Hungary Naming Customs
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Understanding customs used in surnames and given names can help you identify your ancestors in records. Learn to recognize name variations and see clues in names. |
Online Tools
- Behind the Name: Hungarian Surnames
- Behind the Name: Hungarian Given Names
- Hungarian Given Names (Wiktionary)
- Hungarian Personal Names (CIA)
Surnames
Name Order
In Hungarian, the surname (or a family name) is used first, followed by the given name. For example:
|
Hungarian Name |
English Name |
| NAGY János | John Nagy |
| KOVÁCS Mária | Mary Smith |
- there is usually just one given name
- surnames are generally a single name
- patronymic names were usually not used as a fixed surname
- this rule is also followed in Hungarian parish registers
Surname Origins
Surnames were usually derived from common sources such as trades, characteristics, ethnic origins, place names etc.:
| Occupation | SZABÓ Ferenc | Frank Taylor |
| Occupation | MOLNÁR Lajos | Louis Miller |
| Characteristics | KIS Mihály | Michael Little |
| Characteristics | FEHÉR Erzsébet | Elizabeth White |
| Ethnic Origin | TÖRÖK Katalin | Catherine Turk |
Nobility
Titles of nobility are put before the surnames:
| gróf NAGY János | Count John Nagy |
Bynames and Patronymics
- Hungarians use a "byname" to help distinguish people with the same given names.
- The byname might be created from the father's given name (as a patronymic name).
- Other bynames might be created from an occupation or even a physical description.
- The byname might be used within the village or town, but were not fixed surnames.
- Further, a person might be known by one byname in a town, and be called by a different byname when traveling (referring to where they are from.)
- Bynames were not hereditary.
- The first major class of bynames were patronymics that were created using the father's given name. It might be created by adding "-fi" to a father's meaning "his son" but may appear in records as "-fi, -fia, -fy, or fÿ". For example:
- Fodor Jákobfi (Theodore, son of Jacob)
- Domokos Bertoldfia (Domokos, son of Bertold)
- Miklós Oszkárfy (Nicholas, son of Oscar)
- Simon Vilmosfÿ (Simon, son of Vilmos)
Married Women
In Hungary women keep their birth name throughout their life, married or not. There is no married name and maiden name in the sense familiar to Americans.
Given Names
Suffixes
In Hungarian language certain family relationships are expressed by attaching a suffix to a given name. These suffixes are part of the grammar of the language, not naming conventions.
Suffix -fi, -fia, -fy, or fÿ
To refer to a man as his father's son, the suffix -fi or variant is attached to his father's given name. For example:
- Fodor Jákobfi, meaning Theodore, son of Jacob
- Domokos Bertoldfia, meaning Domokos, son of Bertold
- Miklós Oszkárfy, meaning Nicholas, son of Oscar
- Simon Vilmosfÿ, meaning Simon, son of Vilmos
The father's name with suffix attached may be used as a patronym.
Suffix -né
To refer to a married woman as her husband's wife, the suffix -né is attached to her husband's given name. For example:
| Hungarian | Klausenberger Ignáczné Bival Rosália |
| English | Rosália Bival, wife of Ignácz Klausenberger |
Although Nagy Jánosné resembles the American formal Mrs. John Nagy, use of -né is not a traditional Hungarian naming convention. Historical records naming Hungarian women in this American style are rare. Most prevalent are 19th century and early 20th century United States immigration records and, in recent decades, grave markers in Hungary. Example of a grave marker:
| Original Hungarian | English translation |
|---|---|
| Nagy Lajos | Lajos Nagy |
| 1914 – 1984 | 1914 – 1984 |
| Nagy Lajosné | Mrs. Lajos Nagy |
| 1923 – 2001 | 1923 – 2001 |
See more about "-né" on Wiktionary.
Second given names and religious names
- Hungarians do not commonly use second given names, nor their corresponding initials. While it is increasingly frequent that they are given one, they tend to choose one they prefer to use.
- When baptized, a child can get an additional name (baptismal name), especially if there is no saint who bears their name, so they take a name associated with a patron saint. In confirmation, children receive another given name, but it is not used. Both baptismal and confirmation names have religious significance only, and they are not on any official records.[1]
Name Days
Hungarians also celebrate name days (each day in the calendar has one or more designated names.)[2]
For Further Reading
FamilySearch Library
- Additional sources are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog:
References
- ↑ "Hungarian names", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_names, accessed 28 February 2021.
- ↑ "Hungarian names", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_names, accessed 28 February 2021.