100+ Famous Hungarian Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

Table of Contents

Learn all about the background of Hungarian surnames or last names.

Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are the native people of Hungary, which is called Magyarorszag by the Hungarians. Their official language is Hungarian, which is the most commonly spoken Uralic language in the world. Many Hungarian surnames are derived from this language.

Hungarian surnames are written with the family name first. Some Hungarian surnames or last names come from people’s jobs, while others are from non-Hungarian backgrounds. When Austria-Hungary was around, non-Hungarian people started using Hungarian last names. Many of these people were German, Slovak, or Jewish. Some Germans translated their names into Hungarian, while others changed their German last names to Hungarian ones. This post ‘Famous Hungarian Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings’ will show you a list of the most popular Hungarian surnames or last names with their meanings.

Famous Hungarian Surnames Or Last Names With Meanings

  1. Acs

Acs is a Hungarian surname or last name that comes from the occupation of a carpenter. Gabor Acs, a famous American architect, was born in Hungary and shares the surname.

  1. Almassy

This surname comes from the Hungarian name ‘alma,’ which means ‘apple.’ It describes someone who sells or gathers apples.

  1. Arany

The surname Arany means ‘golden’ in Hungarian. Janos Arany, a famous Hungarian poet, has this surname.

  1. Bako

The typical Hungarian surname refers to someone who works as an axeman. This type of name is based on a person’s job.

  1. Barta

Barta is a shortened version of the name Bartolomaeus, derived from the Latin Bartholomew, which means ‘furrow.’ Barta is a last name commonly used in Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

  1. Barany

Barany is a Hungarian surname that means ‘lamb.’ It is also a name used for a shepherd as well as a nickname for someone who looks like a lamb.

  1. Bathory

It is a surname that shows someone is from Bator, a village in Hungary. This surname belongs to a noble Hungarian family that used to rule the town.

  1. Becskei

The surname Becskei refers to someone who comes from a town called Becske in Hungary.

  1. Biro

In Hungarian the surname Biro means ‘judge’. One well-known person with this last name is Laszlo Biro, a Hungarian inventor known for making ballpoint pens famous.

  1. Bokor

This Hungarian last name comes from the word ‘bokor’ which means ‘bush.’ It is a last name given to someone who lived close to bushes.

  1. Boros

The last name comes from the Hungarian word ‘bor’ which means ‘wine.’ This surname is used for someone who either produces or sells wine.

  1. Cinege

In Hungarian, this last name refers to ‘titmouse bird’ and was mostly used as a nickname.

  1. Cseh

This last name indicates that the person is from the Czech Republic and is used in Hungary.

  1. Csany

The last name Csany comes from a prestigious family in Hungary and was first seen in the early 1300s.

  1. Csonka

The surname comes from the Hungarian word Csonka which means ‘mutilated.’

  1. Dienes

Dienes is a Hungarian surname that comes from Dionysus, the Thracian God of wine. Other versions of this last name include Dienes, Denes, and Gyenes.

  1. Dobos

Dobos is a Hungarian surname that translates to ‘drummer’. Some well-known individuals with this last name include Attila Dobos, who is a Hungarian soccer player, and Gabor Dobos, who is a Hungarian track athlete.

  1. Dunai

This surname comes from the Hungarian name Duna, which is the name for the river Danube.

  1. Erdos

The surname Erdos comes from the Hungarian last name ‘erdo,’ which means ‘forest.’ It is a surname that refers to someone who works as a forester.

  1. Eros

Eros is a common last name in Hungary that is often associated with strength.

  1. Farago

The surname Farago comes from Hungarian name and means to cut or carve. It is used as a last name for someone who works as a woodcutter.

  1. Fazekas

Fazekas is a last name that means ‘potter’ in Hungarian.

  1. Fejer

Fejer is a variation of a name that used to be a nickname for someone with light skin or white hair. The surname Feher means white in Hungarian.

  1. Fejes

This last name comes from the Hungarian word ‘fej,’ which means ‘head.’ It was first used as a nickname for someone who is stubborn.

  1. Fekete

Fekete is a Hungarian surname that means ‘black.’ It was initially used as a term of affection for people with dark hair or a dark skin tone.

  1. Ferenci

This surname comes from the name ‘Franciscus,’ which was the ethnic name for ‘Frank,’ eventually becoming known as a ‘Frenchman.’

  1. Fodor

Fodor is a Hungarian surname that means ‘curly or wavy,’ describing someone with hair that is curly or wavy.

  1. Gabor

Gabor is a surname that originated in Hungary and is the Hungarian version of Gabriel. It means ‘God is my strength.’

  1. Garai

This Hungarian last name comes from different sources. This surname can mean ‘peak or height’ in Basque, and is also used as a surname in Indian Bengali culture.

  1. Gorog

In Hungarian, ‘Gorog’ means ‘Greek’ and it is a frequently used last name in Hungary.

  1. Gulyas

The surname Gulyas comes from the Hungarian word for ‘herdsman or cow tender,’ and it is used to describe someone who takes care of a herd of animals.

  1. Hajos

The surname Hajos indicates that an individual was a boatman or sailor and may have been used as a way to identify someone’s occupation in Hungary.

  1. Halasz

In Hungary, ‘Halasz’ is a surname given to someone who is a fisherman. The name comes from the word ‘hal,’ which means ‘fish,’ and the suffix ‘-asz’ which is an indication of the occupation.

  1. Halmi

The surname ‘Halmi’ is given to someone who lives close to a hill or on one. It comes from the Hungarian name ‘halom’ which means ‘mound or small hill.’

  1. Horvath

The second most popular last name in Hungary and the most popular last name in Slovakia is carried by the descendants of Hungarians. It comes from the name Horvat, which means a person from Croatia.

  1. Huszar

The Hungarian surname comes from the ancient Croatian term ‘husar,’ which means ‘robber or plunderer.’ It is a last name given to hussars, who were members of the cavalry regiment.

  1. Illes

This surname comes from an old religious name, which is a variation of Elias. In Hungary, it is the equivalent of Elijah.

  1. Jo

The surname ‘Jo’ in Hungarian means ‘good.’ It comes from the Hebrew word ‘Joseph,’ which means ‘he shall increase’ and is the feminine version of Joseph.

  1. Juhasz

This Hungarian surname comes from the words ‘juh,’ which means ‘sheep,’ and the work-related ending ‘-asz.’

  1. Kadar

In Hungarian, the last name ‘Kadar’ means someone who makes barrels. This surname has its origins in both occupation and the Slavic language.

  1. Kalmar

Kalmar is a surname that originally meant ‘shopkeeper or merchant’ and has roots in Germanic origins.

  1. Kardos

Kardos is a last name that comes from the word for ‘sword,’ and it often signifies ancestors who were sword makers, soldiers, or known for being aggressive.

  1. Katona

Katona is a Hungarian last name that means ‘soldier’ and is often used as a surname related to someone’s occupation.

  1. Kerekes

The surname ‘Kerekes’ comes from Hungarian and means ‘wheel.’ It is used as a name for someone who makes wheels.

  1. Kiss

This last name comes from the Hungarian word ‘kis,’ which means ‘small.’ It is often used as a nickname for someone who is short. Some famous people with this surname include Tamas Pal Kiss, who is a Hungarian race car driver, and Zoltan Kiss, who is a Hungarian soccer player.

  1. Koszorus

This is a last name that comes from the Hungarian word ‘koszoru,’ which means ‘garland or wreath,’ and is used for someone who makes garlands.

  1. Kurt

This surname comes from Hungarian and means ‘horn,’ but it also has roots in Turkish, where it means ‘wolf.’

  1. Lakatos

Lakatos is a Hungarian surname that means ‘locksmith’ and comes from Romance languages.

  1. Lantos

Lantos comes from the Hungarian word ‘lant,’ which means ‘lute.’ It is used to describe a ‘minstrel, bard, or lutist.’

  1. Lengyel

It is a surname that refers to someone from Poland and also used for people who speak Polish or live in Poland.

  1. Lucas

This Hungarian surname comes from the first name Lukacs, which is like the name Lucas.

  1. Magyar

The surname Magyar translates to ‘Hungarian’ and is typically used to describe people who live in the countryside of Hungary.

  1. Meggyesfalvi

This surname comes from a person who lived in a Hungarian village called ‘Meggyesfalva.’ The name means ‘cherry village’ which comes from the Hungarian words ‘meggy’ for cherry and ‘falu’ for village.

  1. Meszaros

In Hungarian, ‘Meszaros’ means butcher and is an occupational surname. The word ‘Meszar’ comes from Slavic origin and is related to ‘meso’ which means meat.

  1. Nagy

The most popular last name in Hungary comes from a nickname that means ‘big or great’ based on a person’s qualities.

  1. Nemes

Nemes is a Hungarian last name that translates to ‘noble or gentle.’ It is often used as a nickname for someone who appears honorable or distinguished.

  1. Nyitrai

This surname refers to a river in the area and signifies a person from Nitra, a city in Slovakia that was once part of Hungary.

  1. Olah

In Hungarian, the last name ‘Olah’ means ‘Romanian’ and comes from the old Slavic word ‘volhu,’ which means ‘Romance speaker.’

  1. Oles

It’s a sur name used to describe a large or powerful man, derived from the Hungarian word ‘oles’ which means well-built or strong.

  1. Ori

Ori is a last name for someone who lives in a place called Or in Hungary.

  1. Pataki

The surname comes from the Hungarian word ‘patak,’ which means ‘creek or brook.’ This last name suggests that the person lives close to a creek.

  1. Pesti

This surname from Hungary shows that the person is from Pest, one of the towns that came together to create Budapest.

  1. Puskas

Puskas is a surname that originated from Hungary and it was typically used for someone who made cannons or guns. This last name comes from the Hungarian word ‘puska’ which means ‘gun.’

  1. Pusztai

The surname ‘Pusztai’ originates from Hungarian and refers to a flat plain. It is often used to describe someone who lives in a flat, open area.

  1. Racz

The surname ‘Racz’ comes from the Hungarian term ‘rac,’ referring to Serbians living in the Habsburg Empire in the past.

  1. Sarkozi

This surname refers to a person from Sarkoz, a place in Hungary, and comes from the words ‘sar,’ which means ‘mud,’ and ‘koz,’ meaning ‘margin or lane.’

  1. Sereda

This surname comes from the Hungarian name ‘Szereda,’ which is an ancient secular personal name. It is a popular last name in Russia as well.

  1. Sipos

The surname Szabo comes from the Hungarian word ‘sip,’ which means ‘whistle or pipe,’ and is commonly associated with someone who plays the piper or fife.

  1. Solyom

Solyom is the Hungarian surname for hawk or falcon, and it was mainly used as a nickname.

  1. Soros

Originally, brewers of beer were the ones who were given the name, which comes from the Hungarian word ‘sor’ that means ‘beer.’

  1. So

The name is a way of referring to someone who makes or sells salt, and comes from the Hungarian word ‘so’ which means ‘salt.’

  1. Szarka

Szarka is the Hungarian surname for ‘magpie’ and is commonly used to refer to a thief in a more polite way.

  1. Szekely

The surname refers to someone with Szekely heritage. They are Hungarian people living in the middle of Romania.

  1. Szekeres

The surname ‘Szekeres’ comes from Hungarian and refers to a cart or wagon. This surname was traditionally given to people who worked as cart drivers.

  1. Szilagyi

This Hungarian surname comes from the words ‘szil,’ which means ‘elm,’ and ‘agy,’ which means ‘bed.’ It is a last name given to someone from the area of Szilagyi in Hungary.

  1. Szombathy

This surname comes from the Hungarian word ‘szombat,’ which means ‘Saturday.’

  1. Szucs

In Hungarian, this surname is commonly used as a last name for someone who works with fur.

  1. Takacs

Takacs is a last name that is typically given to someone who is a weaver by occupation.

  1. Tamasi

The last name comes from the first name Tamas, which is a Hungarian version of Thomas.

  1. Tar

The surname Tar comes from the Hungarian word ‘tar,’ which means ‘bald.’

  1. Tardy

This last name describes someone who is from either of two places called Tard in Somogy and Borsod counties.

  1. Timar

This surname in Hungarian means someone who works with leather or shoes. It is a type of last name based on the person’s job.

  1. Timko

Timko is a surname for the name Timot, which comes from the Latin name Tymotheus.

  1. Tot

Tot is a surname that refers to people from Slovakia or Slovenia and comes from the Hungarian word ‘tot’. Toth is another version of this name.

  1. Vadas

This is a nickname or job title for someone who hunts wild animals. It comes from the Hungarian name ‘vad,’ which means ‘wild.’

  1. Vamos

The surname is derived from the word ‘vam’ which means ‘customs.’ In Hungarian, this last name is associated with someone who works as a ‘custom officer.’

  1. Vanyo

This last name from Hungary comes from a shortened version of the first name Ivan, which is a Slavic version of John.

  1. Varga

This last name comes from the Hungarian word ‘varga,’ which means ‘shoemaker’ or ‘cobbler.’

  1. Vari

This surname comes from a person who once resided in a location called Vari in Bekes or Bereg county in Hungary.

  1. Vass

The surname ‘Vass’ comes from the Hungarian word ‘vas’ which means ‘iron’ and is used to describe someone who works with iron or sells iron products.

  1. Vastag

The surname Vastag was initially a name used in Hungary to describe someone as stout or thick.

  1. Vegh

This surname refers to someone who lives at the end of a village, and comes from the Hungarian word ‘veg’ meaning ‘end.’

  1. Vereb

The surname Vereb means ‘sparrow,’ and was originally used as a nickname for someone who looks like a bird.

  1. Vida

Vida is a last name that comes from the Latin word ‘vitus,’ which means ‘life.’ It is a patronymic surname, meaning it comes from a person’s father’s name.

  1. Vig

Vig is the Hungarian last name for someone who is happy or joyful. People would use ‘Vig’ as a nickname for someone who is known for being funny or cheerful.

  1. Virag

In Hungarian, the surname Virag means ‘flower’ and was first used as a nickname.

  1. Voros

This surname describes a person who has red hair or a red face and comes from Hungary.

  1. Zentai

The last name indicates that the person is from Senta, a city in Serbia that used to be part of Hungary and was called Zenta.

  1. Zoltanfi

The surname means ‘son of Zoltan’ and is connected to the Turkish word for ‘sultan’ or ‘king’. This last name comes from a Hungarian leader from the 10th century named Zsolt.

  1. Zsoldos

Zsoldos is a Hungarian surname that means ‘mercenary’.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Do people in Hungary have middle names?
In Hungary, people usually have a last name followed by a first name. Hungarian names usually don’t include middle names. Even using initials in a name in Hungary is not a common practice.
2. How do Hungarians choose the names for their children?
First names are often chosen based on moral values, mythology, or religious significance. Surnames are typically inherited from the father’s side of the family.
3. How do Hungarian last names differ from last names in other countries?
Hungarian surnames are similar to surnames in other countries because they are linked to the language and history of Hungary. They can be based on a person’s job, where they live, or their family background.
4. How have last names in Hungary changed over time?
Originally, Hungarian last names were determined by a person’s job. In the 19th and 20th centuries, Hungary had a diverse population due to migrants from different countries like Germany, Slovakia, and Jewish communities. Many foreigners translated their last names to Hungarian, but some Germans kept their original last names, leading to a variety of surnames in Hungary.
5. What does the suffix ‘ -i’ symbolize in Hungarian surnames?
In Hungary, the ending ‘-i’ or ‘y’ in a surname indicates that the person is from a specific place. For example, the last name Bathori or Bathory shows that the person is from the village of Bator in Hungary.
6. Do Hungarian last names follow certain patterns?
Hungarian last names usually follow a certain pattern that can give hints about where they come from or what they mean. For example, if a surname has ‘-fi’ or ‘fy’ at the end, it means ‘son of.’ Therefore, the surname Zoltanfi means the son of Zoltan. In the same way, surnames that are based on jobs can tell us what job their ancestor had.
7. What resources are available for researching the meaning and background of Hungarian last name?
You can learn about Hungarian last names by talking to your older family members and people from Hungary. Look on the internet and genealogy websites to discover more about the origins of your surname. Visit libraries and archives in Hungary for historical documents and resources related to Hungarian surnames.

Hungarian last names show the history of the country and have been used for many years. Most of these names are based on jobs, showing how people made a living in the past. Hungarian last names have different origins, giving insight into Europe’s history. These meaningful names may make you curious to learn more about Hungary and its people.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Search
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
RECENT POSTS