Find out how popular the last name Yıldırım is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Yıldırım.

Yıldırım, 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 Yıldırım surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Yıldırım in America

Yıldırım is the 37646th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Yıldırım surname appeared 591 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 Yıldırım.

We can also compare 2010 data for Yıldırım to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Yıldırım

The surname Yildirim originates from Turkey and is rooted deeply in the Turkish language and culture. The name Yildirim means "lightning" in Turkish, derived from the word 'yıldırım.' This surname often symbolizes swiftness, power, and impact, reflecting the characteristics of lightning.

Historically, the use of the surname Yildirim can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire period. This name would have been used to describe individuals who were perceived to be quick and forceful, much like lightning itself. The name was especially prevalent in the Anatolian region, where the Ottoman Empire was centered.

One of the earliest and most notable bearers of the surname was Sultan Bayezid I, also known as Bayezid Yildirim. Born in 1354 and ruling the Ottoman Empire from 1389 until his death in 1402, Bayezid I earned the nickname Yildirim for his rapid military campaigns and swift conquests, embodying the essence of "lightning."

Another historical reference includes Ahmed Yildirim, a lesser-known 15th-century poet whose works were found in manuscripts that detailed the cultural practices and folkloric traditions of the time. His contributions added a unique literary dimension to the historical significance of the surname.

Further examination of Ottoman military records from the early 17th century reveals the existence of a prominent commander named Mehmet Yildirim. Mehmet's strategies and battlefield tactics were often described as lightning-fast, making his surname a fitting epithet. Though specifics about his birth and death are not well-documented, his military prowess has been mentioned in various historical texts.

In the late 19th century, Ibrahim Yildirim was a noted political figure in the declining years of the Ottoman Empire. Born in 1845 and passing away in 1921, Ibrahim was involved in several key political reforms and negotiations during a turbulent period in Turkish history.

The surname Yildirim also appears in mid-20th-century Turkish history. Fazıl Yildirim, born in 1910, was a celebrated engineer and contributed significantly to Turkey's modernization efforts. His works in infrastructure development have left a lasting impact, and records of his achievements are found in several technical journals of that era.

These historical examples illustrate the depth and enduring nature of the Yildirim surname, from the fierce and historic rulers to intellectual contributors, reflecting a legacy that spans centuries in Turkish history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Yıldırım

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Yıldırım.

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:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Yıldırım was:

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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Yıldırım has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

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 Yıldırım was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Yıldırım, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!