The Goals of this site:

When we say TURK we use it as a general reference to all the variant spellings.
When you see a specific spelling of Turc or Turcq then you know it is specific to that country, family or person.

The goal of this TURK genealogy site is to consolidate TURK surname genealogy and history and to expand the TURK database to assist researchers in finding TURK relatives through the decades.  This website is the effort of two Turks who met via the internet and email to try to locate relatives.  Read about us.

Also read the Articles of Organization

We have created a portal of Turk information for all who are interested.  We encourage you to search.  The links that are blue are specific to Turk, the brown links are current/new information and the green links are general genealogy information.  Please submit any information you have for the use of Turks around the world. 

Please adopt a country!

As you can see we have some countries who could use a Turk* owner.  Please let us know if you would like to become the country contact for Turk genealogy.  All comments are welcome . . . Enjoy!

* Turk and all name derivatives

Dr. Toni Richard Turk and Nancy Turk

An Interview with Toni Turk - October 2005

Q.  What are the other databases we are contending with? Who/where are those?

The Guild of On-Name Studies has been contacted for their judgment regarding competing sites. Most sites have not merged their data into a consolidated database as we have done. In our database we list under a single entry multiple references. Over 90,000 records have been merged into 50,000 individual records. Just comparing numbers can get us into an apples and oranges activity.

Q.  How many records do we need before we can say we are THE largest surname database in the world?  This will be motivational!

Many of the sites that are out there simply list multiple records – leaving it to the database user to work their way through the records to connect the dots. We are connecting the dots and citing the sources, which allows the user to unravel the record and work backwards – should they choose. Our system is designed to be more user-friendly. I am unaware of any other site that is using the same system that we are.

Q.  Where did you get all the records? A simple yet detailed list of the buckets of info you have included in the database to date. How do people get their records in the Main Turk Database?

I have extracted and merged the following: IGI (International Genealogical Index), Ancestral File, WorldConnect, Message Boards at GenForum and Rootsweb, SSDI (Social Security Death Index), all US censuses for all states 1790-1930 – with the exception of MA, NJ, NY and PA., all published records contained at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, multiple archival collections – both on site and online, and over 17,000 contributions from other researchers. Records in any format can be submitted to me at trturk@earthlink.net .

Q.  How long have you been working on this? - also a chance to plug the Y-DNA study.

I have engaged in genealogical research since 1963. I became an Accredited Genealogist in Southern States research in 1970, which has now been converted into an Emeritus status. I am a member of the Guild of One-Name Studies for the TURK surname and its variant spellings under the Guild index number 3130. For the last three years I have administered the TURK Y-DNA Surname Project.

Q.  What are you trying to learn from it - have you reached any conclusions yet?

The long-term goal is to organize the complete genealogical record for all those with the TURK surname and its many variants. Basically this means the record from 1500 to 2000. While there are some with the surname prior to 1500 (and those records are also being collected), surnames came into general usage around 1500. A parallel goal is to align the genealogical record with the genetic (Y-DNA) record. In the process we are identifying the independent origins of this surname. To date we have identified seven totally unconnected haplogroups within the surname. Because our surname is so unique there has been a natural curiosity about it. This project hopes to answer the questions of origins. To this end we have already experienced great success. The way the data is being collected and organized makes it possible to manipulate it in multiple ways of interest to researchers.

COMMENT: An overriding objective is to assist anyone researching the TURK surname to better understand their genealogical heritage. A priority consideration is given to assist researchers in their quest. Customized searches are made for anyone desiring this kind of help. As the database grows, assistance in working through it becomes more important for the user. This assistance is willingly given. Researchers are asked to provide as many details as possible (names, dates and places) for their ancestors. Working from their data resulting reports from the merger of their records into the database are provided. All such efforts are gratis. The TURK Guild Project gathers the record for all with this surname – regardless of race, ethnicity or religion.