Hungary Naming Customs

Naming Customs
In Hungarian, the surname (or a family name) is used first, followed by the given name. For example:

Hungarians also celebrate name days (each day in the calendar has one or more designated names.)
 * there is usually just one given name
 * surnames are generally a single names
 * patronymics were usually not used
 * his rule is also followed in Hungarian parish registers

Surnames were usually derived from common sources such as trades, qualities, ethnic origins, place names etc.:

Titles of nobility are put before the surnames:

Married Women
Names of Hungarian married women take on special forms. Traditionally, the ending -né is added to her husbands given name and indicates that she is married. For example:

Kovács Jánosné means Mrs. John Smith
 * Nagy, Jánosné means Mrs. John Nagy
 * the equivalent of Mrs. is the particle -né (wife) which is traditionaly added to a husband's name

Klausenberger Ignáczné Bival Rosália means that Rosália Bival married a man named Ignácz Klausenberger

Excellent articles regarding Hungarian personal names can be found at:


 * Hungarian Names 101
 * Hungarian Personal Names of the 16th Century
 * Hungarian Given Names (Wiktionary)
 * Hungarian Feminine Names