Explore the Family Name Erdogan

The meaning of Erdogan

Turkish (Erdoǧan): 1. nickname for an early-born, composed of er ‘soon’ and a derivative of doǧmak ‘be born’. 2. ornamental name or nickname composed of er ‘male’, also ‘hero, soldier’, and doǧan ‘Peregrine falcon’ (compare Dogan) or a derivative of doǧmak ‘be born’, thus meaning either ‘male falcon’ or ‘born to be a hero, soldier’.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Erdogan in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Erdogan" has seen a significant increase between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname was ranked at 100,194 in terms of prevalence but jumped to 74,141 by 2010, marking an impressive 26 percent rise. The number of individuals bearing the Erdogan name also grew from 167 to 261 over the decade, seeing an increase of over 56 percent. Notably, for every 100,000 people in the U.S., the proportion with this surname rose by 50 percent during this period.

20002010Change
Rank#100,194#74,14126%
Count16726156.29%
Proportion per 100k0.060.0950%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Erdogan

The data from the Decennial U.S. Census also reveals changes in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Erdogan. In 2000, the largest percentage of those with the Erdogan surname identified as White (79.64 percent), with smaller proportions identifying as Two or more races (13.17 percent) and Black (3.59 percent). By 2010, there was a shift, with a larger percentage identifying as White (87.36 percent), a decrease in those identifying as Two or more races (6.51 percent), and the emergence of a small proportion identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic (both 2.30 percent). Interestingly, the proportion identifying as Black dropped to zero.

20002010Change
White79.64%87.36%9.69%
Two or More Races13.17%6.51%-50.57%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%2.3%0%
Hispanic0%2.3%0%
Black3.59%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%