This is a list of notable Turkish Bulgarians who were born in Bulgaria (during the Ottoman or post-Ottoman periods) as well as people of full or partial Turkish Bulgarian origin. In addition to notable Bulgarian citizens of Turkish origin, there are many notable Turkish Bulgarian individuals who either emigrated to, or were born in, Turkey and thus have Turkish citizenship.
Ahmed Cevdet Pasha
Besim Rasim Abdullah [ tr ] , physician
Mehmet Türker Acaroğlu [ tr ] , Turkish researcher and librarian (born in Razgrad )
Ahmet Cevdet , Ottoman scholar, intellectual, bureaucrat, administrator, and historian[1]
İsmail Fenni Ertuğrul , Turkish philosopher (born in Ottoman Veliko Tarnovo )
Halil İbrahim Karal [ tr ] , Turkish sociologist, soldier and politician (born in Momchilgrad )
Ibrahim Kasimov [ bg ] , agronomist
Maria Kexholmskaia [ ru ] , Turkish child from Bulgaria adopted and Christened by Russian soldiers during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) ; she became a nurse during World War I[2]
Enis Kortan [ tr ] , Turkish architect (born in Vidin )
Tahsin Özgüç , Turkish archaeologist[3]
Nesrin Özören , Turkish biologist (born in Silistra )
Osman Nuri Peremeci , historian[4]
Mümün Tahir [ tr ] , writer and journalist
Melih Tahsinoğlu [ tr ] , Turkish pathologist
İsmail Hakkı Tonguç , Turkish General Director of Primary Education
Ibrahim Yalamov , historian[5]
Orlin Zagorov [ bg ] , philosopher
Embiya Çavuş
Sabahattin Ali , Ottoman and Turkish writer, poet, journalist
Mehmet Türker Acaroğlu [ tr ] , Turkish writer (born in Razgrad )
Faik İsmail Arda [ tr ] , Turkish poet (born in Yabalkovets )
Ahmet Emin Atasoy , Turkish poet, author and interpreter (born in Targovishte )
İsmail Cambazov [ tr ] , journalist
Yuksel Chaushev [ bg ] , theater director
Embiya Çavuş [ tr ] , painter and porcelain artist
İsmail Çavuş [ tr ] , writer
Hasan Efraimov [ bg ] , writer
Ömer Osman Erendoruk [ tr ] , Turkish writer (born in Krumovgrad )
Mehmed Karahuseinov [ bg ] , poet, artist and translator; he set himself on fire in protest against the "Revival Process "
Kemal Kurt , Turkish-born German author, translator and photographer (Turkish Bulgarian origin)[7]
Recep Küpçü , poet
Fikret Madaralı [ tr ] , Turkish writer (born in Ottoman Bulgaria)
Ertuğrul Özkök , Turkish journalist and a daily columnist (Turkish Bulgarian parents from Kardzhali )
Sevda Shishmanova , producer, director and journalist
Ahmet Şerif [ tr ] , Turkish writer and poet (born in Razgrad )
Muharrem Tahsin [ tr ] , writer
Sabri Tata [ tr ] , writer
Mehmet Türker [ tr ] , writer
Embiya Ulusoy [ tr ] , Turkish writer (born in Shumen )
Murat Yetkin [ tr ] , journalist
Cengiz Coşkun
Cansu Dere
Tuvana Türkay
Nuri Alço [ tr ] , Turkish actor (paternally of Turkish Bulgarian origin)
Gülsim Ali , Turkish actress and model (born in Ruse )
Yavor Bakharov [ bg ] , actor
Zahari Baharov , actor[9] [10]
Alina Boz , Russian-born actress (Turkish Bulgarian father)[11] [12]
İbrahim Büyükak , Turkish actor (Turkish Bulgarian parents)
Cengiz Coşkun , Turkish actor (Turkish Bulgarian parents)
Merdin Deniz [ tr ] , actor
Fahradin Fahradinov , actor[13]
Cansu Dere , Turkish actress (Turkish Bulgarian parents)
İlhan Şen , actor (born in Shumen )
Fakhradin Fakhradinov [ bg ] , actor
Macit Flordun [ tr ] , Turkish actor (born in Vidin )
Tardu Flordun , Turkish actor (Turkish Bulgarian father)
Ozan Güven , German-born actor (Turkish Bulgarian origin)[14]
İsmail Hacıoğlu , Turkish actor
Yasemin Hadivent [ tr ] , actress[15]
Bade İşçil , Turkish actress (partial Turkish Bulgarian origin)
Yuksel Kadriev , bTV news anchor[16]
Hulusi Kentmen , Turkish actor (born in Veliko Tarnovo )[17]
Hülya Koçyiğit , Turkish actress (Turkish Bulgarian parents)
Fikret Kuşkan , Turkish actor (Turkish Bulgarian mother)
Zeyneb Madzhurova [ bg ] , TV presenter
Şaziye Moral , Turkish female stage and film actress (born in Kardzhali )
Demet Özdemir , Turkish actress, (Turkish Bulgarian origin)
Yavuz Selekman , Turkish actor and Olympic wrestler (Turkish Bulgarian origin)
Gülhan Şen , Turkish television presenter (born in Shumen )
Neri Terzieva [ bg ] , screenwriter
Tuğba Melis Türk , Turkish actress and model; winner of Best Model of Turkey (2011) (born in Sofia )
Tuvana Türkay , Turkish actress (Turkish Bulgarian father)
Çağatay Ulusoy , Turkish actor (Turkish Bulgarian father)
Şoray Uzun , Turkish comedian, writer and television host (born in Razgrad )
Emel Yıldız [ tr ] , Turkish actress (born in Ruse )
Hakan Yildiz , actor[18]
Alican Yücesoy , Turkish actor (Turkish Bulgarian mother)
Deniz Celiloğlu , Turkish actor (born in Bulgaria, Turkish Bulgarian parents)
Fiki
Toni Storaro
Sadika Ahmedova [ bg ] , singer
Reyhan Angelova , singer
Mustafa Chaushev [ bg ] , singer
Ciguli , Turkish musician (born in Haskovo )
Esil Duran [ bg ] , singer and songwriter[20]
Fiki , pop-folk singer
Sibel Gürsoy [ tr ] , Turkish singer (born in Bulgaria)
Ediz Hafızoğlu [ tr ] , drummer, jazz artist, producer, and songwriter
Yıldız İbrahimova , jazz musician and folk singer[21]
Hasan Ignatov , pianist (Turkish Bulgarian mother)
Ibrahim Ignatov , pianist (Turkish Bulgarian mother)
Erol İbrahimov [ tr ] , member of the Bulgarian rock band Wickeda
Silvia Katsarova [ bg ] , singer
Kadriye Latifova [ tr ] , folk musician
Hikmet Mehmedov , choreographer[22]
Mesru Mehmedov [ bg ] , conductor
Orhan Murad [ tr ] , singer
Tuna Ötenel [ tr ] , Turkish jazz musician, pianist , saxophonist and composer (Turkish Bulgarian father)[22]
Emrah Storaro [ tr ] , singer
Toni Storaro , leading performer on the Bulgarian music label Diapason Records
Suzanitta , chalga singer
Derya Uluğ , Turkish actress (partial Turkish Bulgarian origin)
Ebru Gündeş , Turkish singer (Turkish Bulgarian mother)
İsmet İnönü
Emel Etem Toshkova
Ahmet Fikri Tüzer
Hassan Ademov , member of the DPS party
Yuksel Osman Ahmed [ bg ] , Mayor of Dulovo municipality
Erdoan Mustafov Ahmedov [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Nedzhmi Ali , member of the DPS party and an elected Member of the European Parliament [23]
Sevim Ali [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Taner Ali [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; Mayor of Antonovo municipality
Atidzhe Alieva-Veli , member of the DPS party and an elected Member of the European Parliament (2019–present)
Sezgin Aliibryam [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; Mayor of Sitovo municipality
Nadia Asparuhova [ bg ] , member of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP); Deputy Prime Minister in 1989–1990
Ramadan Atalay [ bg ] ,member of the DPS
Hasan Azis [ bg ] , Mayor of the Municipality of Kardzhali since 2003, municipal leader of the DPS in Kardzhali
Celâl Bayar , 3rd Prime Minister of Turkey (1937–39) and 3rd President of Turkey (1950–60) (Turkish Bulgarian father from Lom Ottoman Bulgaria )
Merdin Bayram [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Rıza Tevfik Bölükbaşı , Ottoman and Turkish philosopher, poet and politician
Nejdet Cevdet [ tr ] , mayor of Glavinitsa Municipality
Dzhevdet Chakarov , member of the DPS
Erhan Chaushev [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Feim Chaushev [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (2005–08); Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports (2003–05)
Kasim Dahl [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Mehmed Dikme [ bg ] , former member of the DPS ; Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (2001–05)
Svetlana Dilova [ bg ] , member of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP)
Ali Dinçer , Turkish politician; former Mayor of Ankara (1977–80) and Minister of State (1995–96) (born in Razgrad )
Ahmed Dogan , chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms party (1990–2013)[24]
Ahmed Emin [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Mümin Gençoğlu [ tr ] , politician
Mahmut Nedim Gündüzalp [ tr ] , Trade Minister of Turkey (1947–48)
Hasan Hadjihasan [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Hamid Bari Hamid [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Hussein Mutalib Hamdi [ bg ] , member of the EPP; Mayor of Glavinitsa municipality
Nevin Hasan [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Ayhan Mustafov Haşimov [ tr ] , Mayor of Loznitsa
Tunalı Hilmi , Ottoman and Turkish politician (born in Ottoman Targovishte )
Filiz Husmenova , member of the DPS party and an elected Member of the European Parliament (2007–2019)[25]
Gyunay Hyusmen [ bg ] , regional Governor of Razgrad
Ali Ibrahimov (Bulgaria) [ bg ] , member of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party
Hamdi Iliyazov [ bg ] , member of the DPS
İsmet İnönü , 1st Prime Minister of Turkey (1923–24; 1925–37; 1961–65) and 2nd President of Turkey (1938–1950) (Turkish Bulgarian mother from Razgrad )
Korman Ismailov [ bg ] , former member of the DPS
Orhan Ismailov [ bg ] , chairman of the People's Party Freedom and Dignity (VVD)
Nigar Jaffer [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Nihat Kabil , former Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Bulgaria (2005–08)[26]
Kamen Kalinov [ bg ] , member of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP)
Mustafa Karadaya , chairman of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms
Tuncher Kardzhaliev [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Metin Kazak , member of the DPS party and an elected Member of the European Parliament (2007–14)
Tchetin Kazak , member of the DPS party and an elected Member of the European Parliament (2007–present)[27]
Ilhan Kyuchyuk , President of the Youth Movement for Rights and Freedoms since 2005; elected Member of the European Parliament (2014-present)
Unal Lutfi [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Lyutvi Mestan , founder of the Democrats for Responsibility, Solidarity and Tolerance
Shirin Mestan [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; former Chairwoman of the State Agency for Child Protection (2001–09)
Durhan Mustafa [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Osman Oktay [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Daut Idriz Osman [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Remzi Osman [ bg ] , deputy chairman of the DPS
Vezhdi Rashidov , member of the GERB party and the former Minister of Culture of Bulgaria (2009–13)[28]
Lutfi Rustemov [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; Mayor of Opaka municipality
Nezhdet Dzhevdet Shaban [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; Mayor of Omurtag municipality
Yashar Shaban [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Fikret Hyudaetov Shabanov [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Belgin Fikri Shukri [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Mithat Tabakov [ bg ] , member of the DPS ; Mayor of Dulovo municipality
Guner Tahir [ bg ] , former member of the DPS
Yunal Tasim [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Emel Etem Toshkova , member of the DPS party; former deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria (2005–09)[29]
Ahmet Fikri Tüzer , Turkish politician; Prime Minister of Turkey (1942) (born in Shumen )
Nesrin Uzun [ bg ] , member of the DPS
Said Ibraimov
Yusuf İsmail
Birsent Karagaren
Hilmi Kiremitçi
Tezdzhan Naimova
Emin Nouri
Neriman Özsoy
Kızılcıklı Mahmut Pehlivan
Chetin Sadula
Ertan Tombak
Zehra Topel
Ismail Abilov , Olympic wrestler
Emin Ahmed , football player
Kara Ahmed [ tr ] , Turkish wrestler (born in Ottoman Ludogorie )
Lyutvi Ahmedov , Olympic wrestler
Reyhan Arabacıoğlu , Turkish Olympic weightlifter
Samet Ashimov , football player
Şenol Can , Turkish football player and manager of Fatih Karagümrük S.K. (born in Kardzhali )
Şevket Candar , Turkish football player (born in Shumen )
Ekrem Celil , Turkish European champion weightlifter (born in Kardzhali )
Said Chifudov , wrestler[30]
Beyhan Çalışkan , Turkish football player (born in Ruse )
Ali Ahmet Çapraz , wrestler
Mecnur Çolak , Turkish football player (born in Razgrad )
Demir Demirev , weightlifter
Basri Dirimlili , Turkish football player (born in Silistra )
Aksel Gürcan Demirtaş , Turkish sprinter (born in Varna )
Osman Duraliev , Olymipic wrestler[31]
Rıza Efendioğlu [ tr ] , Turkish football player (born in Kardzhali )
Mehmed Fikretov , weightlifter[32]
Ekrem Genç , football player
Zekeriya Güçlü , wrestler
Fedail Güler , Turkish World Champion weightlifter (born in Bulgaria)
Sibel Güler , Turkish taekwondo practitioner (born in Bulgaria)
Gürhan Gürsoy , football player
Mehmet Hacıoğlu , Turkish football player and coach (born in Plovdiv )
Nurullah Hasan , Ottoman wrestler (born in Shumen )
Ahmed Hikmet , football player
Soner Hyusein , football player
Hergeleci Ibrahim , Turkish oil wrestler (born in Ezerche )
Murad Ibrahim , football player
Said Ibraimov , football player and coach of FC Tobol
Ismail Isa , football player
Hasan Isaev , Olympic wrestler[33]
Yusuf İsmail , Ottoman wrestler (born in Shumen )
Arhan Isuf , football player
Ahmet Kara (wrestler) [ tr ] , Ottoman wrestler
Eray Karadayi , football player
Birsent Karagaren , football player who plays for the Bulgaria national football team
Alper Kasapoğlu , Turkish Olympic athlete (born in Razgrad )
Myumyun Kashmer , football player
Hilmi Kiremitçi [ tr ] , Turkish football player (born in Plovdiv )
Seyfettin Kurtulmuş [ tr ] , Turkish football player (born in Haskovo )
Dzhihat Kyamil , football player
Kızılcıklı Mahmut , Turkish wrestler (born in Silistra )
Teynur Marem , football player
Husein Mehmedov , Olympic wrestler
Bahar Mert , Turkish volleyball player (born in Kardzhali )
Mesut Mert , Canadian football coach
Said Mustafov , Olympic wrestler
Halil Mutlu , Turkish Olympic weightlifter (born in (Momchilgrad )
Tezdzhan Naimova , sprinter
Emin Nouri , Swedish and Azerbaijani football player (born in Kardzhali )
Filiz Osmanodja , German-born chess player (Turkish Bulgarian parents)[34]
Gülümser Öney , Turkish chess player (born in Pleven )
Nesim Özgür , football player
Semavi Özgür , Turkish football player (born in Bulgaria)
Yılmaz Özlem , Turkish football player (born in Bulgaria)
Neriman Özsoy , Turkish volleyball player (born in Razgrad )
Erdoğan Partener , Turkish Olympic basketball player (born in Plovdiv )
Cahit Paşa , Turkish football player (born in Kardzhali )
Hüseyin Pehlivan [ tr ] , Turkish wrestler (born in Ottoman Kardzhali )
Katrancı Mehmet Pehlivan [ tr ] , Ottoman wrestler (born in Shumen )
Kurtdereli Mehmet Pehlivan , Ottoman and Turkish wrestler (born in Bukurovo )
Rafi Rafiev [ bg ] , football player
Ismet Ramadan , football player
Bekir Rasim , football player
Shener Remzi , football player
Ruzhdi Ruzhdi , Paralympian track and field athlete
Erol Sabanov , German-born football player (Turkish Bulgarian parents)[35]
Ayan Sadakov , former football player
Çetin Sadula , football player
Nezir Sağır Turkish Olympic weightlifter (born in Isperih )
Taner Sağır , Turkish World and Olympic weightlifting champion (born in Kardzhali )
Dormushali Safet Saidhodzha , football player
Salim Salimov , Olympic boxer
Edis Seliminski , football player
Nermedin Selimov , Olympic wrestler[36]
Yakup Sertkaya , Turkish football player (born in Kardzhali )
Shaban Shefket , football player
İlyas Şükrüoğlu , Turkish Olympic wrestler (born in Kardzhali )
Naim Süleymanoğlu , Turkish World and Olympic weightlifter (born in Ptichar )
Aysel Taş , Turkish javelin thrower (born in Bulgaria)
Serafim Todorov , Turkish boxer (born in Peshtera )
Ertan Tombak , football player
Zehra Topel , Turkish chess player (born in Shumen )
Aydın Tuna [ tr ] , Turkish football player (born in Varna )
Cemil Vatansever [ tr ] , Turkish football player (born in Kardzhali )
Gursel Veli , football player
Aykut Yanukov , football player
Dzuneit Yashar , football player
Nevriye Yılmaz , Turkish basketball player (born in Plovdiv )
Yuksel Yumerov , football player
Oktay Yusein , football player
Serkan Yusein , football player
Taybe Yusein , wrestler
Nejdet Zalev , Olympic wrestler
Türkan Feyzullah , 18-month-old baby shot by Bulgarian troops during an anti-Bulgarisation protest
The story of Marie Kexholmskaia, a Turkish Child Adopted by Russian Soldiers , The Salt Lake Herald , 11 July 1890, retrieved 23 May 2021 , During the Russian-Turkish war a private in the Kexholm regiment when in Bulgaria found a little Turkish girl about four years old... The child, who was suffering for want of food, soon recovered and told her protectors that her name was Aisha. When the regiment returned to Warsaw the officers resolved to take best care of the girl. They imposed upon themselves an income tax of 1 per cent. Aish, who meanwhile had been christened under the name Lexholmskaia...
International Center for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations. "List of Participants" . Retrieved 2010-09-07 .
Ülker, Hüdai (2002), Güle Güle Kemal Kurt: Ein Nachruf von HÜDAI ÜLKER , Kemal Kurt , retrieved 29 March 2021 , Kemal Kurt'la ortak bir yanımız vardı: İkimiz de Balkan insanıydık. Ben Makedonya, o da Bulgaristan kökenliydi. Ancak onun ailesi epey önce gelmiş ve Çorlu'ya yerleşmişlerdi. Kemal Kurt ta, yukarıda belirttiğim gibi, Çorlu'da doğmuştu. Ara sıra buluştuk mu, birbirimize ‚hemşerim' diye hitap ederdik.
Rayner, Jay (2010), "Silvena Rowe's meze recipes" , The Guardian , retrieved 7 January 2021 , Like so many ethnic Turks, Rowe's father, a highly regarded newspaper editor, Bulgarianised his name. But in the kitchen at home he remained Turkish. "My father would come back from work for lunch and cook the most amazing things," Rowe says. "Börek of thinly sliced aubergine sandwiching cheese, then deep fried, or of course the baklava, which he had learnt from my grandmother."
Die neue Leichtigkeit , Sächsische Zeitung , 2015, retrieved 29 March 2021 , Bilgin und Filiz Osmanodja, Geschwister-Paar einer bulgarischen Familie mit türkischen Wurzeln, wohnen nun in einer WG in Berlin-Wilmersdorf.