January 3, 2006 From Toni Richard Turk:
Do You Know the Origin of your TURK (includes numerous variant spellings) Surname?

As the TURK Surname Society genealogical data-gathering efforts and the TURK Surname Y-DNA Project numbers continue to grow, answers to the origins of several branches of our surname are becoming clearer. So far the following concepts have emerged.

BALKAN TURKS:

There is a group of TURK surnamed individuals in the Balkan region that has an interesting haplgroup – I. This is normally associated with Viking ancestry. TURKs within this haplogroup in the Balkan region most likely represent descendants of “buffer” troops imported into the area to secure the Hapsburg realm from the Ottoman Turks. The surname is common in the Balkans. As more participants with Balkan origins join the TURK Y-DNA Surname Project, we will likely discover other origins as well.

DUTCH TURKS:

The early TURK settlers of New Amsterdam (New York) have been determined to belong to Haplogroup G2. Genealogical sleuthing, combined with historical chronologies, indicate that this group most likely reflects a part of the Moorish heritage of the Spanish Netherlands through their TURK surname. This haplogroup is associated with the Middle East.

EASTERN EUROPEAN TURKS:

Preliminary results suggest that Eastern European TURKs generally tie to the TUREK family. Geography again seems to have influenced the choice of surname. Near Poznan, Poland there is a region and a city named Turek. At least two Y-DNA branches seem to make this geographic tie: a Semitic lineage (J2), and a Slavic lineage (R1a). Those with a Jewish heritage can be found in both groups. Those with a Jewish heritage in R1a may have an interesting and somewhat debated tie to the early Jewish buffer kingdom of Khazaria.

SCOT-IRISH TURKS:

Two distinct Y-DNA branches of the TURK surname have been identified in Northern Ireland. Both of these trace to Scotland.

• One of these lines is an ancient Semitic line (Haplogroup J2) with roots in the MacTURK clan that is designated to wear the Galloway tartan. In this instance the name TURK evolves from a Scottish Torc or neck ring.
• The other line is closely aligned with the MacGREGOR Clan (Haplogroup R1b). There is a place called “Brig O Turk” in the center of the MacGREGOR territory in Scotland. Everyone there lives either “Wester Brig O Turk” or “Easter Brig O Turk.” It is thought that this is the source of the surname for this branch of the TURK family.

OTHER NATIONALITIES:

Other preliminary results have also been obtained for Africa, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Greece, Russia, Turkey, and the Ukraine. As more participants join the project it is anticipated that the picture of surname origins will become increasingly clear. The surname effort transcends ethnicity, race and religion. It is all inclusive.

NOTE ON HAPLOGROUPS:

One should not infer from the above concepts that merely falling within a certain haplogroup will define surname origins. It is simply the first filter. Multiple marker arrangements can be found within any given haplogroup. However, when the genealogical record is introduced into the equation it is possible to organize sub-groups within haplogroups. As both the genealogical and the genetic record are enlarged, and to the extent possible, merged, the possibilities for predicting ancestry for a TURK surnamed male – simply on the basis of a Y-DNA test – are improved.

For those interested in the TURK Surname Y-DNA Project the following Y-DNA options are available:

12 Marker Y-DNA Assessment

25 Marker Y-DNA Assessment

37 Marker Y-DNA Assessment

SNP Test

There is a Surname Project discount available from Family Tree DNA for those choosing to join our group. The 12 Marker Y-DNA Assessment is the beginning point. The 25 & 37 marker options become more important as “matches” begin to emerge. The greater number of markers allows the degree of relationships to be refined. The SNP test confirms the haplogroup. The haplogroup can be “eyeballed” without the SNP. Once an SNP has been established for a known group of individuals sharing a common ancestry, it is unnecessary for more than one to have this assessment made. The 25 Marker Y-DNA option is encouraged.

TURK surnamed males, regardless of the surname spelling variant, are invited to join the TURK Surname Y-DNA Project through the following join link:

http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_join.asp?code=E71701

Anyone with a TURK heritage is invited to submit their known heritage to the TURK Surname Society database manager at trturk@earthlink.net . Working from whatever record a person possesses, he will individually assist TURK researchers to connect their records to those of the Society’s database. Any improvements will be provided to the interested researcher. The database is updated online the first of each month. However, detailed research analyses are easier to make through the main database. This service is offered gratis to all researchers. The main database now exceeds 53,000 individuals and averages about a 1,000 new individuals per month. In addition to new individuals, the data on previous individuals are constantly being refined. All additions to the database are tagged as to source details. Data can be submitted to the database in any format, but GEDCOMs are the most efficient method. Information of interest includes: complete names and dates and places of birth, marriage and death for all TURK-surnamed individuals. The same information is sought for the spouses and children of TURK-surnamed individuals – regardless of surname.