The history of Roma living in Türkiye dates back to the Byzantine period. Dr. Adrian Marsh, Researcher in Romani Studies, Swedish Research Institute in Istanbul, notes that the roots of the Roma in Türkiye lie in communities called „Atsinganoi“ or „Athinganoi“ that lived in the Byzantine Empire. They have become a group engaged in fortune-telling, witchcraft, astrology, accepting Christian dualism. 

In the 7th century, the Byzantine religious figure Theodore Balsamon mentions the existence of the Roma in the 61st Canon, stating that they were completely expelled from the church due to their activities and idolatrous customs. Marie Theres Fögen, like many scholars, considered these facts about the Byzantine Roma to be accurate. This group, which was punished and persecuted by the Orthodox Church in the 10th century, was called "heresy". It is known that during the Byzantine period, the Roma paid a tax to the ruler, known as the "head tax" (kephalition). This shows that the discrimination against the Roma community was widespread in the Byzantine period.

Ismail Altinöz has reported that during the Byzantine period, many Greek words were incorporated into the Romani language, and even the term "atsingan" for Roma has its roots in this linguistic influence. Isabel Fonseca, the author of the book "Bury Me Standing: The Gypsies and Their Journey," notes that derogatory expressions and discrimination against the Roma did not emerge later. The reason for calling the Roma "Athingan" was due to the Atsingano people being involved in improper activities, and they appropriated these activities to Roma. 

Another claim is that the Jats, who were assumed to be related to the Roma, were pressured by the Arabs to move from Anazarva (Ain Zebra) to Byzantium. It is believed that the Jats, who had connections with the Armenians, migrated from Armenia to Anatolia before 1071.

During the cultural renaissance period of the Byzantine Empire, there was an increase in Roman records. The sources of this period also contain information about a group called "Egyptians". Called "Egyptians" or "Aiguptoi", this group is known for its acrobatic shows. Researcher George C. Soulis noted that the "Egyptian" women were called Aiguptissas, and those who sought or met with them for witchcraft, healing faced up to 5 years in prison. The idea that they could also be Roman is an idea found in many sources.

In later periods, there is a mention of Roma referring to themselves as "Romitoi" or "Romiti" in the notes of Lionardo di Niccolo Friscobaldi (1384). "Romiti" translates to "children of people who rule Rome." 

Information about the migration of the Roma to Anatolia during this period is scarce, particularly regarding the Dom and Lom groups. It is assumed that the reason for this was the wars that Byzantium had with the Seljuks and the Turkmens, which was the main focus. While there is evidence of the presence of Roma in the capital of the Byzantine Empire, there is no information specific to the regions of Asia Minor (Anatolia) during this period, when the Byzantines suffered defeats in the battles of Malazgirt (1071) and Myriokephalon. However, Matthew from Edessa (Urfa), an Armenian historian, writes about the plight of Byzantium, the begging of the people, Arabs, Turks, Persians and "orientals", the latter of which is thought to mean Roma and Dom.

The major migrations of the Roma are generally accepted by researchers to have occurred between the 5th and 11th centuries. The connection between the Roma and the Turks aligns with the period of the Seljuk Empire, which existed in Anatolia for over a century. Roman migration included 3 main groups. The first branch included the Rom people who first settled in Asia Minor and the Balkans, and then in Central and Western Europe. The Rom saw Anatolia as a gateway to Europe.

The second branch covers the Doms located in the Middle East, including Syria, Egypt and Turkey, heading southwest. The Doms are a branch of Roma in the Middle East, and according to historians, they came to the southeast of Turkish lands (Diyarbakir, Antakya, Mardin) at the beginning of the 11th century. 

The third branch, known as the Loms, migrated northwards and settled in the southern territories of the Caucasus, including Armenia, Georgia, Iran, and Central Asia. The Loms, whose origins are uncertain, are also called Posha, who, unlike the Roma, are believed to have remained in eastern Anatolia during the Seljuk and Ottoman periods, instead of heading west. 

These different migration directions and histories have led to religious, linguistic, and occupational differences among them. Additionally, some groups of Roma arrived in Anatolia through Afghanistan and Iran in the 9th to 10th centuries, settling in the region. According to Donald Kenrick, the first documented arrival of the Roma in Istanbul dates back to the year 1051. 

In the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire, which was one of the principalities (beyliks) that emerged after the fall of the Seljuks in the 12th century, had already become a huge empire. With the conquest of Istanbul in 1453, Byzantium fell, and the Ottomans recorded the entire population, including Roma, in the lands they captured. However, discrimination against the Roma continued during the Ottoman period.