Kudsi

Kudsi is a surname of Arabic origin, typically a nisba meaning “from Jerusalem” or “Jerusalemite,” derived from al-Quds, the Arabic name for Jerusalem. The spelling Kudsi reflects transliteration into Latin script, and variants such as Al-Qudsi, Qudsi, Qoudsi, and Kudsi are common in different regions and languages.

The name is used by families across the Arab world and in Turkish-speaking communities, as well as among the diaspora in Europe, North America, and other regions where people have migrated or spread through those communities. Its distribution often correlates with historical trade routes, religious centers, and Ottoman-era movements that facilitated the spread of Arabic nisbas into Turkish and other languages.

Because Kudsi denotes geographic origin, bearers of the surname may trace ancestry to Jerusalem or to communities historically linked with the city. Orthography and pronunciation vary by language, leading to several transliterations in contemporary usage. The name is generally treated as a surname, though it may appear in compound forms within longer family names or genealogical records.