Famous Turkish People in History

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 inİstanbul, 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 Bert André, Dutch stage and screen actor (Turkish Delight; Come-Back!), born in Maastricht, Netherlands (d. 2008)

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), born in Zeeland, Netherlands

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, known for "Head-On", born in Hamburg, Germany

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)

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Famous Turkish People in History

List of Turkish People