Find out how popular the last name Atalay is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Atalay.
A Turkish surname meaning "rising sun" or "morning star".
Atalay, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Atalay surname is from the 2010 census data.
Atalay is the 137327th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Atalay surname appeared 122 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Atalay.
The surname Atalay has its origins in Turkey, where it can be traced back to the 14th century. It is derived from the Turkish words "ata" meaning "ancestor" or "forefather" and "alay" meaning "regiment" or "troop." This combination suggests that the name may have been originally associated with a military or warrior class.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Atalay can be found in the Ottoman archives from the 15th century, where it appears in connection with a prominent military commander. However, the name's roots may extend even further back, possibly to the Seljuk Turks who ruled in Anatolia before the Ottoman Empire.
The Atalay name has been present in various regions of Turkey throughout history, including Anatolia, the Aegean region, and the Black Sea coast. It is particularly prevalent in the provinces of Izmir, Balikesir, and Canakkale, indicating a strong historical presence in Western Anatolia.
During the Ottoman era, several notable individuals bore the Atalay surname. One example is Mehmet Atalay, a 17th-century Ottoman statesman and diplomat who served as the Grand Vizier (chief advisor) to Sultan Mehmed IV from 1687 to 1688.
Another prominent figure was Mustafa Atalay, a 19th-century Ottoman military commander who played a significant role in the Crimean War (1853-1856). He was born in 1819 and later served as the Minister of War under Sultan Abdulaziz.
In the 20th century, Besim Atalay (1888-1965) was a Turkish politician and journalist who served as a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and played an active role in the early years of the Turkish Republic.
More recently, Beşir Atalay (born 1947) is a notable Turkish politician who served as the Minister of Interior and Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey in the early 2000s.
The Atalay name has also been associated with various locations across Turkey, such as the village of Atalay in the Izmir province, as well as several neighborhoods and districts bearing the name in cities like Istanbul and Ankara.
While the Atalay surname has a rich history in Turkey, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities. However, its origins and earliest recorded instances can be firmly traced back to the lands of Anatolia and the Turkish cultural heritage.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Atalay.
The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Atalay was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 77.87% | 95 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 12.30% | 15 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | (S)% | (S) |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | (S)% | (S) |
| Hispanic Origin | 7.38% | 9 |
Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.
The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.
The history and meaning of the name Atalay was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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