DOI: https://doi.org/10.36719/2789-6919/64/90-113
Toponymic Analysis of Public School Names in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus: A Study Based on the Pre-1974 Settlement Structure
Nazmiye Hazar 
Abstract. The aim of this study is to examine the current settlement names used in the names of public schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) in relation to the historical characteristics of these settlements prior to 1974 and to explore the role of school names in the public circulation of place names. The study was conducted within a quantitative research framework using a descriptive design based on document analysis. The research population consisted of 161 public schools operating under the Ministry of National Education during the 2025–2026 academic year. Data were obtained through a comparative analysis of official school lists provided by the Ministry of National Education and official and scholarly sources concerning historical settlements and place names. Schools containing current settlement names in their official names were identified, and these settlements were classified according to their pre-1974 historical characteristics into three categories: former Greek Cypriot-majority settlements, former Turkish Cypriot-majority settlements, and former mixed Greek Cypriot–Turkish Cypriot settlements. The findings revealed that 89 of the 161 public schools examined include a current settlement name in their official names. Among these schools, 48 (53.9%) are associated with settlements that had Greek Cypriot-majority characteristics before 1974, 22 (24.7%) with Turkish Cypriot-majority settlements, and 19 (21.4%) with mixed settlements. The analysis by educational level demonstrated that settlement-based naming practices are most prevalent in primary schools, whereas secondary education institutions more frequently employ names associated with individuals, historical figures, and institutional identities. Furthermore, the findings indicate that officially adopted current settlement names after 1974 have been reflected more extensively in public school names, particularly in areas characterized by Greek Cypriot-majority settlement patterns before 1974. The study concludes that school names function not merely as administrative identifiers of educational institutions but also as institutional mechanisms through which place names enter public discourse, historical and spatial transformations are represented, and spatial memory is reproduced. In this respect, the study contributes to interdisciplinary discussions in educational administration, critical toponymy, historical geography, and public memory studies.
Keywords: school naming, toponymy, place names, spatial memory, public identity, historical geography, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)