Skip to content
Ottoman BureaucracyPeople, places and careers in Ottoman public service

Official

Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi

Muslim (Müslüman). Born in Istanbul (Dersaadet) in 1852/53 (AH 1269). On record 1873 to 1918, 41 annual entries.

Life

Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi was born in Istanbul in 1852/53 (AH 1269) into the Muslim (Müslüman) community; the father's occupation was "Tophanei Amire Muhasebecisi". Work began in Istanbul in 1873/74, at about 20, paid from the start, on 500 kuruş a month. The annual lists begin in 1873/74, with Abdurrahman Serafettin as Mahrec-i Aklam-i Sahane Tarih-i Umumi Muallimligi in Istanbul, the birthplace. Abdurrahman Serafettin then moved to Mektebi sultani from 1875 to 1878, then Mektebi mulkiye from 1878 to 1905. From 1905 to 1918 the annual entries place Abdurrahman Serafettin again in Istanbul, first as Meclisi Ayan Azasi, from 1906/07 as Defteri Hakani Nezareti Vekili, from 1907/08 as Maarif Nezareti Vekili and from 1917/18 as PT Nazir Vekili.

The salary went from 500 kuruş a month in 1873/74 to 25,000 in 1907/08, the peak, as Maarif Nezareti Vekili in Istanbul. In 1907/08 no official in the lists was paid more; only 16 of the 5,203 officials with a salary were ever the best paid of a year. Over 41 years the salaries add up to 3,575,340 kuruş, 8.5 times the median official's, a level reached by 12 of the 3,805 officials paid for five years or more. The last annual entry is for 1917/18. The honours of Abdurrahman Serafettin were a rank (rütbe), the Mecidi and Osmani orders and two medals ("Gumus imtiyaz madalyası"; "Altin imtiyaz Madalyasi"). Written works are recorded, for example "Fezleke-i Tarih-i Devlet-i Osmaniye".

Places in order of time

Each number is a stop: the birthplace, the place of first work, then every place of the annual entries in turn. The year beside an arrow is the first entry at the new place.

All 4 stops
birthplaceplace of annual entriesmove, with the year of the first entry there
1234Istanbul, Mektebi sultani, Mektebi mulkiye
  1. Istanbul (Dersaadet)

    Born 1852/53 (AH 1269); First work 1873/74 (AH 1290); 1873 to 1875 (AH 1290 to 1291)

    First work as Mahrec-i Aklam-i sahane Tarih-i Umumi Muallimligi

    Mahrec-i Aklam-i Sahane Tarih-i Umumi Muallimligi

    500 kuruş a month; entries in 2 years

  2. Mektebi sultani

    1875 to 1878 (AH 1292 to 1294)

    Muallim

    500 to 1,070 kuruş a month; entries in 3 years

  3. Mektebi mulkiye

    1878 to 1905 (AH 1295 to 1322)

    Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane Muduru

    3,200 to 8,500 kuruş a month; entries in 28 years

  4. Istanbul (Dersaadet)

    1905 to 1918 (AH 1323 to 1336)

    Meclisi Ayan Azasi 1905/06 (AH 1323); Defteri Hakani Nezareti Vekili 1906/07 (AH 1324); Maarif Nezareti Vekili 1907 to 1911 (AH 1325 to 1329); PT Nazir Vekili 1917/18 (AH 1336)

    8,225 to 25,000 kuruş a month; entries in 8 years

    No annual entry for 1911 to 1917 (AH 1330 to 1335).

Career and salary

All years
Monthly salary by year, kuruşsalary of the yearentry of another institutionyears with one job titleno annual entry
no entry010,00020,00030,0001873/74AH 12901878AH 12951882/83AH 13001887/88AH 13051892/93AH 13101897/98AH 13151902/03AH 13201907/08AH 13251911/12AH 13301916/17AH 133525,000 kuruşMuallimMektebi Mulkiyei Sahane Muduru
Salary against the medians of the same year
2005001,0002,0005,00010,00020,00050,0001873/74AH 12901878AH 12951882/83AH 13001887/88AH 13051892/93AH 13101897/98AH 13151902/03AH 13201907/08AH 13251911/12AH 13301916/17AH 1335This officialMedian, all officialsMedian, same province

Log scale: equal steps are equal ratios. The median of the same title is drawn for the years in which at least 5 officials with that title had a salary, and the median of the same province for the years in which at least 5 officials were paid in the province of the official's salary that year.

The numbers of the chart
Salary of Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi against the medians of the same year, kuruş a month
YearSalaryMedian, all officialsMedian, same titleMedian, same provincePaid less
1873/7450050050044%
1874/75500535522.541%
1875/7650053055041%
1876/77500582.5587.536%
1877/781,07056060085%
18784,00060060098%
1878/794,00060060097%
1879/803,20050050098%
1880/813,80050050099%
1881/823,80050050099%
1882/835,00050050099%
1883/845,00050050099%
1884/855,00050050099%
1885/865,00050050099%
1886/875,00050050099%
1887/885,00050050099%
1888/895,00050050099%
1889/906,00050050099%
1890/916,00050050099%
1891/926,00050050099%
1892/937,50050050099%
1893/948,50050048099%
1894/958,50050045099%
1895/968,50050044099%
1896/977,65050042599%
1897/987,65050042599%
1898/997,65050044099%
1899/19007,65050045099%
1900/018,25050045099%
1901/028,25050044099%
1902/038,25050045099%
1903/048,25047545099%
1904/058,25045045099%
1905/0610,00047542599%
1906/078,22545047099%
1907/0825,000300300100%
1908/0915,00035040099%
1909/1015,000462.550099%
1910/1115,00050060099%
191115,00050060099%
1917/1815,00015,000

Paid less: the share of the other officials with a salary that year who earned less.

Point at a year for its salary, title, place and the median of all officials paid that year. Choose a row of the table to mark its years in the charts and its stop on the map.

Career of Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi, one row per stage
YearsTitlePlaceSalary (kuruş a month)
1873/74AH 1290Mahrec-i Aklam-i sahane Tarih-i Umumi Muallimligifirst workIstanbul (Dersaadet)500first-salary field
1873 to 1875AH 1290 to 1291Mahrec-i Aklam-i Sahane Tarih-i Umumi Muallimligi
Other institution
2 entries
YearSalary
1873/74500
1874/75500
Istanbul (Dersaadet)500
1875 to 1878AH 1292 to 1294Muallim
Other institution
3 entries
YearSalary
1875/76500
1876/77500
1877/781,070
Mektebi sultani500 to 1,070
1878 to 1905AH 1295 to 1322Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane Muduru
28 entries
YearSalary
18784,000
1878/794,000
1879/803,200
1880/813,800
1881/823,800
1882/835,000
1883/845,000
1884/855,000
1885/865,000
1886/875,000
1887/885,000
1888/895,000
1889/906,000
1890/916,000
1891/926,000
1892/937,500
1893/948,500
1894/958,500
1895/968,500
1896/977,650
1897/987,650
1898/997,650
1899/19007,650
1900/018,250
1901/028,250
1902/038,250
1903/048,250
1904/058,250
Mektebi mulkiye4,000 to 8,250
1905/06AH 1323Meclisi Ayan Azasi
Other institution
Istanbul (Dersaadet)10,000
1906/07AH 1324Defteri Hakani Nezareti Vekili
Land Registry (Defter-i Hakani)
Istanbul (Dersaadet)8,225
1907 to 1911AH 1325 to 1329Maarif Nezareti Vekili
Other institution
5 entries
YearSalary
1907/0825,000
1908/0915,000
1909/1015,000
1910/1115,000
191115,000
Istanbul (Dersaadet)25,000 to 15,000
No annual entry: 1911 to 1917 (AH 1330 to 1335)
1917/18AH 1336PT Nazir VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)15,000

Record

Personal

Born
1852/53 (AH 1269)
Community
Muslim (Müslüman)
Nationality as recorded
Turkish
Father's occupation
Tophanei Amire Muhasebecisi

Education

Higher or professional
Mekteb-i Sultani (12 years)Imperial School (Galatasaray)
Unpaid years (mülazemet)
0 years
Preparation route (classification of the paper)
Other High
Qualification (diploma, certificate, training or nişan)
Yes

The years count all schooling up to that school, as the record gives them.

Languages

French
Kitabetwriting
Turkish
Kitabetwriting

The glosses are cautious historical readings of the recorded words, not modern levels of proficiency.

First work

Year
1873/74 (AH 1290)
First job as worded
Mahrec-i Aklam-i sahane Tarih-i Umumi Muallimligi
Age at first work (workbook field)
21
First salary field (kuruş a month)
500
First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)
500

Honours and ranks

Rank (recorded code)
1
Mecidi order (recorded code)
1
Osmani order (recorded code)
1
Medal (recorded code)
4; 5
Medal or decoration as worded
Gumus imtiyaz madalyası; Altin imtiyaz Madalyasi

Works written

Written works
Fezleke-i Tarih-i Duvel-i islamiye ve Fezleke-i Tarih-i Devlet-i Osmaniye namlariyla birer cilt ve Tarih-i Devlet-i Osmaniye ve Cografya-yi Umumi namlariyla ikiser cilt uzerine matbu asari vardir.

Notes from the record

Merit and competence grade (recorded code)
1

Recorded with

Officials who share a place, a job title, a school, a birthplace or the year of the first annual entry. Ranks compare the highest monthly salary of each official.

Same place, same years

Of the 892 officials with entries in Istanbul in the same years, Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi had the highest salary.

All 1,750 officials with entries in Istanbul

Same job title, same years

Of the 2 officials with the title Muallim in the same years, Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi had the highest salary.

All 12 officials with the title Muallim

Same school

Of the 53 officials with Mekteb-i Sultani among their schools, Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi had the highest salary.

All 53 officials with Mekteb-i Sultani

Same birthplace

Of the 1,999 officials born in Istanbul, 1,997 have a recorded salary; Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi had the highest salary of them.

The page of Istanbul, with the 1,999 officials born there

First annual entry in the same year

Of the 69 officials whose first annual entry is for 1873/74 (AH 1290), Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi had the highest salary.

Full record

Annual entries (41)

Annual entries of Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi
YearTitlePlaceKuruş a monthInstitutionSourceArchive reference
1873/74AH 1290Mahrec-i Aklam-i Sahane Tarih-i Umumi MuallimligiIstanbul (Dersaadet)500OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1874/75AH 1291Mahrec-i Aklam-i Sahane Tarih-i Umumi MuallimligiIstanbul (Dersaadet)500OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1875/76AH 1292MuallimMektebi sultani500OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1876/77AH 1293MuallimMektebi sultani500OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1877/78AH 1294MuallimMektebi sultani1,070OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1878AH 1295Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye4,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1878/79AH 1296Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye4,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1879/80AH 1297Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye3,200Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1880/81AH 1298Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye3,800Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1881/82AH 1299Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye3,800Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1882/83AH 1300Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1883/84AH 1301Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1884/85AH 1302Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1885/86AH 1303Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1886/87AH 1304Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1887/88AH 1305Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1888/89AH 1306Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye5,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1889/90AH 1307Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye6,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1890/91AH 1308Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye6,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1891/92AH 1309Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye6,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1892/93AH 1310Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye7,500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1893/94AH 1311Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1894/95AH 1312Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1895/96AH 1313Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,500Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1896/97AH 1314Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye7,650Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1897/98AH 1315Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye7,650Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1898/99AH 1316Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye7,650Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1899/1900AH 1317Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye7,650Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1900/01AH 1318Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,250Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1901/02AH 1319Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,250Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1902/03AH 1320Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,250Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1903/04AH 1321Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,250Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1904/05AH 1322Mektebi Mulkiyei Sahane MuduruMektebi mulkiye8,250Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
1905/06AH 1323Meclisi Ayan AzasiIstanbul (Dersaadet)10,000OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1906/07AH 1324Defteri Hakani Nezareti VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)8,225Land Registry (Defter-i Hakani)Cross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1907/08AH 1325Maarif Nezareti VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)25,000OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1908/09AH 1326Maarif Nezareti VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)15,000OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1909/10AH 1327Maarif Nezareti VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)15,000OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1910/11AH 1328Maarif Nezareti VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)15,000OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1911AH 1329Maarif Nezareti VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)15,000OtherCross-ministry personnel workbook0072_0044; 87
1917/18AH 1336PT Nazir VekiliIstanbul (Dersaadet)15,000Post and Telegraph (Posta ve Telgraf)Recovered annual personnel extract0072_0044; 87
What the sources named in this table are
Cross-ministry personnel workbook
A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
Recovered annual personnel extract
The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.

Sources and original values (33)

Recorded values of Abdurrahman Serafettin Efendi with their sources
FieldRecorded valueSource
Identity
NameAbdurrahman serafettin EfendiLinked personnel workbook
Birth year (AH)1269Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Birthplacedersaadet used on this pageRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Birthplaceistanbul other valueCross-ministry personnel workbook
Birthplace: district (kaza)istanbulCross-ministry personnel workbook
Birthplace: sancakistanbulCross-ministry personnel workbook
Birthplace: province (vilayet)istanbulCross-ministry personnel workbook
Province of birthdersaadetRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
Father's occupationtophanei amire muhasebecisiRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
ReligionMuslumanRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Nationality or communityTurkishRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Schooling
Schoolmektebi sultaniRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Years of schooling12Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Years of apprenticeship (mülazemet)0Recovered annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
First work
First work: year (AH)1290Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Linked personnel workbook
First work: Gregorian year as stored1873Recovered annual personnel extract
First work: placeistanbulRecovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
First work: district (kaza)istanbulCross-ministry personnel workbook
First work: sancakistanbulCross-ministry personnel workbook
First work: province (vilayet)istanbulCross-ministry personnel workbook
First job as wordedMahrec-i Aklam-i sahane Tarih-i Umumi MuallimligiLinked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Age at first work (workbook field)21Cross-ministry personnel workbook
First salary field (kuruş a month)500Recovered annual personnel extract; Personnel attributes extract; Earlier annual personnel extract
First-job salary of the original workbook (kuruş a month)500Linked personnel workbook; Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Honours
Rank (recorded code)1Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Mecidi order (recorded code)1Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Osmani order (recorded code)1Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Medal (recorded code)4 used on this pageCross-ministry personnel workbook
Medal (recorded code)5 other valueCross-ministry personnel workbook
Medal or decoration as wordedGumus imtiyaz madalyası used on this pageCross-ministry personnel workbook
Medal or decoration as wordedAltin imtiyaz Madalyasi other valueCross-ministry personnel workbook
Other recorded values
Merit and competence grade (recorded code)1Cross-ministry personnel workbook
Written worksFezleke-i Tarih-i Duvel-i islamiye ve Fezleke-i Tarih-i Devlet-i Osmaniye namlariyla birer cilt ve Tarih-i Devlet-i Osmaniye ve Cografya-yi Umumi namlariyla ikiser cilt uzerine matbu asari vardir.Cross-ministry personnel workbook
What the sources named in this table are
Cross-ministry personnel workbook
A personnel workbook with the annual entries in institutions other than the Post and Telegraph (justice, land registry, customs, police and others), with the same annual fields as the personnel workbook.
Earlier annual personnel extract
The detailed annual personnel file of October 2024. An official found only in this file keeps the years, titles and salaries it gives.
Recovered annual personnel extract
The merged annual personnel file recovered for the replication of the first paper. Annual entries are taken from it for every official it holds.
Personnel attributes extract
The detailed personnel file of September 2025, read for personal details such as birth, schooling and first work.
Linked personnel workbook
The original personnel workbook, from which selected fields on background and first work are taken.
  • The sources give more than one value for a marked field. Every value is listed.
  • Origin of the record: Post and Telegraph personnel records.
  • 28 annual entries of 41 belong to the saved estimation sample of the paper.

How to read this record: calendar years, years without an annual entry, salaries and sources.

Subjects