lastnamegenerators

Hungarian Last Names

These Hungarian last names are real family names from Hungary, listed A to Z with their meanings. Many began as a description of a trade, a trait or a home village, so names like Kovács, Szabó and Tóth each tell a small story.

286 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

  • Ábrahám

    From Ábrahám (Abraham)

  • Ács

    Carpenter

  • Ádám

    From Ádám (Adam)

  • Albert

    From Albert

  • Almási

    Of the apple orchard

  • Ambrus

    From Ambrus (Ambrose)

  • Andrási

    Of András (Andrew)

  • Antal

    From Antal (Anthony)

  • Arany

    Gold

  • Asztalos

    Joiner, carpenter

B

  • Bagoly

    Owl

  • Bakos

    Possibly from bak, buck; goat keeper

  • Balázs

    From Balázs (Blaise)

  • Bálint

    From Bálint (Valentine)

  • Balog

    Left-handed

  • Balogh

    Left-handed

  • Bárány

    Lamb

  • Baranyai

    From Baranya county

  • Bárdos

    Axeman, halberd bearer

  • Barta

    From Bertalan (Bartholomew)

  • Bartók

    From Bertalan (Bartholomew)

  • Bartos

    From Bertalan (Bartholomew)

  • Bátor

    Brave

  • Batthyány

    From Battyán

  • Bede

    Possibly from Benedek (Benedict)

  • Bencze

    From Benedek (Benedict)

  • Benedek

    From Benedek (Benedict)

  • Benkő

    From Benedek (Benedict)

  • Berényi

    From Berény

  • Bihari

    From Bihar county

  • Bika

    Bull

  • Biró

    Judge, village magistrate

  • Bocskai

    From Bocskó

  • Bodnár

    Cooper, barrel maker

  • Bogdán

    God-given, from Slavic Bogdan

  • Bognár

    Wheelwright, cartwright

  • Bokor

    Bush, shrub

  • Boldizsár

    From Boldizsár (Balthazar)

  • Bolgár

    Bulgarian

  • Borbély

    Barber

  • Boros

    Wine seller or wine lover (bor)

  • Borsos

    Pepper seller; peppery

  • Böszörményi

    From Böszörmény

  • Bozó

    Of uncertain origin; possibly a pet form of a personal name

  • Budai

    From Buda

  • Buzás

    Wheat grower or dealer (búza)

C

  • Csáki

    From Csák, an old clan name

  • Csapó

    Cloth fuller

  • Csatlós

    Servant, henchman

  • Cseh

    Czech

  • Csík

    Loach (fish)

  • Csikós

    Horse herdsman

  • Csizmadia

    Bootmaker

  • Csóka

    Jackdaw

  • Csonka

    Maimed, truncated

  • Csorba

    Chipped, gap-toothed

  • Csordás

    Herdsman

  • Csuka

    Pike (fish)

D

  • Dávid

    From Dávid (David)

  • Deák

    Scholar, literate clerk

  • Debreceni

    From Debrecen

  • Dénes

    From Dénes (Dennis)

  • Dévai

    From Déva

  • Diósi

    Of the walnut grove

  • Dobos

    Drummer

  • Dombi

    Of the hill

  • Dudás

    Bagpiper

E

  • Egri

    From Eger

  • Erdei

    Of the forest

  • Erdélyi

    From Transylvania (Erdély)

  • Erdős

    Of the forest; wooded

  • Esterházy

    From Esterháza (Estoras), the family's estate in Csallóköz

  • Ezüst

    Silver

F

  • Fábián

    From Fábián (Fabian)

  • Farkas

    Wolf

  • Farkasházy

    From Farkasháza, wolf house

  • Fazekas

    Potter

  • Fecske

    Swallow (bird)

  • Fehér

    White, fair-haired

  • Fekete

    Black, dark-haired

  • Fenyő

    Pine, fir

  • Ferenc

    From Ferenc (Francis)

  • Ferenczi

    Son of Ferenc (Francis)

  • Fodor

    Curly-haired

  • Fülöp

    From Fülöp (Philip)

  • Füzesi

    Of the willow grove

G

  • Gál

    From Gál (Gallus)

  • Galamb

    Dove, pigeon

  • Gáspár

    From Gáspár (Caspar)

  • Gergely

    From Gergely (Gregory)

  • Gólya

    Stork

  • Gombos

    Button maker

  • Görög

    Greek

  • Gulyás

    Cattle herdsman

  • Gyöngyösi

    From Gyöngyös

  • György

    From György (George)

  • Győri

    From Győr

  • Gyulai

    From Gyula

  • Gyurkó

    From György (George)

H

  • Hajdu

    Hajduk soldier; cattle drover

  • Hajós

    Boatman, sailor

  • Halász

    Fisherman

  • Halmi

    Of the mound

  • Harcsa

    Catfish

  • Hegedűs

    Fiddler

  • Hegyi

    Of the mountain

  • Hevesi

    From Heves

  • Hidegkuti

    From Hidegkút, cold well

  • Holló

    Raven

  • Horváth

    Croat

  • Hosszú

    Long, tall

  • Hunyadi

    From Hunyad

I

  • Illés

    From Illés (Elijah)

  • Imre

    From Imre (Emeric)

  • István

    From István (Stephen)

  • Izsák

    From Izsák (Isaac)

J

  • Jakab

    From Jakab (Jacob)

  • Jánosi

    Of János (John)

  • Jász

    Jassic person

  • Jókai

    From Jóka

  • Jónás

    From Jónás (Jonah)

  • Józsa

    From József (Joseph)

  • Juhász

    Shepherd

K

  • Kádár

    Cooper, barrel maker

  • Kakas

    Rooster

  • Kálmán

    From Kálmán (Coloman)

  • Kalmár

    Merchant, trader

  • Kanász

    Swineherd

  • Kántor

    Cantor, church singer

  • Kardos

    Swordsman

  • Kassai

    From Kassa (Košice)

  • Kaszás

    Mower, scythe man

  • Katona

    Soldier

  • Kecskeméti

    From Kecskemét

  • Kecskés

    Goatherd

  • Kelemen

    From Kelemen (Clement)

  • Kerekes

    Wheelwright

  • Kertész

    Gardener

  • Király

    King

  • Kis

    Small, little

  • Kiss

    Small, little

  • Kocsi

    From Kocs, the village that named the coach

  • Kocsis

    Coachman

  • Kolozsvári

    From Kolozsvár (Cluj)

  • Komáromi

    From Komárom

  • Kondás

    Swineherd

  • Kónya

    Possibly from Konrád (Conrad)

  • Kovács

    Smith

  • Kövér

    Fat, stout

  • Kövesi

    Stony; from Köves

  • Kozma

    From Kozma (Cosmas)

  • Kristóf

    From Kristóf (Christopher)

  • Kulcsár

    Steward, key keeper

  • Kun

    Cuman

L

  • Lajos

    From Lajos (Louis)

  • Lakatos

    Locksmith

  • László

    From László (Ladislaus)

  • Lázár

    From Lázár (Lazarus)

  • Lengyel

    Pole

  • Liszt

    Hungarian spelling of German List, cunning; liszt also means flour

  • Lőrinc

    From Lőrinc (Lawrence)

  • Lovas

    Horseman, rider

  • Lukács

    From Lukács (Luke)

M

  • Madarász

    Fowler, bird catcher

  • Magyar

    Hungarian

  • Major

    Farm steward, bailiff

  • Makai

    Possibly from Maka, a village name

  • Márton

    From Márton (Martin)

  • Máté

    From Máté (Matthew)

  • Mátyás

    From Mátyás (Matthias)

  • Medve

    Bear

  • Méhes

    Beekeeper

  • Menyhért

    From Menyhért (Melchior)

  • Mészáros

    Butcher

  • Mezei

    Of the field

  • Mézes

    Honey seller

  • Mihály

    From Mihály (Michael)

  • Miklós

    From Miklós (Nicholas)

  • Miskolci

    From Miskolc

  • Molnár

    Miller

  • Mózes

    From Mózes (Moses)

N

  • Nádasdi

    From Nádasd, reedy place

  • Nagy

    Big, great

  • Nemes

    Noble

  • Németh

    German

  • Nyári

    Summer; or from a place named Nyár

  • Nyerges

    Saddler

  • Nyíri

    From the Nyír region; birch

  • Nyírő

    Shearer

  • Nyitrai

    From Nyitra (Nitra)

  • Nyúl

    Hare

O

  • Ökrös

    Ox driver

  • Oláh

    Romanian, Vlach

  • Olasz

    Italian

  • Orbán

    From Orbán (Urban)

  • Orosz

    Russian or Ruthenian

  • Orsós

    Possibly from Orsova or orsó, spindle

  • Ötvös

    Goldsmith

  • Ozsvári

    Possibly from Ozsvár

P

  • Pál

    From Pál (Paul)

  • Pálfi

    Son of Pál (Paul)

  • Palóc

    Palóc person from northern Hungary

  • Pap

    Priest

  • Papp

    Priest

  • Pásztor

    Shepherd, herdsman

  • Pataki

    Of the brook (patak)

  • Patkó

    Horseshoe; farrier

  • Pécsi

    From Pécs

  • Pék

    Baker

  • Pesti

    From Pest

  • Péter

    From Péter (Peter)

  • Pintér

    Cooper, barrel maker

  • Puskás

    Gunsmith, musketeer

R

  • Rácz

    Serb

  • Rákóczi

    From Rákóc

  • Révész

    Ferryman

  • Réz

    Copper

  • Rigó

    Blackbird

  • Róka

    Fox

  • Rózsa

    Rose

  • Rozsnyai

    From Rozsnyó

S

  • Salamon

    From Salamon (Solomon)

  • Sámuel

    From Sámuel (Samuel)

  • Sándor

    From Sándor (Alexander)

  • Sánta

    Lame

  • Sárkány

    Dragon

  • Sárközi

    From Sárköz

  • Sárosi

    From Sáros; muddy place

  • Sas

    Eagle

  • Sebestyén

    From Sebestyén (Sebastian)

  • Simon

    From Simon

  • Sipos

    Piper, fife player

  • Sólyom

    Falcon

  • Somogyi

    From Somogy county

  • Soós

    Salt seller; salty

  • Soproni

    From Sopron

  • Sovány

    Thin, lean

  • Szabados

    Freedman, free person

  • Szabó

    Tailor

  • Szalai

    From Zala county

  • Szalontai

    From Szalonta

  • Szántó

    Ploughman

  • Szappanos

    Soap maker

  • Szarka

    Magpie

  • Szász

    Saxon

  • Széchenyi

    From Szécsény

  • Szegedi

    From Szeged

  • Székely

    Székely person from Transylvania

  • Szekér

    Wagon

  • Szekeres

    Carter, wagoner

  • Szekszárdi

    From Szekszárd

  • Szénási

    From Szénás, hay place

  • Szép

    Handsome, beautiful

  • Szerb

    Serb

  • Szíjártó

    Strap maker, harness maker

  • Szilágyi

    From the Szilágy region

  • Szilvási

    Of the plum orchard

  • Szőke

    Blond

  • Szőllősi

    Of the vineyard

  • Szolnoki

    From Szolnok

  • Szűcs

    Furrier

T

  • Takács

    Weaver

  • Tamás

    From Tamás (Thomas)

  • Tatár

    Tatar

  • Tímár

    Tanner

  • Tokaji

    From Tokaj

  • Tölgyesi

    Of the oak grove

  • Tolnai

    From Tolna

  • Török

    Turk

  • Tótfalusi

    From Tótfalu, Slovak village

  • Tóth

    Slovak or Slav

U

  • Üveges

    Glazier

V

  • Vadász

    Hunter

  • Vámos

    Customs collector

  • Váradi

    From Várad (Oradea)

  • Varga

    Shoemaker, cobbler

  • Varjú

    Crow

  • Varró

    Seamster, tailor

  • Vass

    Iron; ironworker

  • Veres

    Red, ruddy

  • Víg

    Merry, cheerful

  • Vincze

    From Vince (Vincent)

  • Virág

    Flower

  • Völgyi

    Of the valley

  • Vörös

    Red, red-haired

Z

  • Zrínyi

    From Zrin

Generate random hungarian surnames

Filter by first letter, length and rarity, add a first name to preview the full name, then copy or save your favorites.

Results (6)

  • Albert

    From Albert

  • Török

    Turk

  • Deák

    Scholar, literate clerk

  • Bencze

    From Benedek (Benedict)

  • Vass

    Iron; ironworker

  • Király

    King

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    Hungarian last names from trades and neighbours

    A large share of the names in the list above describe work. Kovács means smith, Szabó tailor, Molnár miller, Takács weaver, Juhász shepherd, Mészáros butcher, Fazekas potter and Varga cobbler. These names were recorded in village and parish registers as surnames became fixed between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, and they spread widely because every settlement needed the same crafts. Two families called Molnár in different counties are very rarely related, since each simply took its name from the local mill.

    Another group labels a person by where their family came from. Tóth once meant a Slav, usually a Slovak, Horváth means Croat, Németh German, Oláh Romanian, Rácz Serb, Lengyel Pole and Orosz Russian. These names were often given to newcomers or to people with trade links abroad, and they tell you about how neighbours saw a family centuries ago rather than about present day ethnicity. Most bearers of these names today are simply Hungarian.

    Nicknames, home towns and noble spellings

    Nicknames form the third big group. Nagy means big, Kis or Kiss small, Fekete black, Fehér white, Vörös red, Szép handsome and Balogh left handed. Farkas means wolf and Sas eagle. Some surnames grew from given names, so Pál, Péter, Simon, Balázs, Antal and Lukács can all be family names as well. When you scan the list, you can often guess which group a name belongs to just by recognising the Hungarian word inside it.

    The ending -i usually means from a place, so Szegedi is someone from Szeged, Budai from Buda and Debreceni from Debrecen. Old noble families often kept an older spelling with -y instead of -i, as in Széchenyi, Esterházy, Batthyány and Andrássy. They also held on to letter groups such as cz, ts and th that ordinary spelling later dropped, which is why a name like Thury or Kossuth looks slightly different from modern Hungarian words.

    Adopted names, accents and emigrant spellings

    In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries many families with German, Slovak or Jewish surnames adopted Hungarian ones. The poet Sándor Petőfi was born Petrovics, for example. Many people chose a new name starting with the same letter as the old one, and some picked names that sounded patriotic or described nature. If you are tracing a Hungarian family, it helps to know that an ancestor may appear under two different surnames in records only a few decades apart.

    Accents matter in Hungarian. Long and short vowels such as a and á, or o, ö and ő, are different sounds, and sz, cs, gy and zs each count as single letters. Sz sounds like English s, s sounds like sh, and cs like ch. Emigrants to the United States and Canada often lost the accents, so Kovács became Kovacs or Kovach and Szabó became Szabo. Keep both forms in mind when you search old passenger lists or census entries.

    Frequently asked questions

    Which Hungarian last names are most common?

    Nagy, Kovács, Tóth, Szabó, Horváth, Varga, Kiss, Molnár, Németh and Farkas are usually cited at the top. Between them they cover the three main sources of Hungarian surnames: nicknames such as Nagy, trades such as Kovács and labels for neighbouring peoples such as Horváth and Németh.

    Why do some names end in y instead of i?

    Older Hungarian spelling used y where modern spelling uses i. Noble and long established families kept the old form as a mark of lineage, so Széchenyi and Andrássy end in y. In most everyday names the ending means from a place, just as Szegedi means from Szeged.

    What does Tóth mean as a surname?

    Tóth was the medieval Hungarian word for a Slav, and in practice it usually meant someone of Slovak background. It is now one of the most widespread surnames in Hungary, and nearly all of the people who carry it are ethnically Hungarian, with no recent Slovak ancestry at all.

    How did these names change after emigration?

    Most emigrant families simply dropped the accents, so Kovács became Kovacs and Szabó became Szabo. Some respelled names to match English sounds, turning Kovács into Kovach. A few translated them outright, so a Kovács might become Smith or a Molnár become Miller in American records.

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