Surname kaldi - Meaning and Origin
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kaldi: What does the surname kaldi mean?
The last name Kaldi is a surname of Turkish, Kurdish, and Persian origin. It can also be found in some Middle Eastern countries such as Lebanon, Azerbaijan, and Iraq. The literal meaning of the name is “khalifa”, which means “caliph” or “representative” in Arabic.
In Turkish culture, the surname is a representation of a leader, particularly with respect to tribal ancestry. It bears the same meaning as the Islamic 'caliph', suggesting that individuals with this name are descendants of a noble family line. In Kurdish, the term Khalifa refers to a tribal chief.
The surname itself is thought to be derived from an eighth century theologian known as Kaldi who, according to legend, brought coffee from Ethiopia to the Arabian Peninsula. As a result, those with the last name Kaldi are sometimes considered to have been the inspiration for coffee-making or its earliest cultivators.
There is a certain sense of honor that comes with having the surname Kaldi. It is a name that has persisted through the centuries, and carries the lineage of those individuals who used it in the past. It also has the added benefit of being a widely recognizable surname with both Turkish and Islamic connections.
Order DNA origin analysiskaldi: Where does the name kaldi come from?
The last name Kaldi is most commonly found in Ethiopia and the Middle East. It is an Arabic name derived from the Arabic word “qalad” meaning “eternal” or “forever”. Historically, the Kaldi family was prominent in Ethiopia and the Middle East and many members of the family served in the court of Ethiopian Emperors. This helps to explain why the name is so common in those regions today.
The Kaldi family is also linked to the discovery of coffee. According to ancient Ethiopian legend, the last name Kaldi is associated with the discovery of coffee around 850 A.D. when one of their goat herder's noticed his goats oddly energized after eating fruit from a tree. This beans from the tree are what became known as coffee beans.
The Kaldi family also features prominently in the popular Middle Eastern folklore of “Khamsat and the Jinns” which draws on the family history of encountering an invisible but powerful force.
Today, the last name Kaldi remains a popular name in many Middle Eastern countries, particularly among Arab and Muslim individuals. It is also relatively common among Ethiopian immigrants who settled in the United States, and is often seen in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. All in all, the last name Kaldi is most commonly found in Ethiopia and the Middle East, and is becoming increasingly globally widespread.
Variations of the surname kaldi
The most common variant and spelling of the surname Kaldi is Kaldy. This variant is particularly common in Finland and other parts of Northern Europe, and is possibly of German origin. Other variants and spellings of Kaldi include Kalady, Kallady, Kaldáy, Kaldiay, Kalday, KalIDE, and Kolldat.
The surname Kaldi is also believed to have originated from a place-name. Specifically, it is thought to come from the Kaldi region in Southern Poland, which is a part of the historic region of Lesser Poland. Other place-name variants of Kaldi include Koldi, Koldei, Koldej, Kaldina, Caldina, Káldiák, and Kaldirowka.
In addition to the variants of Kaldi, there are also several related surnames. These include Kolda, Kaleta, Kalayda, Kaleda, Kallay, Kalida, Kalandi, Kaldabek, Koldopulos, Kaldum, Kaldorf, Kolldorff, Koldorf, Colldorff, Kalff, and Köldorf.
Collectively, these variants and surnames demonstrate the vast, centuries-old history of the Kaldi surname and its origins. Although the exact origin of the Kaldi name is not known, its many variants show that it has a rich and diverse past.
Famous people with the name kaldi
- Suat Kaldirim: Former Turkish footballer
- Abdurrahman Kaldi: Algerian entrepreneur
- Harun Kaldi: Turkish singer
- Mahmud Kaldi: Moscheee Imam from Kashmir, India
- Ali Kaldi: Iraqi politician
- Nasim Qadi Kaldi: Iranian master of Islamic calligraphy
- Aliaga Kaldi: Turkish-Alevi elder
- Murat Kaldi: Turkish journalist
- Muhammed Kaldi: Yemeni scholar and teacher
- Tahsin Kaldi: Turkish newspaper owner