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Famous Turkish People

List of Turkish People

  • 1029-01-20 Alp Arslan, Turkish sultan of the Seljuk Empire (1063-72), born in Persia (d. 1072)
  • 1611-03-25 Evliya Çelebi, Turkish traveller (Seyâhatnâme), born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (d. 1682)
  • 1642-01-02 Mehmed IV, Turkish Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1648-87), born in Topkapı Palace, Constantinople (d. 1693)
  • 1664-06-05 Mustafa II [Mustafa Oglu Mehmed IV], Turkish Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1695-1703), born in Edirne, Ottoman Empire (d. 1703)
  • 1667-06-28 Ivan Trubetskoy, Russian noble and field marshal (Russo-Turkish War; Great Northern War), born in Russia (d. 1750) [OS = June 18]
  • 1822-03-22 Ahmed Cevdet Paşa, Turkish statesman and historian (Minister of Justice), born in Lovča, Ottoman Empire (d. 1895)
  • 1840-12-11 Namık Kemal, Turkish poet and author (Fatherland-1872), born in Tekirdağ, Ottoman Empire (d. 1888)
  • 1840-12-21 Namık Kemal, Turkish journalist and political activist (Young Ottomans), born in Tekirdağ, Ottoman Empire (d. 1888)
  • 1881-05-19 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, 1st President of Turkey (1923-38) and founder of the Republic of Turkey, born in Salonica, Ottoman Empire (d. 1938) real date unknown this adopted to align with Turkish Independence Day
  • 1881-11-22 Enver Pasha, Turkish general, Ottoman Minister of War during World War I and part of the dictatorial triumvirate known as the "Three Pashas", born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (d. 1922)
  • 1881-12-22 Enver Pasa, Turkish politician, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1922)
  • 1884-09-24 İsmet İnönü, Turkish politician (2nd President of Turkey 1938-50), born in Smyrna, Ottoman Empire (d. 1973)
  • 1889-03-27 Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoglu, Turkish writer and translator, born in Cairo, Egypt (d. 1974)
  • 1889-04-20 Albert Jean Amateau, Turkish-born businessman and social activist, born in Milas, Turkey (d. 1996)
  • 1896-12-23 Alberto Hemsi, Turkish composer (Sephardic Melodies), born in Turgutlu, Ottoman Empire (d. 1975)
  • 1898-02-28 Zeki Rıza Sporel, Turkish soccer striker (16 caps; Fenerbahçe), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1969)
  • 1901-06-23 Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar, Turkish poet, novelist, recognized as one of the most important representatives of modernism in Turkish literature (A Mind at Peace, The Time Regulation Institute), born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (d. 1962)
  • 1901-07-20 Vehbi Koç, Turkish industrialist (Koç Group)and philanthropist, born in Ankara, Turkey (d. 1996)
  • 1902-01-15 Nazim Hikmet, Turkish poet (Tosun Pasa, The Passenger), born in Salonica, Ottoman Empire (d. 1963)
  • 1904-09-24 Cemal Reşit Rey, Turkish composer, born in Jerusalem, Ottoman Empire (d. 1985)
  • 1906-03-11 Hasan Ferit Alnar, Turkish composer, born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (d. 1978)
  • 1906-03-14 Ulvi Cemal Erkin, Turkish pianist, composer - one of "The Turkish Five" (Köçekçe - Dance Rhapsody for Orchestra), and pedagogue, born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire; (d. 1972)
  • 1907-02-25 Sabahattin Ali, Turkish poet, author and journalist (Esirler, Içimizdeki Şeytan), born in Eğridere, Gümülcine, Ottoman Empire (d. 1948)
  • 1907-09-07 Ahmet Adnan Saygun, Turkish composer, born in İzmir, Ottoman Empire (d. 1991)
  • 1908-05-06 Necil Kazım Akses, Turkish classical composer, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1999)
  • 1909-06-08 Ferhunde Erkin (née Remzi) Turkish concert pianist and pedagogue, born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) (d. 2007)
  • 1915-04-03 İhsan Doğramacı, Turkish paediatrician, academic and the founder of YÖK, born in Arbil, Ottoman Empire (d. 2010)
  • 1915-12-20 Aziz Nesin, Turkish writer and humorist, born in Heybeliada, Ottoman Empire (d. 1995)
  • 1917-07-17 Kenan Evren, Turkish soldier and politician, (President of Turkey 1980-1989 by military coup), born in Alaşehir, Manisa Province (d. 2015)
  • 1917-11-26 Nesuhi Ertegün, Turkish–American jazz record producer and label executive (Atlantic Records; Warner Music), born in Istanbul, Ottoman Empire (now Turkey) (d. 1989)
  • 1919-04-23 Bulent Arel, Turkish-born electronic composer, born in Istanbul (d. 1990)
  • 1921-08-01 Galip Haktanır, Turkish soccer defender (5 caps; Vefaspor SK), born in Iznik, Turkey (d. 2023)
  • 1921-10-23 İlhan Usmanbaş, Turkish contemporary classical composer, born in Constantinople (now İstanbul), Turkey
  • 1922-03-30 Turhan Bey [Sahultavy], Austrian-born actor dubbed "The Turkish Delight" (Arabian Nights, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2012)
  • 1923-07-31 Ahmet Ertegun, Turkish-American, songwriter, businessman (co-founder of Atlantic Records), and philanthropist, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2006)
  • 1923-10-06 Yaşar Kemal, Turkish writer (Memed, My Hawk), born in Hemite, Osmaniye, Ottoman Empire (d. 2015)
  • 1923-12-02 Meshulam Riklis, Turkish-born Israeli businessman and husband of Pia Zadora, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2019)
  • 1924-01-27 Rauf Denktaş, Turkish-Cypriot politician, founding President of North Cyprus (1983-2005), born in Paphos, British Cyprus (d. 2012)
  • 1924-12-12 Nevit Kodallı, Turkish composer, born in Mersin, Turkey (d. 2009)
  • 1925-05-28 Bülent Ecevit, four term Turkish Prime Minister (between 1974 and 2002), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2006)
  • 1926-03-11 Ilhan Mimaroglu, Turkish electronic music composer and musician, born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2012)
  • 1927-10-13 Turgut Özal, Turkish politician (President of Turkey 1989-93, PM of Turkey 1983-89), born in Malatya, Turkey (d. 1993)
  • 1929-02-11 Burhan Sargun, Turkish soccer forward (8 caps, 7 goals; Fenerbahçe SK), born in Ankara, Turkey (d. 2023)
  • 1929-04-24 Ferit Tüzün, Turkish composer (Esintiler - Inspirations; The Ears of Midas), and conductor (Turkish State Opera and Ballet Orchestra, 1959-77), born in Istanbul (d. 1977)
  • 1931-01-28 Naci Erdem, Turkish soccer centre-back (31 caps; Fenerbahçe), born in İstanbul, Turkey (d. 2022)
  • 1931-11-03 Mustafa Dağıstanlı, Turkish freestyle wrestler (Olympic gold 57kg 1956, 62kg 1960; World C'ship gold 1954, 57, 59), born in Söğütpınar, Turkey (d. 2022)
  • 1931-12-06 Zeki Müren, Turkish actor, singer, and composer (Game of Silence), born in Bursa, Turkey (d. 1996)
  • 1932-03-15 Arif Mardin, Turkish-American music producer (Atlantic Records: Aretha Franklin; Bee Gees), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2006)
  • 1933-03-05 İsmail Ogan, Turkish freestyle wrestler (Olympic gold 78kg 1964, silver 1960), born in Macun, Turkey (d. 2022)
  • 1936-01-01 Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, Turkish soccer manager (4xTurkish Super League; 3xTurkish Cup Trabzonspor) and midfielder (3 caps; İdmanocağı, Trabzonspor), born in Trabzon, Turkey (d. 2023)
  • 1937-09-07 Cüneyt Arkın, Turkish film actor (The Adam Trilogy), born in Gökçeoğlu village, Alpu, Eskişehir Province, Turkey
  • 1938-03-10 Kazım Ayvaz, Turkish wrestler (Olympic gold lightweight 1964; World C'ship gold welterweight 1958; lightweight 1962), born in Rize, Turkey (d. 2020)
  • 1939-05-03 Aydın Yelken, Turkish soccer forward (9 caps; Karagümrük, Fenerbahçe, Altay, İzmirspor), born in İstanbul, Turkey (d. 2022)
  • 1939-07-10 Ahmet Taner Kışlalı, Turkish politician, journalist, and educator, born in Zile, Tokat, Turkey (d. 1999)
  • 1939-10-02 Özcan Arkoç, Turkish soccer goalkeeper (9 caps; Hamburger SV) and manager (Hamburger SV, Hannover 96), born in Hayrabolu, Turkey (d. 2021)
  • 1941-06-27 Fevzi Zemzem, Turkish soccer striker (18 caps; AS Göztepe 356 games) and manager (Orduspor), born in İskenderun, Turkey (d. 2022)
  • 1941-08-06 Hubertus AGM "Bert" Andre, Dutch actor (Turkish Fruit-Come Back)
  • 1941-09-13 Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Turkish politician (10th President of Turkey), born in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
  • 1941-11-21 İdil Biret, Turkish concert pianist, born in Ankara, Turkey
  • 1942-01-01 Nevzat Güzelırmak, Turkish soccer defender (18 caps; Göztepe) and manager (Denizlispor; Turkey U21), born in İzmir, Turkey (d. 2020)
  • 1942-04-13 Ataol Behramoğlu, Turkish poet and writer, born in Çatalca, Istanbul Province, Turkey
  • 1942-08-22 Uğur Mumcu, Turkish journalist and writer (Cumhuriyet Murder), born in Kırşehir, Turkey (d. 1993)
  • 1943-01-02 Barış Manço, Turkish rock guitarist, singer-songwriter (Kurtalan Ekspres - "Arkadaşım Eşek (My Friend the Donkey"), and television producer (From 7 to 77), born in Üsküdar, Istanbul, Turkey (d. 1999)
  • 1944-01-01 Ziya Şengül, Turkish soccer defender (20 caps; Fenerbahçe SK, PTT Ankara), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2023)
  • 1944-11-11 Kemal Sunal, Turkish actor (Saban the Cow,), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2000)
  • 1945-08-22 Erol Gelenbe, Turkish computer scientist and mathematician, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1945-09-01 Mustafa Balel, Turkish writer, born in Sivas, Turkey
  • 1945-10-18 Yıldo, Turkish famous showman and football player
  • 1946-02-12 Ajda Pekkan, Turkish singer and actress, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1946-05-24 Tansu Çiller, Turkish politician (1st female Prime Minister of Turkey 1993-96), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1948-10-14 Engin Arık, Turkish nuclear physicist, born in Istanbul (d. 2007)
  • 1949-05-03 Mehmet Oğuz, Turkish soccer midfielder (19 caps; Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2022)
  • 1949-12-25 Mustafa Cengiz, Turkish businessman and sports administrator (president Galatasaray S.K. 2018-21), born in Nizip, Turkey (d. 2021)
  • 1950-10-29 Abdullah Gul, Turkish President (2007-14), born in Kayseri, Anatolia
  • 1952-06-01 Şenol Güneş, Turkish soccer goalkeeper (31 caps; Trabzonspor) and manager (Trabzonspor, Bursaspor, Beşiktaş, Turkey), born in Trabzon, Turkey
  • 1952-06-07 (Ferit) Orhan Pamuk, Turkish novelist (My Name Is Red; Snow; Nobel Prize for Literature, 2006), screenwriter, and academic (Columbia University - NYC), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1952-07-28 Monique van de Ven, Dutch actress (Turkish Fruit)
  • 1952-10-06 Ayten Mutlu, Turkish poet and writer
  • 1953-10-04 Tchéky Karyo, Turkish-French actor
  • 1954-02-26 Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkish politician (President of Turkey, 2014-present; Prime Minister of Turkey, 2003-14), born in Kasımpaşa, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1954-06-05 Haluk Bilginer, Turkish actor (Şahsiyet series, EastEnders), born in Izmir, Turkey
  • 1954-06-21 Müjde Ar, Turkish film actress, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1954-07-13 Sezen Aksu [Yıldırım], Turkish pop singer-songwriter ("Şımarık" - "Kiss Kiss"), born in Sarayköy, Turkey
  • 1954-08-11 Sinan Savaskan, Turkish-British contemporary classical music composer and educator (The Age of Analysis; Octandre Ensemble), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1954-09-15 Hrant Dink, Turkish-Armenian journalist and newspaper editor (Agos), born in Malatya, Turkey (d. 2007)
  • 1955-02-03 Bahadır Akkuzu, Turkish rock guitarist and singer (Kurtalan Ekspres), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2009)
  • 1957-07-07 Berry Sakharof, Turkish-born Israeli rock guitarist and singer-songwriter (Minimal Compact), born in İzmir, Turkey
  • 1957-09-03 Erhan Önal, Turkish soccer central defender (12 caps; FC Bayern Munich, Standard Liège, Galatasaray), born in Izmir, Turkey (d. 2021)
  • 1958-01-09 Mehmet Ali Ağca, Turkish attempted assassin of Pope John Paul II, born in Hekimhan, Turkey
  • 1958-03-22 Fatih Birol, Turkish economist and energy expert (International Energy Agency), born in Ankara, Turkey
  • 1959-01-26 Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkish film director (Winter Sleep), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1960-06-11 Mehmet Oz, Turkish-American surgeon and TV personality (The Dr. Oz Show), born in Cleveland, Ohio
  • 1964-12-04 Sertab Erener, Turkish singer (Sakin Ol!), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1966-04-01 Mehmet Özdilek, Turkish soccer midfielder (31 caps; Beşiktaş) and manager (BB Erzurumspor), born in Samsun, Turkey
  • 1967-01-23 Naim Suleymanoglu, Turkish weight lifter (Olympic gold 1988), born in Ptichar, Bulgaria (d. 2017)
  • 1967-03-04 Kubilay Türkyılmaz, Turkish-Swiss footballer, born in Bellinzona, Switzerland
  • 1967-11-20 Teoman [Yakupoğlu], Turkish rock singer, born in Alucra, Turkey
  • 1968-08-25 Rafet El Roman [Yaşdut], Turkish pop singer and songwriter (Gençliğin Gözyaşı - The Tears of the Youth), born in at Uzunköprü. Turkey
  • 1968-11-24 Bülent Korkmaz, Turkish footballer
  • 1968-11-26 Haluk Levent, Turkish rock musician (founded NGO Ahbap), born in Adana, Turkey
  • 1969-04-14 Emre Altuğ, Turkish pop singer and actor, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1970-02-16 Serdar Ortaç, Turkish pop singer, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1970-06-04 Ekrem İmamoğlu, Turkish politician, Mayor of Istanbul (2019-), born in Akçaabat, Turkey
  • 1970-08-24 Tugay Kerimoğlu, Turkish footballer, born in Trabzon, Turkey
  • 1970-10-30 Suvat Karadag, Turkish soccer player (FC Utrecht), born in Mazgirt, Turkey
  • 1971-09-01 Hakan Şükür, Turkish soccer striker (112 caps; Galatasaray), born in Sapanca, Turkey
  • 1971-09-29 Sibel Tüzün, Turkish pop-rock and jazz singer-songwriter, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1972-04-12 Şebnem Ferah, Turkish singer (Volvox), born in Yalova, Turkey
  • 1972-10-17 Tarkan [Tevetoğlu], Turkish pop singer (Şımarık), born in Alzey, West Germany
  • 1973-01-12 Hande Yener, Turkish singer, born in Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1973-05-10 Rüştü Reçber, Turkish soccer goalkeeper (120 caps, record appearance holder, FIFA World Cup All Star Team: 2002; Fenerbahçe, Barcelona, Beşiktaş), born in Korkuteli, Turkey
  • 1973-05-29 Alpay Özalan, Turkish soccer centre back, manager, politician (Turkey 90 caps), born in Izmir, Turkey
  • 1973-07-14 Halil Mutlu, Bulgarian-Turkish weightlifter (5X World Champion; Olympics - gold, 1996, 2000 & 2004), born in Postnik, Bulgaria
  • 1973-08-25 Fatih Akin, Turkish-German film director
  • 1974-04-02 Tayfun Korkut, Turkish soccer midfielder (42 caps; Fenerbahçe, Real Sociedad) and manager (Hannover 96, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart), born in Stuttgart, Germany
  • 1974-10-31 Muzzy Izzet, Turkish footballer, born in Mile End, London
  • 1975-08-07 Koray Candemir, Turkish singer, songwriter and producer (Kargo; maSKott), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1975-08-17 İlhan Mansız, German born Turkish footballer and ice skater, born in Kempten, West Germany
  • 1976-01-26 Ebru Ceylan, Turkish writer and actress known for "Winter Sleep", born in Ankara, Turkey
  • 1976-03-26 Nurgül Yeşilçay, Turkish actress, born in Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
  • 1976-08-01 Hasan Şaş, Turkish footballer and manager (Galatasaray), born in Karataş, Turkey
  • 1977-06-11 Ozan Musluoğlu, Turkish ska-punk (Athena), and jazz bassist, born in Germany
  • 1977-06-28 Harun Tekin, Turkish musician (Mor ve Ötesi), born in Ankara, Turkey
  • 1977-12-04 Zeynep Gedizlioğlu, Turkish contemporary classical composer, born in İzmir, Turkey
  • 1978-12-12 Evren Genis, Turkish composer, born in Ankara, Turkey
  • 1978-12-24 Yıldıray Baştürk, Turkish footballer, born in Herne, Germany
  • 1979-03-19 Hedo Türkoğlu, Turkish basketball player
  • 1979-05-26 Mehmet Okur (Memo), Turkish basketball player
  • 1979-06-29 Barış Akarsu, Turkish rock musician ("Gözlerin"/"Your Eyes"), and actor (My Lying Lover), born in Amasra, Turkey (d. 2007)
  • 1979-07-09 Tolga Bedir, Turkish jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1980-03-30 [Hüseyin] Yalin, Turkish pop singer-songwriter, born in Nişantaşı, Istanbul
  • 1980-06-16 Nehir Erdoğan, Turkish actress (Tatli bela Fadime), born in Izmir, Turkey
  • 1980-11-01 Bilgin Defterli, Turkish soccer forward and captain (52 caps; FFC Brauweiler Pulheim, FC Köln, Alemannia Aachen), born in Erzurum, Turkey
  • 1981-03-17 Servet Çetin, Turkish Football Player
  • 1981-05-27 Özgür Çevik, Turkish pop singer (Star Academy), and actor, born in Ankara, Turkey
  • 1981-06-30 Can Artam, Turkish racing driver, born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1981-09-07 Gökhan Zan, Turkish footballer, born in Antakya, Hatay, Turkey
  • 1981-09-28 Gül Gölge, Turkish model and actress
  • 1981-11-26 Anıl Eraslan, Turkish jazz and classical cellist, and composer (Sert Sessizler), born in Burdur, Turkey
  • 1982-01-16 Tuncay Şanlı, Turkish footballer, born in Sakarya Province
  • 1982-12-08 Hamit Altintop, German-born Turkish football player (identical twin brother of Halil Altintop), born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
  • 1982-12-08 Halil Altintop, German-born Turkish football player (identical twin brother of Hamit Altintop), born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany
  • 1982-12-10 Sultan Kösen, Turkish farmer and world's tallest man, born in Mardin, Turkey
  • 1982-12-17 Onur Ozsu, Turkish music artist, born in Izmir
  • 1983-09-07 Mehmet Topuz, Turkisher footballer (Kayserispor), born in Caferli Köyü, Yozgat, Turkey
  • 1983-10-27 Kivanc Tatlitug, Turkish actor (Brave and Beautiful), born in Adana, Turkey
  • 1983-10-29 Jason Tahincioglu, Turkish-British racing driver, born in Bristol, England
  • 1987-05-15 Ersan İlyasova, Turkish basketball player
  • 1988-10-15 Mesut Özil, Turkish-German football player (Arsenal, German national team), born in Gelsenkirchen, West Germany
  • 1989-11-08 Can Yaman, Turkish actor (Erkenci Kuş), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1990-08-20 Öykü Karayel, Turkish actress (Kuzey Güney), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1992-08-20 Neslihan Atagül, Turkish actress (Kara Sevda), born in Istanbul, Turkey
  • 1994-02-26 Ahmet Çalık, Turkish soccer centre-back (8 caps; Gençlerbirliği, Galatasaray, Konyaspor), born in Ankara, Turkey (d. 2022)
Turkish History Timeline

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