Prvi se put spominju u 6. veku, a predstavljaju kulturno-političke naslednike turkijskih naroda, koji su u 11. veku prodrli u Anatoliju, mešajući se postepeno sa ostalim narodima u tom delu sveta: Arapima na jugu i jugozapadu Persijancima na jugoistoku Grcima na zapadu, Jermenima i Kurdima na istoku, Gruzinima na severoistoku, a delom i sa Slovenima na jugoistoku Evrope. Mešanje je bilo toliko izraženo da današnji Turci nemaju antropološke sličnosti sa originalnim Turcima koji su pripadali istočnoazijskoj ljudskoj zajednici, već se fizički uopšte ne razlikuju od ostalih Evropljana i stanovnika jugozapadne Azije.
Turaka ukupno ima oko 67.000.000, od toga u Turskoj oko 61.500.000, u Nemačkoj 2.800.000, Bugarskoj 508.000, Holandiji 308.000[1] i na Kipru 150.000. Turci su većinsko stanovništvo (96%) u Turskoj Republici Severni Kipar, faktički nezavisnoj državi na severnoj trećini Republike Kipar, čiju nezavisnost nije priznala nijedna država osim Turske.[2]
Današnja Turska ne priznaje samo Turke kao svoje državljane, već se isto tako diči svojom jakom dijasporom, ali i „etničkim Turcima“ (Turcima u etničkom smislu), koji su u stvari regionalna manjina.
Otkako su se doselili iz Azije kao nomadsko pleme i stupili u službu ikonijskog sultana, s pravom da uživaju teritoriju u blizini vizantijske granice na Mramornom moru, pa do sredine XIV veka, Turci su se od nepoželjnih pljačkaša pretvorili u opasnu osvajačku silu. Nazvani Osmanlije, po svom poglavici Osmanu, umešali su se u vizantijske sukobe, proširili teritoriju i 1354. zakoračili na Balkansko poluostrvo. Slabost balkanskih gospodara omogućila im je da ubrzo zahvate šire područje, prestonicu prenesu u Jedrene i u raseljena naselja dovedu svoj turski živalj. Iz novih uporišta sada su mogli da provaljuju u bugarske, grčke i srpske zemlje[5], pa i dalje čak do Beča i šire svoj kulturni uticaj.
Nakon slabljenja Rumskog sultanata 1299. godine Osman I se konačno dočepao nezavisnih teritorija na rubu područja u Anadoliji koje je bilo pod vlašću raznih nezavisnih turskih poglavica koji su tu naneti prodorom rumskog sultanata u unutrašnjost poluostrva. Turci su ipak više podsticali Turkifikaciju u Maloj Aziji, ali je ipak bilo i premeštanja stanovništva iz većinski turskog i iranskog istočnog dela u predominantno grčki zapad. Ono na šta su se Turci pogotovo oslanjali bilo je premeštanje stanovništva nakon kog bi usledio mešoviti brak, iz kog bi dete bilo turske etničke pripadnosti (jer nacije nisu postojale sve do Francuske revolucije) i islamske veroispovesti što je stara tradicija Seldžučkog sultanata. Turci su takođe potiskivali Romeje (Grke) na priobalni deo poluostrva ili van Male Azije uopšte, ali je tu ipak ostao veliki deo stanovništva sve do razmene življa koje je usledilo između Grčke i Turske nakon Prvog svetskog rata. Bajazit II 1487. konačno osvaja Karamanidski bejlik čime Anadolija po prvi put pada u Osmanske ruke u celosti. Turci se i nisu preterano fokusirali na kolonizaciju istočnog dela carstva sa kurdskom etničkom većinom, ali su oduvek gajili mržnju prema Jermenima koje su skoro istrebili.
Već po prodoru u Trakiju i osvajanju Jedrenja 1362. godine i postavljanja grada za prestonicu 1363. godine pod Muradom I otpočelo je preseljavanje Turaka iz azijskog dela carstva u sam grad i njegovu okolinu. Ovo je u stvari bio najveći pokušaj kolonizacije sproveden od strane centralne osmanlijske vlasti. Nakon osvajanja Bosne krenulo je obimnije naseljavanje etničkih Turaka na Balkan. Baš ovo je razlog velikog broja Turaka u Bugarskoj, Severnoj Makedoniji, Grčkoj i Albaniji, dok su iz Srbije većina njih proterana (isključujući Kosovo i Metohiju na kojima se nalaze u velikom broju).
^Nyrop, Richard F.; Benderly, Beryl Lieff; Cover, Willian W.; Cutter, Melissa J.; Evin, Ahmet Ö.; Parker, Newton B.; Teleki, Suzanne (1973), „Area Handbook for the Republic of Turkey”, Pamphlet, United States Government Publishing Office, 550 (80), ISSN0892-8541, „Among the Turks may be distinguished a number of regional variants that do not function as ethnic groups but merely reflect differing historical and ecological circumstances. To some extent, differences of accent, customs, and outlook distinguish the regions and are popularly expressed in regional stereotypes. Three of the most important of these variants are Anatolian Turks, the peasantry of central core of Asiatic Turkey, whose culture is said to underlie Turkish nationalism; Rumelian Turks, primarily immigrants from Balkan territories of the empire of their descendants; and central Asian Turks, the assorted Turkic tibesmen from Asia who have come to Turkey. Others, such as the Black Sea Turks, whose speech largely lacks the vowel harmony valued elsewhere and whose natural predilections are thought to be toward extremely devout religion and the sea, are also distinguished.”
^Mayer, Ann Elizabeth (2010), „Turks”, The Contemporary Middle East: A Westview Reader, Westview Press, str. 27, ISBN9780813344652, „Generally, they speak Turkish as a primary language, are Muslims (90% are Sunni), claim a Turkish heritage... Four groups of Turks can be identified through cultural and geographic differences. First, the Anatolian Turks in Asia Minor...Second, the Rumelian Turks (from Rum, meaning "Roman", or European) are European Turks who remained in Europe after the Ottoman days... Third are descendants of Turks who stayed in various parts of the Middle East separated from the Ottoman Empire after World War I. Fourth are some 200,000 Turkish Cypriots...”
^Božić, Ivan (1973). Istorija Jugoslavije. Beograd: Prosveta Beograd. str. 91.
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