Hungary Naming Customs

Online Tools

 * Behind the Name: Hungarian Surnames
 * Behind the Name: Hungarian Given Names
 * Hungarian Given Names (Wiktionary)
 * Hungarian Personal Names (CIA)

Name Order
In Hungarian, the surname (or a family name) is placed in front of the given name. For example:


 * 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.:

Nobility
A title of nobility is placed before the surname:

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.

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 byname.

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:

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:'''

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.

Name Days
Hungarians also celebrate name days (each day in the calendar has one or more designated names.)

Bynames and Patronymics
As rule, in Hungary bynames including patronymic bynames did not enter use as surnames.


 * 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) by attaching a suffix.
 * 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.

For Further Reading

 * Hungarian names
 * Hungarian Names 101
 * Hungarian Personal Names of the 16th Century

FamilySearch Library

 * Additional sources are listed in the FamilySearch Catalog: