early 1900s. So, that old adage, “No matter where you look, you’ll always find a Croat!” kind of rings true!
HI I AM BY MY MADEN NAME TURKALJ.I HAVE A VERY OLD BOOK WHERE IT SAID THAT THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WITH 7 SONS{THEIR NAMES TO}IN SLUNJ {NO MENSHEN OF HUSBAND} AND THAT s HOW ALL THESE TURKALJS SPRED THROUG CROATIA. THERE ARE MANY VILLAGES POPULATED MOSTLY WITH THE FAMILY NAME TURKALJ. MY MOTHER WAS MARRIED TO A MAN CALLED JURAJ TURKALJ FROM JOSIPDOL {“STARA CESTA”] AFTER HE LEFT CROATIA HE “VANISHET” SO MY MOM MARRIED ONATHER TURKALJ AGAIN{HA HA }I WISH I COULD FINE THAT BOOK IN MY HOUSE{I HAVE A LOTs OF BOOKS}SO TURKALJS LETs KIP IT TOGETHER LOVE MYRIAM