Karabağlar tribal confederation

Founding Families & Surnames

Mesudiye was founded in 1907 by 54 surnames — all belonging to the Karabağlar tribal confederation that migrated together from the village of Çayır, Hacıoğlu-Pazarcık, Bulgaria. The village is unusual in this respect: every founding family shared the same regional origin and tribal affiliation.

Complete list of 54 surnames

AkanAlataşAlkanAyAydınBaşBayraktarBulutCanCankaraCanseverCeranCıvataşÇatkınÇayÇelikÇotukDalkıranDemirDemirbaşDemirciErErbaşErdoğduErkunEvginFındıkGeziciGönenGündüzİnceİremetKabaKaçarKaraKayaKulaKurtKüçükÖrsÖzcanÖzçakırÖzdemirÖzşahinesSaraçSaySaydarTezcanTunaTuranUçarUysalYılmazYurdagel

Names in colour have dedicated English detail pages.

Notable families

Çotuk — descendants of Çotuk Ahmet Efendi, the local figure who helped settle the 94 households on the Durayda land. Two muhtars from this family (Kadir Çotuk 1962-63, Abdurrahim Çotuk 1968).
Özşahines — Korean War veteran Ömer Özşahines (1929-2003) and the longest-serving muhtar Cengiz Özşahines (1999-2019, 20 years). A Balkan-hybrid name: "Öz" + "Şahin" + Rumeli "-es" patronymic.
Ay — multiple WWI veterans (Galip Ay 7-year POW, İbrahim Ay Iraq front).
Bayraktar, Cankara — gazi families with multiple documented veterans.
Akan — Yemen veteran Abdullah Akan, whose 1934 surname commemorates the stream that saved his life when wounded.

In numbers

54 — registered surnames

11 — detail pages

1907 — year of founding

1 — common origin

54 Families, a Single Origin

All the families in Mesudiye village are members of the Karabağlar (Karaballar) oymak (tribal branch) who came from the village of Çayır in the Hacıoğlu-Pazarcık district of the province of Silistre in Bulgaria. These families, who came to Anatolia with the 1906–1907 migration, received their official surnames with the Surname Law of 1934.

Today there are 54 different registered surnames in the village. Eleven of these families stand out particularly in the village's history — they raised gazis (war veterans), produced muhtars (village heads) and ran the sports club. Below are all the surnames together with the prominent families.

Families That Raised Gazis

Soldier families · From the 1897 Ottoman-Greek War to the Korean War — 9 gazis from 7 families

Özşahines — Korean War gazi Ömer Özşahines (1929–2003) and Cengiz Özşahines, muhtar for 20 years (1999–2019). A family of dual origin, registered in both the İslihisar and the Mesudiye population registers.

Bayraktar — a family of military and civilian leaders that served the village for three generations. İdris Bayraktar (1887–1966) a gazi of the First World War, İsmail Bayraktar (1879–1959) a medical orderly and the village's “Pehlivan Ağa” (wrestler lord), Mustafa Bayraktar muhtar for 7 years (1977–1984) and a Mesudiyespor official.

Ay — the family that raised the most gazis in the village. İbrahim Ay (1879–1942) the Iraq front, Galip Ay (1897–1967) the Yemen/Iraq front and, after 7 years of captivity, participation in the War of Independence. Hüseyin Ay was a Mesudiyespor player in the 1980s.

Cankara — the family with the oldest military tradition in the village. Mehmet Cankara (1878–1952) a cavalryman in the 1897 Ottoman-Greek War. İbrahim Cankara (muhtar 1963), Halil Cankara (muhtar 1989–1994) and a Mesudiyespor official.

Akan — Abdullah Akan (1896–1969) a gazi of the Yemen front, who received shrapnel wounds to his forehead and his chest. Registered in both Mesudiye and İslihisar.

Families That Produced Muhtars

A tradition of governance · A village where the 22 muhtars since 1939 have come from 8 different families

Çotuk — descended from the founder Çotuk Ahmet Efendi. The first settler from the Karabağlar oymak. He played a decisive role in the founding of the village. Kadir Çotuk (muhtar 1962–63) and Abdurrahim Çotuk (muhtar 1968) are also from this family.

Özşahines — Cengiz Özşahines, muhtar for 20 years (1999–2019).

Cankara — İbrahim Cankara (muhtar 1963) and Halil Cankara (muhtar 1989–1994).

Erdoğdu — the village's first muhtar, Mehmet Erdoğdu (1939, 1947), was from this family. Zeki Erdoğdu was the captain of Mesudiyespor in the 1980s.

Say — Kazım Say served as muhtar in three separate terms (1950, 1963, 1971) — the most frequently elected muhtar in the village's history. Nazif Say was Mesudiyespor's goalkeeper in the 1980s.

Gönen — Hilmi Gönen served as muhtar for 7 years (1954–1961), Mehmet Gönen was muhtar (1969–1971). Necdet and Nazım Gönen were Mesudiyespor defenders in the 1980s.

Evgin — the muhtar in office, Recep Evgin (2024–), is from this family. Kamil Evgin is a member of the village ihtiyar heyeti (council of elders), Ali Evgin was a Mesudiyespor defender in the 1980s.

Tezcan — Şerif Tezcan muhtar (1973–1977), Ali Beki Tezcan muhtar (2019–2024). With its two terms of office, a family deeply rooted in the village administration.

Mesudiyespor Families

Sport · Families that gave players and officials to the village football team in the 1980s

Bayraktar — Mustafa Bayraktar, a Mesudiyespor official.

Cankara — a Mesudiyespor official came from this family.

Erdoğdu — Zeki Erdoğdu was the captain of Mesudiyespor in the 1980s.

Say — Nazif Say was Mesudiyespor's goalkeeper in the 1980s.

Gönen — Necdet and Nazım Gönen were Mesudiyespor defenders in the 1980s.

Evgin — Ali Evgin was a Mesudiyespor defender in the 1980s.