Message: "Grandpa is from Bulgaria, surname that probably changed over time looking for people to help me with "Cildam" surname."

[Surname] Grandpa is from Bulgaria, surname that probably changed over time looking for people to help me with "Cildam" surname.

by Gunes (guest)

7/29/2013, 12:27 AM

Hey, I am looking for someone to help me find the meaning behind my surname, my grandfather immigrated from Bulgaria to Turkey with his father in 40's and his and my surname is "Cildam". I suspect that it might have changed over time due to Turkish dialect and pronounciation but maybe someone can come up with something close to it, anyway thanks in advance.

Gunes

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- Gunes (guest)

8/2/2013, 2:42 PM

Thanks for the answers, I guess i need to dig deep here in Turkey to get more info about at least what the name originally was.

Cheers

- Iznogud +1

7/29/2013, 6:15 AM

It doesn't sound bulgarian at all. I think bulgarians, greeks, armenians and co. had to turkify their names so you probably can't find out your original lastname sory :(

This message was edited 7/29/2013, 6:20 AM

- Jim Young (guest)

7/30/2013, 12:30 PM

I agree with Iznogud - almost certainly Turkish, though I can find no explanation.
The post-Ottoman Turkish authorities were paranoid about minorities having non-Turkish names and forced them, eg, Kurds of Eastern Turkey and Arabs of South-East Turkey, to adapt Turkish names.
I'm guessing that your Bulgarian ancestor applied for Turkish citizenship and one condition of acceptance was a change of name. If this is so it there may be a record in Turkey giving the original name in a petition for citizenship. It might be worth your while searching for a Turkish genealogical society to enquire if such records exist.
Incidentally, in modern-day Bulgaria, members of the Muslim minority are being forced to adopt names of Christian origin.

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