Hungarian Genealogical Word List
This list contains Hungarian words with their English translations. The words included here are those that you are likely to find in genealogical sources. If the word you are looking for is not on this list, consult a Hungarian-English dictionary.
Hungarian is unrelated to most European languages and only remotely related to Finnish and Estonian. Hungarian was used along with Latin and German in the records of all areas of the old kingdom of Hungary before 1918. This includes present-day Hungary, Slovakia, southwestern Ukraine, western Romania, Serbia, Croatia and the easternmost part of Austria. To read Hungarian records in these languages, use the Latin Genealogical Word List (34077) and German Genealogical Word List (34067). In addition, the Hungarian language may be found in the records of Hungarian communities in the United States, Canada, and other areas settled by Hungarians.
LANGUAGE CHARACTERISTICS
Variant Forms of Words
In Hungarian, as in English, the forms of some words vary according to how they are used in a sentence. Who, whose, whom, or marry, marries, married are examples of words in English with variant forms. This word list gives most words in the standard form, but some are given in the form most commonly seen in genealogical sources.
Hungarian uses numerous word endings to express complex grammatical relationships. These suffixes can be combined to add additional meaning. For example:
gyermek = child (standard form)
gyermeke = his or her child
gyermekei = his or her children
gyermekeinek = of his or her children
As you read Hungarian records, be aware that most words vary with usage. The following table shows the various endings that can appear on Hungarian words with their meaning. Most endings have variant forms because the vowel in the ending must "harmonize" with the vowel in the root word.
Common Grammatical Endings
Plural forms of Hungarian words usually end with-k. This may be proceeded by one of the following vowels: a, e, o, or ő. Thus könyv (book) becomes könyvek (books); nap (day) becomes napak (days); lány (daughter) becomes lányok (daughters). The suffix -i is used instead of -ek when combined with possessive suffixes.
Possessive Endings
Possession is shown by the endings -a, -e, -ja, -je, (singular) or -nak, -nek (plural). These endings are attached to what is possessed. For example:
fi = son; János fia = son of János
nő = wife; János neje = wife of János
ház = house; János háznak = houses of János.
Prepositions and Postpositions
In many cases Hungarian word order is the opposite of English word order. For example, the English phrase "according to the book" in Hungarian iskönyve szerint, "the book according to." The preposition is placed after the noun and becomes a postposition. Most Hungarian prepositions and postpositions are included in this word list. In addition, many word endings act as prepositions or postpositions.
Common Hungarian Endings
This table is in alphabetical order by the last letter of the ending.
| Ending | Primary Meaning | Root | With Suffix | -a, -e | of, his/her | ház (house), apa (father) |
János háza (the house of János) János apja (father of János) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -double consonant + á, é | into | ország (country) | országgá (into the country) | ||||
| -ba, -be | into | város (city) | városba (into the city) | ||||
| -ra, -re | onto | gyermek (child) | gyermekre (onto the child) | ||||
| -vá, -vé | (expresses transition or change of state) | víz (water) | vízvé ([changed into] water) | ||||
| -ig | until, to | dél (noon) | délig (before noon) | ||||
| -i | (adjective) | város (town) | városi lány (town girl) | ||||
| -k, -ak, -ek |
(plural) | ház (house) | házak (houses) | ||||
| -nak, -nek |
(indirect object) | ruha (clothes) gép (machine) |
ruhanak ([gave] clothes [to]) gépnek ([gave] the machine [to]) | ||||
| -uk, -ük | of them, their | ház (house) | házuk (their house) | ||||
| -double consonant + al, el | with | lány férj | lánnyal (with the girl) férjjel (with the husband) | ||||
| -nál, -nél |
at, by | város (town) | városnál (at the town) | ||||
| -val, -vel |
with | anya (mother) | anyaval (with the mother) | ||||
| -ból, -ből |
out of | város (town) | városból (from the town) | ||||
| -ról, -ről | concerning | család (family) | családról (about the family) | ||||
| -tól, -től | from | város (town) | várostól (from the town) | ||||
| -ul, -ül | -ly, as, for | rossz (bad) vitéz (valiant) |
rosszul (badly) vitézül (valiantly) | ||||
| -m, -am, -em, -öm |
of me, my | ház (haz) | házam (my house) | ||||
| -n , -en, -on, -ön |
on | föld (land) | földön (on the land) | ||||
| -ban, -ben |
in | város (town) | városban (in the town) | ||||
| -kor | at (hour, o'clock) | öt óra (5 o’clock) | öt órakor (at 5 o'clock) | ||||
| -t | (direct object) | város (town) | várost ([I see the] town) | ||||
| -t, -tt, -ett, -ott, -ött |
(past tense) | születni, született | was born | ||||
| -ért | for | lány, lányért | for the girl | ||||
| -hoz, -hez, -höz | to, towards | város, városhoz |
to the city |
Alphabetical Order
The Hungarian alphabet is different from the English alphabet. Some letter combinations are considered as distinct letters. There are also two vowels not found in English: ö and ü.
Hungarian dictionaries and indexes use the following alphabetical order:
a b c cs d e f g gy h i j k l ly m n ny
o ö p q r s sz t ty u ü v w x y z zs
This word list follows the standard English alphabetical order. However, when working with a Hungarian dictionary or alphabetized Hungarian records, use the Hungarian alphabetical order.
Vowels can include length marks (á, é, í, ó, ö, ú, ) but these marks do not affect alphabetical order.
The letters q, w and x are not used in Hungarian, but may appear in some foreign words.
Spelling and Pronunciation
Hungarian has several letter combinations that may be unfamiliar to English speakers and some letters are pronounced differently than in English (see the examples below). Because spelling rules were not standardized in earlier centuries, spelling varies in old records.
Spelling and Pronunciation
| Letter | Pronounced | Example | c (cz, tz) | ts | hats, roots |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cs | ch | church, chair | |||
| gy | dj | French: adieu | |||
| j, ly | y | yet, you | |||
| ny | nj | French: cognac | |||
| s | sh | ship, shoe | |||
| sz | s | see, slow | |||
| ty | tj | similar to studio, French: Étienne | |||
| zs | zsh | measure, usual |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
This word list includes only the words most commonly found in genealogical sources. For further help, use a Hungarian-English dictionary. Several are available at the Family History Libraryin the European collection. The call numbers begin with 494.511321.
The following dictionary is also available on microfilm for use in Family History Centers:
Bizonfy, Ferenc. Angol-magyar szótár; Magyarangol szótár (English-Hungarian dictionary; Hungarian-English dictionary). Cleveland, Ohio: Liberty Pub., 1956. (FHL film1045410; item 1.)
Additional dictionaries are listed in the subject or locality section of the Family History Library Catalog under:
HUNGARIAN LANGUAGE—DICTIONARIES
HUNGARY—LANGUAGE AND LANGUAGES
GENERAL WORD LIST
This general word list includes words commonly seen in genealogical sources. Numbers, months, and days of the week are listed both here and in separate sections that follow this list. Hungarian words are listed in alphabetical order.
In this list, optional versions of Hungarian words or variable endings (such as some plural or feminine endings), are given in parentheses. Words in parentheses in the English column clarify the definition.
Some Hungarian words have both a male and female form, such as:
polgár = male citizen
polgárnő = female citizen
The words in the following list usually show only the male form of words:
| Hungarian | English | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a, az | the | ||
| ács | carpenter | ||
| adó | tax | ||
| adoptált | adopted | ||
| ág | branch, line | ||
| ág. = ágostai | Evangelical (Lutheran) | ||
| agglegény | bachelor | ||
| ágostai | Evangelical (Lutheran) | ||
| ágyból származó | legitimacy status | ||
| agyláz | brain fever | ||
| ágyrajáró | lodger | ||
| agyszélhűdés | stroke | ||
| agyvérzés | stroke, apoplexy | ||
| aki | who | ||
| alacsony | short | ||
| aláirás | signature | ||
| alapos | thorough | ||
| alatt | under, before, during | ||
| albérlő | subrenter | ||
| állami | civil, state | ||
| állandó | permanent | ||
| állapot | status, civil status, condition | ||
| állapota | status of | ||
| állapotos | pregnant | ||
| állás | occupation, condition | ||
| alsó | lower | ||
| alulirott | undersigned | ||
| angol | English | ||
| anya | mother | ||
| anyakönyv | register of births, marriages, and deaths;church book; parishregister | ||
| anyós | mother-in-law | ||
| apa | father | ||
| após | father-in-law | ||
| április | April | ||
| árva | orphan | ||
| asszony | married woman, wife | ||
| aszkór | dehydration | ||
| asztalos | cabinet maker | ||
| asztalos | joiner | ||
| asztalos | joiner, woodworker | ||
| asztma | asthma | ||
| át | through | ||
| áttérés | conversion | ||
| áttértek | persons converted | ||
| atya | father | ||
| augusztus | August | ||
| az | the | ||
| azelőtt | formerly | ||
| azok | they | ||
| azonkívül | besides, in addition to | ||
| B | |||
| bába | midwife | ||
| bal | left (direction) | ||
| bányász | miner | ||
| bányamíves | miner | ||
| baptista | Baptist | ||
| barát | friend | ||
| barna | brown | ||
| báró | baron | ||
| bátya | elder brother | ||
| Bécs | Vienna | ||
| becsületes | honest | ||
| bejelent | declares, reports | ||
| bejelentő | informant | ||
| bélgyulladás | enteritis | ||
| belül | inside | ||
| béres | hired farmworker | ||
| bérlő | renter | ||
| bérmálás | confirmation (Catholic) | ||
| bérmálók | persons being confirmed | ||
| betegség | disease, illness | ||
| bevándorlás | immigration | ||
| bevándorló | immigrant | ||
| bibliográfia | bibliography | ||
| bíró | judge | ||
| birodalom | empire | ||
| bíróság | court | ||
| birtokos | landowning farmer | ||
| bitang | vagrant, vagabond | ||
| bizonyítvány | certificate, document | ||
| bizonyos | certain, sure | ||
| bizonyságok | testimonies, (witnesses) | ||
| bizonytalan | uncertain | ||
| bodnár | cooper, barrel maker | ||
| bognár | wheel maker | ||
| boldog | happy | ||
| boltos | shopkeeper | ||
| borbély | barber | ||
| C | |||
| cél | purpose | ||
| cigány | gypsy | ||
| cím | title, address | ||
| címer | coat of arms | ||
| címtár | directory | ||
| cinterem | burial ground | ||
| cipész | shoemaker | ||
| csak | only, but, just | ||
| család | family, clan | ||
| családfa | pedigree, family tree | ||
| családfő | head of household | ||
| családi állapota | marital status of | ||
| családikcnyv | family book | ||
| családinév | family name, surname | ||
| családtag | family member | ||
| családtörténet | genealogy, family history | ||
| csecsemő | infant | ||
| cseh | czech | ||
| Csehország | Bohemia | ||
| cseléd | servant | ||
| cserzővarga | tanner | ||
| csikós | horseherder | ||
| csizmadia | bootmaker | ||
| csűtörtök | Thursday | ||
| D | |||
| d.e. = délelőtt | a.m. (before noon) | ||
| d.u. = délután | p.m. (after noon) | ||
| daganat | tumor, swelling | ||
| de | but | ||
| december | December | ||
| dédnagyanya | great grandmother | ||
| dédnagyapa | great grandfather | ||
| dél | south, noon | ||
| délben | at noon | ||
| délelőtt | a.m. (before noon) | ||
| déli | at noon | ||
| délután | p.m. (after noon) | ||
| délután | in the afternoon | ||
| diák | schoolboy | ||
| dij | fee | ||
| dögvész | plague | ||
| dolgozó | domb | ||
| domb | hill | ||
| Dunántúl | western Hungary (beyond the Danube river) | ||
| E | |||
| e | this | ||
| e. = esküdött | they married | ||
| édestestvér | sibling | ||
| egy | one, a | ||
| egyén | individual | ||
| egysület | society | ||
| egyház | church | ||
| egyházkerület | diocese | ||
| együtt | together | ||
| egyúttal | at the same time | ||
| éj | night | ||
| éjfél | midnight | ||
| éjjeli | at night | ||
| éjszaka | midnight, at night | ||
| ékszerész | jeweler | ||
| eladó | seller | ||
| elás | bury | ||
| elején | in the beginning of | ||
| élet | life | ||
| életkor | age | ||
| életleírás | biography | ||
| életrajz | biography | ||
| elföldelés | burial | ||
| elhagyott | surviving, left behind | ||
| elhalálozás | death | ||
| elhalálozott | the deceased | ||
| elholt | the deceased | ||
| elhunyt | deceased | ||
| eljegyez | to betrothe | ||
| eljegyzés | betrothal, engagement | ||
| elmaradott | surviving | ||
| elnevez | he names (christens) | ||
| élő | alive, living | ||
| előbb | before | ||
| előbbi | former | ||
| előbbi | previous, preceding | ||
| előnév | given name | ||
| előtt | in front of, before | ||
| első | first | ||
| élső | first born, foremost | ||
| elsőszülött | first born, eldest | ||
| élt | lived | ||
| eltemetés | burial | ||
| eltemetésihelye | place of burial | ||
| eltemetett | buried person | ||
| eltemető | one who performs the burial | ||
| eltemetve | buried | ||
| elvált | divorced | ||
| ember | man, human being | ||
| enekszóval | with singing (at funerals) | ||
| engedéllyel | by consent, with permission | ||
| engedély | consent | ||
| epeláz | bile fever | ||
| Erdély | Transylvania | ||
| erdész | forester | ||
| erdő | forest | ||
| eredet | origin | ||
| erről a helyről | of this place | ||
| érvényes | valid | ||
| és | and | ||
| esket | marry | ||
| esketés | marriage ceremony | ||
| eskető | one who performs the marriage | ||
| esküdött | they married | ||
| esküvő | wedding | ||
| este | evening, in the evening | ||
| észak | north | ||
| észrevételek | observations | ||
| esztendő | year | ||
| év | year | ||
| evangélikus | Evangelical, Lutheran, Protestant | ||
| éve | year of | ||
| évente | yearly | ||
| évfolyam | year volume | ||
| évkönyv | yearbook | ||
| evszázad | century | ||
| ez | this | ||
| ezelőt | ago | ||
| ezer | thousand | ||
| F | |||
| f. = fi, fiú, fia | son, male, son of | ||
| falu | village | ||
| fasz. = faszikul | group, folder | ||
| február | February | ||
| fehér | white | ||
| fej | head | ||
| fekete | black | ||
| fél | half | ||
| felés | half cropper | ||
| feleség | wife | ||
| feleséges ember | married man | ||
| felett | over, above | ||
| felmenő ágon | ancestry, in the ascending line | ||
| felső | upper | ||
| féltestvér | half-sibling | ||
| Felvidék | upper Hungary | ||
| fér. = férj, férje | husband, husband of | ||
| férfi | man, male | ||
| férj | husband | ||
| férje | husband of | ||
| férjes | married woman | ||
| férjezett | married woman | ||
| férjhezmeni | to marry, take a husband | ||
| fi | boy, male | ||
| fia | son, son of | ||
| fiacskája | little son of | ||
| fiatal | young | ||
| fiú | boy, son | ||
| fiútestvér | brother | ||
| fiúunoka | grandson | ||
| fivér | brother | ||
| fő | head, main person | ||
| foglalkozás | occupation | ||
| fjegyző | village clerk, town clerk | ||
| föld | land | ||
| földbérlő | tenant farmer | ||
| földbirtokos | land holder | ||
| földművelő | peasant farmer | ||
| földműves | peasant farmer | ||
| folyó | current | ||
| folyó | river | ||
| folyóirat | periodical, magazine | ||
| folyószám | entry number | ||
| Forint | Hungarian monetary unit | ||
| forróláz | high fever | ||
| G | |||
| g.k. = görög katolikus | Greek Catholic | ||
| Gácsország | Galicia | ||
| gazda | head of household, farmer, landlord | ||
| gazdasszony | housewife, housekeeper | ||
| gennyedés | abscess | ||
| gépészkovács | blacksmith | ||
| gondnok | guardian, manager | ||
| görcs | spasms | ||
| görög katolikus | Greek Catholic | ||
| görög keleti | Greek Orthodox | ||
| gróf | count | ||
| gutaütés | stroke | ||
| gyakran | often | ||
| gyalogság | infantry | ||
| gyám | guardian | ||
| gyarlóság | weakness | ||
| gyászjelentés | obituary | ||
| gyengeség | feebleness, weakness | ||
| gyerek | child | ||
| gyermek | child | ||
| gyermekágyiláz | childbed fever | ||
| gyermekek | children | ||
| gyomorfene | stomach illness | ||
| gyulladás | inflammation | ||
| H | |||
| ha | if | ||
| hadi | military | ||
| hagymáz | typhoid fever | ||
| hajadon | single, unmarried girl | ||
| hajdani | the late, deceased | ||
| hajnali | at dawn | ||
| hajós | river sailor | ||
| halál | death | ||
| halál neme | cause of death | ||
| halál oka | cause of death | ||
| halász | fisherman | ||
| haldoklók szentsége | last rites | ||
| halott | dead person | ||
| halottak | deaths, dead persons | ||
| halt meg | died | ||
| halva | dead | ||
| halva született | stillborn | ||
| hány | how much, how many | ||
| hányás | vomiting | ||
| harmadik | third | ||
| harmados | thirdcropper | ||
| harminc | thirty | ||
| három | three | ||
| hasmenés | dysentery, diarrhea | ||
| hat | six | ||
| határ | border, boundary | ||
| hatodik | sixth | ||
| hátrahagyott | surviving | ||
| hátramaradt | surviving person | ||
| hatvan | sixty | ||
| hava | month of | ||
| ház | house | ||
| házaló | peddler, begger | ||
| házas | married | ||
| házasság | marriage | ||
| házasságra léptek | to enter marriage | ||
| házasságtörő | adulterer | ||
| házastárs | spouse | ||
| házasultak | married persons, the ones getting married | ||
| háznépösszeírás | listing of residents | ||
| házszám | house number | ||
| haztartás | housewife | ||
| hegy | mountain | ||
| hektika | tuberculosis, consumption | ||
| helvét | Reformed, Calvinist Protestant | ||
| helvétikus | Reformed, Calvinist Protestant | ||
| hely | place | ||
| helybeli | local, of this place | ||
| helyes | correct | ||
| helyett | instead of | ||
| helység | place, locality | ||
| helységnévtár | gazetteer | ||
| helytörténet | local history | ||
| hentes | butcher | ||
| herceg | duke, prince | ||
| hét | week | ||
| hét | seven | ||
| hetedik | seventh | ||
| hetek | weeks | ||
| hetes | weeks old | ||
| hétfő | Monday | ||
| hetven | seventy | ||
| hiányzik | missing | ||
| hiba | mistake, error | ||
| híd | bridge | ||
| hideglelés | chills | ||
| hímő | smallpox | ||
| hímnemű | male | ||
| hirdetés | proclamation, banns | ||
| hirdetve | announced | ||
| hitközség | congregation | ||
| hitvallása | his/her religion | ||
| hitves | spouse | ||
| hivatal | office, bureau; calling, occupation | ||
| hó | month | ||
| hogy | that | ||
| hogyan | how | ||
| hol | where | ||
| hold | measure of land area, 0.57 hectares, 1.42 acres | ||
| hölgy | lady | ||
| holnap | tomorrow | ||
| holtak | dead persons | ||
| hónap | month | ||
| honos | native | ||
| honossága | citizenship of | ||
| honpolgárság | citizenship | ||
| horvát | Croatian | ||
| hosszan | for a long time | ||
| hosszú | long | ||
| hova | where | ||
| húga | his/her younger sister | ||
| húsz | twenty | ||
| huszonegy | twenty-one | ||
| huzamosan | prolonged | ||
| I | |||
| id. = idősebb | sr. = senior | ||
| idegen | foreign | ||
| idegen | from elsewhere, foreign | ||
| idegláz | nerve fever | ||
| ideiglenes | temporary | ||
| idehaza | here, at home | ||
| ideiglenes | temporary | ||
| ideje | date of, time of | ||
| idétlen szülés | birth defect | ||
| idevaló | local, of the same place | ||
| idevalósi | local person | ||
| idő | time | ||
| időelőtti születés | premature birth | ||
| idősb. = idősebb | senior | ||
| idősebb | senior | ||
| ifj. = ifjabb | jr., junior | ||
| ifjabb | junior | ||
| ifjú | young, young man, adolescent | ||
| igazolás | certificate | ||
| igazolvány | certificate | ||
| igen | yes | ||
| ikrek | twins | ||
| -inas | apprentice- | ||
| ipa | father-in-law | ||
| iparos-tanuló | apprentice | ||
| írás | writing | ||
| iratok | documents, records | ||
| irodalom | literature | ||
| írni | to write | ||
| irnok | clerk, scribe | ||
| is | also | ||
| iskola | school | ||
| ismeretlen | unknown | ||
| ismét | again | ||
| itt | here | ||
| itteni | of this place | ||
| íz | generation | ||
| izr. = izraelita | Jewish | ||
| izraelita | Jewish | ||
| J | |||
| jámbor | meek | ||
| január | January | ||
| járás | district | ||
| jegyes | betrothed, engaged | ||
| jegyváltás | betrothal, engagement | ||
| jegyzék | register, notes, remarks | ||
| jegyző | notary, scribe, town clerk | ||
| jelenlét | presence | ||
| jelenlétemben | in my presence | ||
| jelleg | characteristic, quality | ||
| jó | good | ||
| jobb | right (direction), better | ||
| jobbágy | bondsman, serf | ||
| jószág | estate, property, animal | ||
| jövő | next | ||
| juhász | shepherd | ||
| július | July | ||
| június | June | ||
| K | |||
| k.a. = kereszt apa/anya | godfather, godmother | ||
| kádár | cooper, barrel maker | ||
| kanász | swineherd | ||
| kanyaró | measles | ||
| karácsony | Christmas | ||
| kastély | castle | ||
| kataszter | property tax roll | ||
| katólikus | Catholic | ||
| katona | soldier | ||
| katonai | military | ||
| kb. = körölbelül | about, approximately | ||
| kedd | Tuesday | ||
| kék | blue | ||
| kelés | boils | ||
| kelet | east | ||
| keleti görög | eastern orthodox | ||
| kelevény | boils, carbuncles | ||
| kelmefestő | dyer | ||
| keltje | date of | ||
| kereset-módja | how employed | ||
| kereskedő | merchant | ||
| keresztanya | godmother | ||
| keresztapa | godfather | ||
| keresztel | he christens, baptizes | ||
| keresztelendő | person being christened | ||
| keresztelés | baptism, christening | ||
| keresztelő | baptism, christening | ||
| keresztelő | one who performs the baptism | ||
| keresztelt | baptized | ||
| keresztnév | christening name | ||
| keresztszülő | godparent | ||
| keresztül | through | ||
| kertész | gardener | ||
| kerület | district | ||
| két | two | ||
| kettő | two | ||
| kettős gyermek | twins | ||
| ki | who | ||
| kicsi | little | ||
| kié | whose | ||
| kihirdetés | public banns, proclamation | ||
| kilenc | nine | ||
| kilencedik | ninth | ||
| kilencven | ninety | ||
| kilométer | kilometer | ||
| kinek | to whom | ||
| király | king | ||
| királyi | royal | ||
| királynő | queen | ||
| királyság | kingdom | ||
| kis | little, small | ||
| kisasszony | unmarried woman, Miss | ||
| kisfia | little son of | ||
| kisházas | small householder | ||
| kiskorú | below legal age | ||
| kislánya | little daughter of | ||
| kivándorlás | emigration | ||
| kivándorló | emigrant | ||
| kivonat | extract | ||
| kocsis | coachman | ||
| kocsmáros | innkeeper, tavernkeeper | ||
| kfaragó | stone mason | ||
| köhögés | coughing | ||
| koldus | beggar | ||
| köleshimlő | pox | ||
| koma | godfather, witness | ||
| kőműves | mason, bricklayer | ||
| konfirmáció | confirmation | ||
| konfirmáltak | persons being confirmed | ||
| könyv | book | ||
| könyvészet | bibliography | ||
| könyvtár | library | ||
| kor | age | ||
| kór | disease, sickness | ||
| koraszülés | premature birth | ||
| körül | around | ||
| körülbelül | about, approximately | ||
| körülmetél | he circumcizes | ||
| körülmetélés | circumcision | ||
| kötet | volume, book | ||
| kovács | smith | ||
| következő | next, the following | ||
| következtében | in consequence of | ||
| közepén | in the middle of | ||
| közjegyző | notary | ||
| közönséges | general, unspecified, common | ||
| között | between | ||
| közrendő | common | ||
| község | town, community | ||
| közül | of, from, one of, out of | ||
| külföldi | foreigner | ||
| kutatás | research | ||
| L | |||
| l. = lány | daughter, female | ||
| l. = lásd | see | ||
| lajstrom | register, list | ||
| lakás | residence, dwelling | ||
| lakáscím | address, house number | ||
| lakások | dwelling | ||
| lakatos | locksmith | ||
| lakhely | place of residence | ||
| lakóházak | dwellings, houses | ||
| lakók jegyzéke | directory of residents | ||
| lakos | inhabitant, tenant | ||
| lakosság | inhabitants, population | ||
| lány | daughter, female | ||
| lánykája | little girl, daughter of | ||
| lányunoka | granddaughter | ||
| lap | page | ||
| lásd | see | ||
| láz | fever | ||
| leány | girl, daughter | ||
| leánykája | little girl, daughter of | ||
| leg- | (prefix for the most or best) | ||
| legény | young man, lad | ||
| legjobb | best | ||
| legöregebb | eldest, oldest | ||
| legtöbb | most | ||
| leirás | description | ||
| lelkész | pastor, clergyman (Protestant) | ||
| lemenő ágon | descendency, in the descending line | ||
| lengyel | Polish | ||
| lenn | below | ||
| lesz | will be | ||
| leszármazás | genealogy, origin | ||
| levél | letter, certificate | ||
| levéltár | archives | ||
| lovasság | cavalry | ||
| luteránus | Lutheran | ||
| M | |||
| m. = meghalt | died | ||
| m. = megye | county | ||
| ma | today | ||
| magánzó | private person, without occupation | ||
| magas | high | ||
| magaviselet | behavior | ||
| magyar | Hungarian | ||
| Magyország | Hungary | ||
| májbaj | liver disease | ||
| május | May | ||
| malom | mill | ||
| már, máris | already | ||
| március | March | ||
| más | other | ||
| másként | alias, called | ||
| másnap | the next day | ||
| másod-filmezés | another filming | ||
| második | second | ||
| másodpéldány | transcript, another copy | ||
| mások | others | ||
| mátka | bride | ||
| még | still | ||
| megesett | pregnant out of wedlock | ||
| megesketés helye | place of marriage, place of wedding | ||
| meghal | he/she dies | ||
| meghalt | deceased | ||
| megházasodni | to take a wife, marry | ||
| megházasult | married | ||
| megholt | deceased | ||
| megjelent | appeared | ||
| megkeresztel | he christens | ||
| megnősülni | to marry, take a wife | ||
| megye | county | ||
| mellbetegség | tuberculosis, consumption | ||
| mellett | next to | ||
| méltó | worthy | ||
| mennyi ideje | how much time | ||
| meny | daughter-in-law | ||
| menyasszony | bride, fiancée | ||
| merevgörcs | tetanus, lock-jaw | ||
| mérföld | mile | ||
| mérföldnyire | how many miles | ||
| mert | because | ||
| -mester | master | ||
| mesterség | craft, trade | ||
| mészáros | butcher | ||
| mező | meadow | ||
| mezőőr | cropwarden | ||
| mezvaros | market-town | ||
| mfd. = mérföld | mile | ||
| miatt | because of | ||
| mind | all | ||
| minden | each, every | ||
| mindig | always | ||
| mindkettő | both | ||
| mint | like, as | ||
| mióta él itt | resides here since when | ||
| mivel | since | ||
| molnár | miller | ||
| Morvaország | Moravia | ||
| most | now | ||
| mostoha- | step | ||
| mostohaanya | step-mother | ||
| mostohaapa | step-father | ||
| mostohagyerek | step-child | ||
| Mózes vallású | of Jewish religion | ||
| Mózes vallású | Jewish | ||
| múlt | past | ||
| munkás | worker | ||
| mutató | index | ||
| mv. = mezőváros | market town | ||
| N | |||
| n. = nagyságos | Mr., Mrs., esquire | ||
| n. = nő | female (abbrev. of nő) | ||
| nagy | large, big, great | ||
| nagyanya | grandmother | ||
| nagyapa | grandfather | ||
| nagybácsi | uncle | ||
| nagybátya | his or her uncle | ||
| nagykorú | of legal age | ||
| nagynéni | aunt | ||
| nagyságos | esquire (male or female) | ||
| nagyszülők | grandparents | ||
| naj | hair | ||
| nap | day | ||
| napja | day of | ||
| napszámos | day laborer | ||
| -né | wife of [Kisné = Mrs. Kis] | ||
| négy | four | ||
| negyedik | fourth | ||
| negyven | forty | ||
| néhai | the late, deceased | ||
| neje | his wife, wife of | ||
| nélkül | without | ||
| nem | not | ||
| nem tudatik | unknown | ||
| neme | sex of | ||
| nemes | noble | ||
| nemesség | nobility | ||
| német | German | ||
| nemzedék | generation | ||
| nemzedékrend | genealogy | ||
| néne | elder sister | ||
| néni | aunt | ||
| népesség | population | ||
| népszámlálás | census | ||
| név | name | ||
| neve | name of, his or her name | ||
| nevek | names | ||
| névmutató | name index | ||
| névsora | name index of | ||
| névtelen | nameless | ||
| nevű | called | ||
| nevük | their names | ||
| névváltoztatások | name changes | ||
| nincs | is not | ||
| nő | female, wife, woman | ||
| női | female | ||
| nőnemű | female | ||
| nős | married man | ||
| nőtestvér | sister | ||
| nőtlen | single, unmarried man | ||
| november | November | ||
| nővér | sister | ||
| Ns. = nagyságos | Mr., Mrs., esquire | ||
| ny. = nyugalmazott | retired | ||
| nyakdaganat | goiter | ||
| nyarán | in the summer of | ||
| nyavalyatörés | convulsions | ||
| nyelv | language | ||
| nyilatkozat | statement | ||
| nyilvános | public | ||
| nyolc | eight | ||
| nyolcadik | eighth | ||
| nyolcvan | eighty | ||
| nyugalmazott | retired | ||
| nyugat | west | ||
| O | |||
| ó | old | ||
| ő | he, she, it | ||
| öccse | his/her younger brother | ||
| ők | they | ||
| oka | cause of | ||
| okirat | document | ||
| okmány | document | ||
| október | October | ||
| oláh | Romanian | ||
| olasz | Italian | ||
| oldal | page, side | ||
| olvasni | to read | ||
| óra | hour | ||
| órakor | o'clock | ||
| órányira | how many hours distant | ||
| öreg | old | ||
| öregebb | elder, older | ||
| öregség | old age | ||
| örmény | Armenian | ||
| örökbefogadások | adoptions | ||
| örökség | inheritance | ||
| orosz | Russian | ||
| orr | nose | ||
| ország | country | ||
| országos | national | ||
| ortodox | orthodox | ||
| ős | ancestor, forefather | ||
| oskola mester | schoolteacher | ||
| összeházasult | married | ||
| ősz | fall, autumn, grey | ||
| őszén | in the autumn of | ||
| osztrák | Austrian | ||
| öt | five | ||
| óta | since | ||
| ötödik | fifth | ||
| ott | there | ||
| otthon | at home | ||
| ötven | fifty | ||
| övé | his/her | ||
| özvegy | widow, widower | ||
| özvegyasszony | widow | ||
| özvegyember | widower | ||
| P | |||
| pálankafőző | distiller | ||
| pap | priest, clergyman | ||
| pár | pair, couple | ||
| paraszt | farmer, peasant | ||
| páratlan oldal | odd numbered pages | ||
| paróchia | parish | ||
| parókia | parish | ||
| páros oldal | even numbered pages | ||
| Paroszország | Prussia | ||
| patak | stream | ||
| pék | baker | ||
| péntek | Friday | ||
| pénz | money | ||
| pestis | plague | ||
| piac | market | ||
| piros | red | ||
| pl. = például | for example, e.g. | ||
| plebánia | rectory | ||
| plebános | parish priest | ||
| polgár | citizen | ||
| polgári állása | occupation, civil status of | ||
| polgári anyakönyv | civil registration | ||
| polgári sorsa | status, condition | ||
| polgármester | mayor | ||
| porosz | Prussian | ||
| predikacióval | with preaching | ||
| puszta | estate, ranch, hamlet, group of houses | ||
| R | |||
| rabi | rabbi | ||
| rác | Serb | ||
| rágóizomgörcs | tetanus, lock-jaw | ||
| rák | cancer | ||
| rángógörcs | epilepsy | ||
| ref. = református | Reformed, Calvinist Protestant | ||
| református | Reformed, Calvinist Protestant | ||
| reggel | in the morning | ||
| régi | old, ancient | ||
| rendes | regular | ||
| réssz | part | ||
| rokon | relative | ||
| római katolikus | Roman Catholic | ||
| rossz | bad | ||
| rutén | Ukrainian | ||
| S | |||
| s | and | ||
| sajat | [one's] own | ||
| -segéd | journeyman | ||
| semmi | none, nothing | ||
| senyvedés | pneumonia | ||
| serföző | brewer | ||
| sír | grave, burial site | ||
| skarlát | scarlet fever | ||
| skorbut | scurvy | ||
| sógor | brother-in-law | ||
| sógornő | sister-in-law | ||
| soha | never | ||
| sok | many, much | ||
| sorszám | registration number | ||
| sorvadás | consumption, wasting away | ||
| sötet | dark | ||
| stb. = és a tóbbi | and so forth, etc. | ||
| suszter | shoemaker | ||
| sz. = született | born, brought forth | ||
| szabó | tailor | ||
| szakasz | section, file | ||
| szám | number | ||
| szamárköhögés | whooping cough | ||
| szappanfőző | soapmaker | ||
| szárazbetegség | tuberculosis, consumption | ||
| származása | his/her birthplace, origin | ||
| száz | hundred | ||
| századik | hundredth | ||
| szegény | poor | ||
| szegesés | evil eye, cursed | ||
| szélhűdés | apoplexy, stroke | ||
| szélütés | stroke | ||
| személy | person | ||
| szemle | muster, review | ||
| szent | saint, holy | ||
| szeptember | September | ||
| szerb | Serbian | ||
| szerda | Wednesday | ||
| szerint | according to | ||
| szerzdes | contract | ||
| szín | color | ||
| szívoham | heart attack | ||
| szívtágulás | heart disease | ||
| szlovén | Slovenian | ||
| szobatárs | roomer | ||
| szőke | blond | ||
| szolga | servant | ||
| szolgáló | servant girl | ||
| szombat | Saturday | ||
| szomszéd | neighbor | ||
| szótár | dictionary | ||
| szövő | weaver | ||
| szövmunkás | weaver | ||
| szükségben | in emergency | ||
| szül | born as, née, maiden-named | ||
| szül | parent | ||
| szülék lakása | residence of the parents | ||
| szülés | childbirth | ||
| szülésben | in childbirth | ||
| szülésznő | midwife | ||
| születés | birth | ||
| születésihely | birthplace | ||
| született | was born | ||
| születtek | births | ||
| szülői | their parents, parental | ||
| szülők | parents | ||
| szülött | offspring | ||
| szürke | grey | ||
| szűz | virgin | ||
| T | |||
| táblázat | chart | ||
| tag | member | ||
| táján | about, approximately | ||
| takács | weaver | ||
| tanár | teacher | ||
| tanító | teacher | ||
| tanúk | witnesses | ||
| tanuló | student | ||
| tanya | hamlet, small village | ||
| tárgymutató | index of things | ||
| társaság | society | ||
| tartalom | contents | ||
| tavaszán | in the springtime of | ||
| távol | far | ||
| távollét | absence | ||
| távolság | distance | ||
| téglavető | brickmaker | ||
| tegnap | yesterday | ||
| tehenész | cowherd | ||
| tekintetes | the honorable, esquire | ||
| tél | winter | ||
| telén | in the winter of | ||
| telkes | landholder | ||
| telkes gazda | small landholder | ||
| temetés | burial, funeral | ||
| temető | cemetery | ||
| temetőőr | sexton | ||
| templom | church (building) | ||
| térkép | map | ||
| termete | height, stature | ||
| terület | area, territory | ||
| test | body | ||
| testvér | sibling, brother or sister | ||
| téves | wrong | ||
| tífusz | typhus | ||
| timár | tanner | ||
| Tiszáninnen | region north of the Tisza River | ||
| Tiszántúl | region south of the Tisza River | ||
| tíz | ten | ||
| tizedik | tenth | ||
| tizenegy | eleven | ||
| tizenhárom | thirteen | ||
| tizenhat | sixteen | ||
| tizenhét | seventeen | ||
| tizenkettő | twelve | ||
| tizenkilenc | nineteen | ||
| tizennégy | fourteen | ||
| tizennyolc | eighteen | ||
| tizenöt | fifteen | ||
| tó | lake | ||
| torok | throat | ||
| török | Turkish | ||
| torokgyík | diptheria, mumps | ||
| történelem | history | ||
| törvény | law | ||
| törvényes | legitimate, legal | ||
| törvénytelen | illegitimate | ||
| tót, tóth | Slovak | ||
| tud | knows how | ||
| tüdőgyulladás | pneumonia | ||
| tüdőkórság | tuberculosis, consumption | ||
| túdősorvadás | consumption, tuberculosis | ||
| tüdővész | tuberculosis, consumption | ||
| túl | very, much | ||
| tulajdonos | owner | ||
| tutajos | bargeman | ||
| U | |||
| ugyanaz | same | ||
| ugyanitt | at the same place | ||
| új | new | ||
| ujházasok | newlyweds | ||
| újmagyar | gypsy | ||
| újpolgár | gypsy | ||
| újra | again | ||
| újszülött | newborn | ||
| ukrán | Ukranian | ||
| un. = unitárius | Unitarian (Protestant) | ||
| unitárius | Unitarian (Protestant) | ||
| unoka | grandchild | ||
| unokafivér | male cousin | ||
| unokahug | niece | ||
| unokanőver | female cousin | ||
| unokaöccs | nephew | ||
| unokatestvér | cousin | ||
| úr | gentleman, master | ||
| úrvacsora-vétel | communions | ||
| út | street, road | ||
| után | after | ||
| útca | street | ||
| útlevél | passport | ||
| utolsó | last | ||
| utónév | given name | ||
| V | |||
| vadász | hunter | ||
| vagy | or | ||
| vagyon összeirások | property tax rolls | ||
| vak | blind | ||
| vallás | religion | ||
| vallástanító | religion teacher | ||
| van | is, be | ||
| vannak | are | ||
| vár | fortress | ||
| varga | shoemaker | ||
| vármegye | county | ||
| város | town, city | ||
| vasárnap | Sunday | ||
| végelgyengülés | weakness of old age | ||
| végén | at the end of | ||
| végrendelet | will, testament | ||
| vegyesházasságok | mixed religion marriages | ||
| vele | with him, with her | ||
| vendég | guest | ||
| vénkisassony | old maid, spinster | ||
| vénség | old age | ||
| vérfolyás | hemorrhage, bleeding | ||
| vérhas | dysentery, flux | ||
| vérömlés | hemmorhage | ||
| vétel | communions | ||
| vezetéknév | surname, family name | ||
| vidék | area, region | ||
| vindus | Slovene | ||
| viszony | relationship | ||
| víz | water | ||
| vizbefúllás | drowning | ||
| vízibetegség | dropsy | ||
| víziszony | hydrophopia, rabies | ||
| vízkór | dropsy, edema | ||
| vizsgálat | examination | ||
| vm. = vármegye | county | ||
| vő | son-in-law | ||
| vőlegény | bridegroom | ||
| völgy | valley | ||
| vörheny | scarlet fever | ||
| Z | |||
| zöld | green | ||
| zsellér | cottager, cotter | ||
| zsidó | Jewish | ||
| zsinagóga | synagogue |
KEY WORDS
In order to find and use specific types of Hungarian records, you will need to know some key words in Hungarian. This section gives key genealogical terms in English with Hungarian translations. Words that have a hyphen (-) before or after them are root words and occur with various prefixes and suffixes (endings) in actual usage.
For example, in the first column you will find the English word marriage. In the second column you will find Hungarian words with meanings such as marry, marriage, wedding, wedlock, unite, legitimate, joined, and other words used in Hungarian records to indicate marriage.
| English | Hungarian | baptism(s) |
kereszteltek, keresztelés, keresztelö, elnevez, megkeresztel |
|---|---|---|---|
| birth(s) | születtek, születés, született, sz. | ||
| burial(s) |
temet, temetés, elás, eltemetés, eltemetett, elföldelés | ||
| census | népszámlálás | ||
| child(ren) | szülött, gyermek, gyerek, csecsemö | ||
| death(s) | halottak, elhalálozás, elhalálozott, elholt, elhunyt, halál, halva, holt, meghalt, megholt | ||
| father | apa, atya | ||
| husband | férj | ||
| index(es) | névmutató, index, névsor | ||
| marriage | házasultak, megházasodni, megházasult, esket, esketés, esküvö, férjhezmenni, megnösülni, házas, házasság, összeházasult | ||
| month | hó, hónap, hava | ||
| mother | anya | ||
| name, given | név, utónév, keresztnév | ||
| name, surname | családinév | ||
| parent(s) | szül, szülök | ||
| parish | paróchia, parókia | ||
| spouse | hitves, házastárs | ||
| wife | asszony, feleség, nö | ||
| year | év |
Numbers
In some genealogical records, numbers are spelled out. This is especially true with dates. The following list gives the cardinal (1, 2, 3) and the ordinal (1st, 2nd, 3rd) versions of each number. Days of the month are written in ordinal form:
| Cardinal | Ordinal | 1 egy | 1st els |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kettö, kétö | 2nd második | ||
| 3 három | 3rd harmadik | ||
| 4 négy | 4th negyedik | ||
| 5 öt | 5th ötödik | ||
| 6 hat | 6th hatodik | ||
| 7 hét | 7th hetedik | ||
| 8 nyolc | 8th nyolcadik | ||
| 9 kilenc | 9th kilencedik | ||
| 10 tíz | 10th tizedik | ||
| 11 tizenegy | 11th tizenegyedik | ||
| 12 tizenkettö | 12th tizenkettedik | ||
| 13 tizenhárom | 13th tizenharmadik | ||
| 14 tizennégy | 14th tizennegyedik | ||
| 15 tizenöt | 15th tizenötödik | ||
| 16 tizenhat | 16th tizenhatodik | ||
| 17 tizenhét | 17th tizenhetedik | ||
| 18 tizennyolc | 18th tizennyolcadik | ||
| 19 tizenkilenc | 19th tizenkilencedik | ||
| 20 húsz | 20th huszadik | ||
| 21 huszonegy | 21th huszonegyedik | ||
| 22 huszonkettö | 22th huszonkettedik | ||
| 23 huszonhárom | 23th huszonharmadik | ||
| 24 huszonnégy | 24th huszonnegyedik | ||
| 25 huszonöt | 25th huszonötödik | ||
| 26 huszonhat | 26th huszonhatodik | ||
| 27 huszonhét | 27th huszonhetedik | ||
| 28 huszonnyolc | 28th huszonnyolcadik | ||
| 29 huszonkilenc | 29th huszonkilencedik | ||
| 30 harminc | 30th harmincadik | ||
| 31 harmincegy | 31st harmincegyedik | ||
| 40 negyven | 40th negyvenedik | ||
| 50 ötven | 50th ötvenedik | ||
| 60 hatvan | 60th hatvanadik | ||
| 70 hetven | 70th hetvenedik | ||
| 80 nyolcvan | 80th nyolcvanadik | ||
| 90 kilencven | 90th kilencvenedik | ||
| 100 száz | 100th századik | ||
| 200 kétszáz | 200th kétszázadik | ||
| 300 háromszáz | 300th háromszázadik | ||
| 1000 ezer | 1000th ezredik |
DATES
In Hungarian records, dates are sometimes written out:
július huszonötödikén Az Úrnak ezernyolcszázharminchatodik esztendejében = on the twenty-fifth of July in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty and six
To understand Hungarian dates, use the following lists as well as the preceding “Numbers” section:
Months
| English | Hungarian | Archaic Form | I | January | január | Boldog Asszony hava | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| II | February | február | Böjtelö hava | ||||
| III | March | március | Böjtmás hava | ||||
| IV | April | április | Szent György hava | ||||
| V | May | május | Pünkösd hava | ||||
| VI | June | június | Szent Iván hava | ||||
| VII | July | július | Szent Jakab hava | ||||
| VIII | August | augusztus | Kis Asszony hava | ||||
| IX | September | szeptember | Szent Mihály hava | ||||
| X | October | október | Mindszent hava | ||||
| XI | November | november | Szent András hava | ||||
| XII | December | december | Karácsony hava |
Days of the Week
| English | Hugarian | Sunday | vasárnap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | hétfö | ||
| Tuesday | kedd | ||
| Wednesday | szerda | ||
| Thursday | csütörtök | ||
| Friday | péntek | ||
| Saturday | szombat |