Magyar Names from the Middle-Ages

The people had only one name. It was not enough in all cases, therefore the warriors used their father's name, too. They said Bozeta fia Fonsol which means Bozeta's son Fonsol.

In the 13th century the nobles and the warriors started wearing surnames. At first appeared the genus names. How used they the genus names? You can say 'Aba nembeli Bese', it means Bese from the genus Aba. (NEHM-beh-lih). The genus names changed to surnames. The peasants remain with one name for a long time yet.

In the Hungarian language the surname is the first, and the Christian name is the second one but surmanes appeared only at the end of the 13th century.

It is important, the names you can find in many name sites are not authentic. Many of them contain names which were created in later centuries and skip names which were used only in the Middle Ages.

Old Magyar Male Names 800-1000

Latin form in brackets.

Acsád
Adony
Ajtony
Ákus
Álmus
Apor
Árpád
Bánd
Bánk
Bátur  =brave
Bese, Becse
Berény
Bod
Bogát
Bojta
Bókony
Bors
Bot (= mace)
Botond
Botos
Bökény
Buda
Bulcsu
Csaba
Csanád
Csege, Csegő
Cseka, Cseke
Dormán
Előd
Ete
Ezelek
Falicsi
Farkas, Forkos
Gyeicsa, Gyeücsa, Gyécse
Hetény
Hollós, Hollus
Hodos
Huba
Jelek, Ilek
Jutos, Jutocsa
Kadocsa
Kál
Kaplony
Karád
Karsa, Karcsa
Kartal, Kortol, Kortul
Katapán
Kecsen, Kücsen: kücsüm= strenght in Turkish
Keled, Kelad
Kerecse, Kerecsen
Ketel
Keve
Kund
Kósa
Kuppány
Kurd
Kusid
Kuszál
Küzsdég
Lél
Levedi, Levente, Levéd
Makó
Móg
Nyárád
Obus
Ócsád
Ond
Öden
Örkény, Örkönd
Örs
Pozsony
Súr
Szabolcs
Szecsőd
Szerénd
Szoárd
Szolnok
Taksony
Tarcal
Tarkacsu
Tas, Tasi
Teveli
Turda
Tormacsu
Tühütüm
Vajk
Vál
Vata
Zolta
Zoltán
Zsolt
Zombor

Old Magyar Female Names 800-1000

Ajándék
Ajnácska
Áldáska
Arany
Arika
Barót
Bíbur
Bogárd
Bolda
Buga
Csikó
Csente
Cseperka
Csepke
Csillag
Csuda
Delin
Déva
Emese
Emőke
Enéh
Fehéra
Gilvád
Gyöngy
Hajna
Havadi
Hete
Hitvánd
Jóleán
Karold
Kecse
Köncse, Köcse
Lelle
Lente
Mag
Manga
Mikolt
Nyesta, Nyeste
Öte
Piriska
Rázdi
Réka
Sáfély
Sarolt
Somocska
Szecsőke
Szépa
Virág

Serf names

These 141 names are from a certificate Summary of Dömös (1138), in brackets you can find the original form written as they were Latin words, and the name I tried to "create" back. I suppose there are some correct, some false. All of them are male names. I do not know scientific summary about this text.

Besenyődi (Besenehdi, Besenudi)
Bodor or Badar (Bodor)
Sipos (Sipus) =piper
Járódi (Jarudi)
Izsép (Isep)
Serőgdi (Serugdi)
Füredi (Firedi) =agile
Lápodi (Lapudi)
Bakos (Bacus)
Álmos (Almus) =seen in dreams
Hazug (Hazug)
Bucsu (Bucu)
Koppány (Cuppan)
Kászodi (Kasudi)
Vágdi (Vagdi)
Csatádi (Satadi) =warrior?
Sebődi (Sebeudi)
Suk (Suk)
Bulgán (Bulgan)
Damján
Sebe (Sebe)
Mikos (Micus)
Beke (Beke)
Keserű (Keseru) =sour
Munkádi (Muncadi)
Maradék (Maradek)
Szemét (Scemet)
Izmény (Izmen)
Apos (Opus)
Táskádi (Tascadi)
Farkas (Farcas, Forcos) =wolf
Buda or Boda (Buda)
Kusdi (Kusdi)
Lados (Lodus)
Vásárdi (Wasardi)
Emődi (Emudi)
Bándi (Bandi)
Szondi (Sundi)
Diós (Dius) ='walnuter'
Csépe (Cepe)
Bogárdi (Bugardi)
Sarlódi (Sarlaudi)
Kaszádi (Casadi)
Beledéj (Beledey)
Szórád (Sourad)
Bocsádi (Busadi)
Apa (Apa) =father
Levedi (Lewedi) =he is being?
Reszedi (Recedi)
Beszédi (Besedi)
Kesedi (Kesedi) =fair (hair)
Marót (Maraut)
Arudi (Arudi)
Sebő (Sebu)
Beza or Béza (Beza)
Simon (Simun)
Rádi (Radi)
Réde (Rede)
Szedeneg (Sedeneg)
Keve (Kewe)
Erdődi (Erdeidi)
Hódos (Hodus)
Halódi (Holudi)
Vecsésdi (Vecedi)
Döme (Dume)
Zádor (Zadur)
Bosádi (Busadi)
Vasadi (Wasadi)
Nyájádi (Naiadi)
Korpás (Curpas)
Nemő (Nemwh) =not he
Antó (Antu)
Bókony (Bokon)
Csegő (Cegu)
Ebedi  (Ebedi)
Bajádi (Baiadi)
Mógdi (Mogdi)
Budi (Budi)
Büki (Buki)
Bulcsu (Bulsu)
Récse or Réce (Rece)
Vándi (Wandi)
Füle (File)
Bene (Bene)
Szabalcsi (Sobolci)
Kozma (Cuzma)
Pozson (Poson)
Nyulas (Nulos) ='rabbitty'
Csepődi (Cepudi)
Bagin (Bogin)
Csató (Sotu)
Egyebendi (Egebendi)
Idegdi (Idegdi)
Haladány (Haladan)
Kinizs (Kinis)
Dobor (Dubur)
Szamodi (Samudi)
Csibe (Cibe)
Domkó (Dumku)
Kevereg (Kewereg)
Köteles (Kuteles)
Vasas (Wosos, Wosas)
Surándi or Szorándi (Surandi)
Váltódi (Waltaudi)
Bekény (Beken)
Pazari (Pazari)
Kesződi (Keseudi)
Heszedi or Hecsedi (Hesedi)
Szerecsen (Scerecin)
Haláldi (Halaldi) =deadly
Maradi (Maradi)
Gomba (Gumba) =mushroom
Várós (Warus) =waiting
Kacsó (Kacu)
Obos (Obus)
Fekete (Fekete) =black
Korpádi (Curpadi)
Patkány (Patkan) =rat
Albony (Albun)
Feledi (Feledi)
Versőnydi (Werswndi)
Látós (Latus) =seer?
Csiholt (Siholt)
Csuda (Suda) =wonder
Cseke (Ceke)
Boba (Boba)
Csitár (Citar) = weaponsmith with old word
Dobos (Dubos) =drummer
Tikodi (Ticudi)
Kakasdi (Kakasti)
Ipolit (Ipolit)
Csík (Cik)
Vendég (Wendeg)
Kesződi (Keseudi)
Hazudi (Hozudi)
Makó (Mocu)
Ajándok (Ajanduk) =gift
Nyomorék (Namurek) =lame
Bökény (Buken)
Sima (Sima)
Csenke (Cenke)

Personal Names from the Christian Age

These names were used from the baptization of the people (around 1000) but only the one seventh or nineth of the people weared them. Since 1279 the priest have the right to name the children so the Christian names became the standard names. It was not strange a men had both a Magyar and a Christian name. The list does not contains only Christian names but names were used in that age in the Christian culture. It contains not only Hungarian names but others from Hungary, too.

Male Names

Ábrahám, Ábrám
Achilles
Ádám
Adrián
Sándor, (Alexander)
Ambrosius
András, Endre
Andronicus, Andronik
Antal, Ant(h)onius
Arnoldus
Béla
Benedek, Bene (Benedictus)
Betlehem
Kornéliusz, Kornél (Cornelius)
Dénes
Éliás
Endere, Endre, András
Fábián (Fabianus)
Fülöp (Philippus)
György
Gyula
Hektor (Hector)
Húsvét (Husvet)  =Easter
Imre (Emericus)
Ipolit (Ipolitus)
István (Stephanus)
Izsák (Isaac-Isak)
János (Johannes, Ionannes, Ianus)
Jób, Iob
József
Kálmán
Karácson, Karácsin, Karácsun =Christmas. Frequent name.
Keresztes
Kerusztus
Kölpény (skandináv népnévből)
Ladomér (Lodomer)
László, Ladislaus
Leustachius
Levente
Lukács
Marcellus
Márk
Marót
Martinus
Máté (Matheus, Mathe)
Mátyás (Mathias)
Mauritius
Mihály (Michael)
Mike
Miklós (Miclous, Nicolaus)
Mikó
Oliverius
Omodeus
Otmár
Ozor
Örkény
Pál
Párizs
Péter
Petur
Pongrác (Pangracius)
Sámson
Samud
Sámuel
Saul
Sebastianus
Siluester
Simeon
Simon -popular name
Tamás
Theodorus
Tiburcius
Timotheus
Tiván
Tobias
Triszn
Ubul
Ugrin
Urbanus
Urias
Valentinus
Valterus
Vászoly (Vazul)
Venceslaus
Vernerius
Vid
Vida
Vincencius
Zombor
Zotmund

Female Names

Agáta
Aglent, Aglencs, Aglincs, Agloncs
Agna
Ágnes
Albina
Ancilla
Angelika, Angelka
Anna, Annus
Arenta, Arencsa
Balzsam
Barbara
Beáta
Beatrix
Drága
Erzsébet
Gizella
Hanga
Hangucsa
Ibolya
Ilona
Jolánta
Judit
Katalin
Kinga
Krabocsa
Kunigunda
Lilium
Mandula
Mária
Pénteka, Pénteke
Rezeda
Rózsa
Szabina
Viola

Magyar Genera

Although there are dates the Magyar society in the era of the conquest of Hungary was organized by tribes and genera, it is not confirmative the genera in the 13th century were descendants of these. There were 15-30 genera originally. Their first authentic occurrence is from 1208, and appear continually in this century. We know the name of about 200 genera. Their use flourished in the 13th century was, later they were transformed into surnames. Their name came not in all cases from the first known ancestor, but from their land, or maybe from their most important or famous member. The name after the hyphen is the genus's side lineage except the Hunt-Pázmány. In brackets you can find sometimes the Latin or German form of the name.

How used they the genus names? You can say 'Aba nembeli Bese', it means Bese from the genus Aba. (NEHM-beh-lih)

Examples:

Aba
Adorján
Agmánd/Farkasogmánd
Ajka (Veszprém shire)
Ajtony
Ákos, Ákus
Apor
Atyusz (Ogiuz) - Almád
Baksa - Simon
Balog
Balogsemjén - Ubul
Bor(Bár)kalán
Barsa
Becse (Beche)
Becsegergely
Bél - Ug
Bogátradvány
Boszlig
Bő (Somony shire)
Csabi (castle jobbágy genus)
Csák
Csanád
Csolt
Divék - Rátót
Dobra (castle jobbágy genus)
Dorozsma (Drusba)
Gatal
Geregye (castle jobbágy genus)
Gúg
Gútkeled - Dorog (Kelad, Gut) (German)
Győr (German)
Gyovád
Hahót - Búzád (Zala shire)
Haraszt
Héder (German)
Herény (castle jobbágy genus) (Vas shire)
Hermány
Hodos
Hunt-Pázmány (Hontpaznan) (German)
Igmánd
Ják (descendants of Vencellin - a knight who fought under Saint István/Stephen)
Jenő
Kán
Kaplony
Kartal - Korszán
Káta
Katapán - Ekli
Kér (castle jobbágy genus)
Kolcs
Kürt (castle jobbágy genus)
Lád - Vérbulcsú
Lipovnok - Koros, Berencs
Lőrinte (Veszprém shire)
Ludány
Magyar (castle jobbágy genus) (Pozsony shire)
Megyes
Meyz
Miskolc-Bés
Monoszló
Nádasd (Vas shire)
Germani
Osl (Sopron shire)
Osli - Csorna
Otrokocs (castle jobbágy genus) (Gömör shire)
Örsúr
Pápa
Péc (Győr, Veszprém, Zala shire)
Pok
Pöse
Rád
Rosd
Salamon (Pozsony shire)
Sártvány(vecse)
Smaragd
Szák
Szalók (Zala shire)
Szentemágocs (Senta et Maguch)- Kölcse (Culcey, Kulchey)
Szil - Kalocsa
Szolnok
Tét
Tétény
Tibold
Tomaj
Türje (Zala shire)
Túroly
Tyukod
Vojk
Záh (they had been executed by king Károly in 1330)
Zovárd
Zsadány

 

Created: Dec 10, 2004
Last modified: July 11, 2015

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