Hungarian Feminine Names


by Walraven van Nijmegen

© 1998, 2002 by Brian R. Speer. All rights reserved
Last updated: 6 April 2002

Part of the Saint Gabriel Library and the Medieval Names Archive.


CONTENTS


About Hungarian Names:

Hungarian names consist of two elements, a given name and a byname. Note that this is different from the general practice in modern English and Spanish-speaking countries, where a person will usually have a name of three or more elements. The byname developed as a phrase or description that helped to distinguish two people with the same given name. Bynames will not be discussed in this article.

The given name is the single name by which a person would be known, such as Borbala (Barbara), Anna, or Ersebet (Elizabeth). Most given names in medieval and Renaissance Hungary are variants of Christian names common throughout Europe, though there are also names of Latin, German, and Slavic origin.

It is unfortunate that we don't have many records of women's names. To date, in fact, I have seen only a dozen Hungarian feminine given names dated prior to 1500. Why is this? Certainly there must have been women present in Hungary before this time, so why isn't there a record of them?

The answer lies partly in the nature of the source material in which we find early Hungarian names. Most of these are official documents or census reports, and so will mention the heads of households and estates. In most cases, these are men.

Additionally, a woman's official use name is constructed from her husband's name by adding the suffix -ne to his given name. As an example, a woman named Anna who is married to Tar Jakab (bald Jacob), would be recorded in official documents and would introduce herself in polite company as Tar Jakabne (bald Jacob's wife). This is similar to the English practice of using Mrs..

This does not mean that women did not have and did not use their own given names, but because they were seldom written down, we have far less information about feminine names than masculine ones. Most of our records of Hungarian feminine given names come from the 16th century, and are combined with bynames in the same general patterns of construction as masculine names.

For more information on the construction, pattern, and pronounciation of Hungarian names, visit my page Hungarian Names 101.


Most Frequent Names:

The top four names: Anna, Katalin, Borbála, and Erzsébet (and variants) account for more than half of all recorded women's names. Names in the tables below are in standard modern spellings for the 16th century list; names in the 15th century list are given as spelled in the source material. Numbers following each name indicate the total number included in Kázmér.

*Note: The name Józsa is a feminine name today in Hungary, but it is quite possible that some or all instances of this name in period are shortened forms of the masculine name József.


16th cent. 15th cent.
601 names 12 names


1. Anna131 Anna4
2. Katalin (Kató)107 Barbara2
3. Borbála46 Katherina2
4. Erzsébet45 Margaretha2
5. Margaréta35 Ade1
6. Zsófia30 Irisko1
7. Józsa25*
8. Ilona24
9. Dorottya20
10. Orsolya19
11. Klára17
12. Magdolna16
13. Sára13
14. Heléna12
15. Agáta9
16. Krisztina9
17. Zsuzsanna9
18. Márta8
19. (Eu-) Fruzsina6
20. Judit3
21. Piroska3
14 other names1


List of Names:

This is the processed version of the names extracted from Kázmér. Grammatical endings, title suffixes, etc. have all been removed from names in this section. The intention is to provide a short list for use in consultations so that should some lady say, "I want a Hungarian name," one can respond, "Here, pick a name."

Three names in this list appear in square brackets [ ] ; for these names, the original source spelling is unknown, that is, they have had their spellings standardized to modern. However, their pre-1600 spellings are likely not different, except that it is likely that Apollonia would have been recorded without an accent.

Ade
Agatha
Agota
Agotha
Anastasia
Anna
Annaka
Anne
Annoka
Annos
Antonija
[Apollónia]
Barbala
Barbara
Beatrix
Borbala
Borbara
Borbolya
Borka
Cata
Catalin
Catalÿn
Caterina
Catha
Cathalin
Catharina
Catherina
Catherine
Cathus
Catus
Chata
Chaterine
Chatus
Christina
Chrÿstina
Cristina
Crÿstina
Clara
Dorko
Dorothea
Dorotthia
Dorotthÿa
Durko
Durkó
Eizabet
Elena
Elisabeta
Elisabeth
Elisabetha
Elizabet
Elizabeta
Elizabeth
Elizabetha
Elsebeth
Elyzabeth
Eorsebet
Eorsebeth
Eõrsebet
Erse
Ersebet
Ersebeth
Ersebett
Eufrusina
Eufrusine
Eva
Frusina
Frwssina
Helena
Ilko
Ilona
Irisko
Jlona
Judith
[Julia]
[Julianna]
Kalara
Kata
Katalin
Katha
Kathalin
Kathalyn
Kathalÿn
Katharina
Katherina
Katheryna
Katho
Kathws
Kato
Katta
Katus
Katws
Klara
Krystyna
Krÿstÿna
Lea
Lucia
Magda
Magdalena
Magdalna
Magdollna
Magdolna
Magdona
Magolna
Margareta
Margaretha
Margarethe
Margarÿtha
Margit
Margital
Margith
Margyth
Maria
Marta
Martha
Orsik
Orsola
Orsolia
Orsolla
Orsolya
Orssola
Órsebet
Örsebet
Örsebeth
Petronÿa
Pettronella
Piroska
Pirosska
Potÿncza
Priscina
Sara
Soffia
Soffya
Sófi
Sofia
Sofÿa
Sofya
Sophi
Sophia
Theresia
Susanna
Swsanna
Szuszana
Ursola
Ursula
Vrsula
Yllona
Zuzanna
Zwzanna

The Source Material:

The primary source of information for this project was the excellent book on surnames by Kázmér Miklós: In addition, the following books were used for interpretation:

List Typography and Notations:

There were a number of difficulties and idiosyncracies to deal with in putting this list together. Magyar makes use of characters not generally available in web fonts, and so certain marks had to be indicated in other ways.

The Hungarian vowels with doubled accents are represented by õ and u".

Names appearing in square brackets [ ] had their spelling standardized in the source from which Kázmér drew the name. In some cases, it is obvious that the standard modern spelling is unlike period forms, but in other cases little change seems to have occurred in the intervening centuries.


The Name Data:

What follows is the raw data extracted from Kázmér. It is organized first with headwords in bold. These headwords follow those used in Hajdú, and correspond to the various given names.

Under each headword appear the forms of the given names as recorded in Kázmér. Each name variant is followed by the date and surname entry or entries under which the name may be found in the original volume. Note that these surnames entries are according to modern spellings, as that is how they are indexed in the source material.

Caution: You cannot randomly pick any spelling in the list below as an "authentic" usable name. Many of the variant forms are declined in Latin (-ae, -am), or have postpositional suffixes (e.g. -hoz, -nak, -val). These forms must be converted back to a nominative form to be acceptable. This has been done in the List of Names that appears earlier in this article.

Adél
Ade 1449 Siket

Agáta
Agatha 1522 Becsei, Fekete, Medvés, Siket; 1548 Jász; 1556 Fõzõ; 1570 Rác
Agota 1594 Ibrányi
Agotha 1600 Csíki

Anasztázia
Anastasia 1577 Bak

Anna
[Anna] 1498 Bánfi; 1516 Váradi; 1520 Pázmán; 1522 Pottornyai; 1553 Lepsényi; 1585 Révai
Anazzonak 1565 Pekri
Anna 1458 Pálfi; 1469 Áros; 15c Szappangyártó; 1505 Kalmár; 1509 Madár; 1522 Bondi; 1526 Pázmán; 1543 Tabódi; 1545 Bodó; 1546 Tahi; 1548 Bátori, Paksi; 1551 Ártándi; 1553 Disznós; 1554 Béli; 1557 Nádasdi; 1558 Dezsõfi, Szeretõ; 1559 Dégi, Tarcai; 1562 Izbugyai; 1564 Lepsényi, Liptai; 1565 Szerhás; 1566 Bátori; 1567 Kovács, Kóvári, Szécsi; 1568 Pándi, †veges; 1569 Kendefi; 1570 Jernei, Majos, Pándi, Rengõ; 1571 Cakós, Csúzi; 1572 Gerõfi, Túrós; 1573 Dobszai, Gémes; 1574 Dancs, Deregnyei, Orbonász, Sálfi; 1576 Dolgos, Gyékényszövõ, Kovács; 1577 Bátori; 1578 Bakócsi; 1579 Dacó; 1580 Berendi, Tornaljai; 1584 Hagymási, Kóródi, Mérai; 1585 Sügér; 1586 Betlen; 1587 Petrõci, Szennyesi; 1588 Bárcai, Szeretõ; 1589 Bak, Bán, Dörögdi, Fájó, Losonci, Ragyóci; 1590 Szekeres, Vatai; 1592 Vékei; 1593 Fiát, Jakcs, Kajtár, Rab; 1594 Bendõ, Búr, Kázméri; 1595 Bõr, Hartai, Szarkándi; 1596 Bak, Betlen, Csorba, Pogrányi; 1597 Károlyi, Pócsi; 1598 Konyári; 1599 Baranyai, Márgai, Pókos; 1600 Dobosi, Ládonyi, Sulyok; 1601 Cserépi, Ebesi; 1606 Küskedei; 1609 Fias
Annae 1554 Füri; 1579 Szarkándi; 1581 Dörögdi; 1592 Kékedi
Annahoz 1585 Ábrahám
Annaka 1589 Jó
Annam 1549 Bábi; 1566 Erdõdi; 1573 Sérafin; 1590 Bika, Kátai; 1592 Borzovai
Annanak 1544 Paksi; 1586 Somosi; 1587 Révai; 1588 Tenki
Annanal 1587 Révai
Annaszony 1579 Zsombori
Annat 1568 Orvos, Seres; 1598 Héjasfalvi
Annaval 1594 Baranyai
Annazonak 1565 Somlyai
Annazontys 1589 Gesztrágyi
Annazzon 1583 Galaci, Kozárvári; 1585 Méreg
Annazzonnak 1563 Sele
Annazzony 1580 Patócsi
Anne 1542 Patócs; 1590 Ibrányi
Annoka 1537 Zaj
Annoknak 1574 Baranyai
Annos 1585 Berkenyés

Antónia
Antonija 1566 Sebestyén

Apollónia
[Apollónia] 1570 Papfalvi

Beatrix
Beatrix 1584 Marsi

Borbála
[Borbála] 1439 Bátor; 1570 Baráti
[Borbálának] 1553 Homonnai
[Borbára] 1586 Morgondai; 1592 Zalasdi
Barbala 1604 Góri
Barbara 15c Cécei; 1512 Cecei; 1535 Kazsui; 1554 Pásztói; 1555 Hárságyi; 1561 Fáncsi; 1568 Bánfi, Lõcs; 1571 Kükemezei; 1573 Ország; 1576 Nyujtódi; 1577 Õsz; 1579 Szúnyog; 1586 Egresi; 1588 Toldi; 1593 Pásztói; 1595 Azari, Szentmáriai; 1596 Kaszás; 1600 Herceg
Barbarae 1516 Zoltán; 1577 Gyallai
Barbaraszony 1569 Mihályfi
Borbala 1527 Szini; 1546 Sövényházi; 1558 Egervári; 1574 Bódi; 1581 Bak; 1585 Ország; 1588 Sztropkai; 1589 Zsuki; 1594 Egri
Borbalanak 1544 Sövényházi; 1598 Szakolyi
Borbara 1554 Szentpéteri; 1561 Kölcsei; 1570 Katáng; 1575 Bak; 1587 Mohai; 1589 Zeleméri; 1590 Derzsi; 1595 Lászai; 1612 Bakos
Borbolya 1574 Szentegyedi
Borkat 1602 Szál

Dorottya
[Dorottya] 1548 Jékei, 1583 Újfalusi
[Dorottyának] 1558 Szalánci
Dorothea 1542 Csite; 1549 Seregély; 1565 Makki; 1588 Elefánti
Dorotheam 1548 Ráskai; 1567 Tótházi; 1599 Kövér
Dorotthia 1609 Cere
Dorotthÿa 1549 Domonyai
Dorko 1528 Henselõci; 1556 Seregély; 1564 Tegzes; 1578 Deregnyei; 1595 Szíjgyártó, Tarcsa; 1600 Ungi
Durko 1568 Fejérvári
Durkó 1561-1563 Gerlai

Erzsébet
[Ersébet] 1556 Szúnyog
[Erzsébet] 1575 Bocskai; 1588 Csomori
Eizabet 1522 Bodor
Elisabeta 1619 Dalmadi
Elisabeth 1593 Karácsondi
Elisabetha 1543 Hollósi; 1550 Korlátkõi; 1590 Bereck; 1594 Elefánti
Elizabet 1522 Gazsa; 1553 Érsek; 1557 Poshadt
Elizabetam 1566 Kismester
Elizabeth 1522 Kóbor; 1526 Nyári; 1548 Ráskai; 1554 Penci; 1567 Görcs; 1583 Sidi
Elizabetham 1617 Bédi
Elsebeth 1580 Gönci
Elyzabeth 1582 Ibrányi
Eorsebet 1587 Csicseri; 1589 Dézsi
Eorsebeth 1591 Káldi
Eõrsebet 1591 Csekelaki
Ersebet 1562 Gáltõi; 1596 Gávai, Szántai; 1602 Hesdáti; 1605 Bátori
Ersebeth 1545 Sarmasági; 1550 Grécsi; 1559 Bátori; 1564 Páli, Szentpáli; 1591 Turzó; 1598 Gáltõi
Ersebetnek 1592 Perneszi
Ersebett 1574 Makai; 1583 Forró
Órsebet 1599 Fehér
Örsebet 1551 Gerecsi
Örsebeth 1547 Csire
Örsebetnek 1547 Sarmasági
[Erzse] 1543 Csarnavodai
Erse 1568 Kethelyi; 1582 Dobó

Eufrozina
Eufrusinam 1590 Jánosi
Eufrusine 1575 Reszegei
Euphrosinae 1639 Korotnoki

Éva
Eva 1549 Muzslai

Fruzsina
Frusina 1573 Reszegei; 1575 Matuzsnai; 1597 Galaci; 1605 Homonnai
Frwssina 1565 Losonci

Heléna
Elena 1522 Cseh, Hagyó, Sipos; 1554 Nyári; 1566 Bolya; 1576 Berceli; 1590 Borhi
Elenae 1537 Bári
Elenam 1599 Hartai
Helena 1567 Gyertyaszövõ, 1568 Zrínyi
Helenam 1599 Kõrösi

Ilona
[Ilona] 1570 Budai
Ilona 1537 Bori, Újlaki; 1559 Bárdi; 1564 Szutori; 1568 Kompolti; 1579 Diósi; 1585 Oláh; 1586 Füzesi; 1587 Kelõ; 1590 Gagyi; 1592 Szép; 1594 Ragyóci
Ilonanak 1598 Gerendi
Ilonatt 1599 Huszár
Jlona 1568 Ország, Zoltán; 1570 Jó; 1595 Kósa, Tarcsa; 1597 Fonnyasztó
Jlonasszonnak 1560 Zsuki
Yllona 1570 Almádi
Ilko 1572 Asztalos

Írisz
Irisko 1449 Sárga

Józsa (may be masculine)
[Jósa] 1520 Tompaházi; 1554 Csempeszi
[Józsa] 1462 Timári
Iosa 1554 Pribék, Zoltán; 1585 Fejérvári
Iosanak 1585 Kardos
Iosat 1554 Kardos
Josa 1415 Pankotai; 1469 Sóvágó; 1470 Pozsonyi; 1497 Somi; 1531 Farkasi; 1537 Vinci; 1555 Luka; 1556 Ormányi; 1557 Kari; 1559 Armai; 1561 Ormányi; 1570 Nyírõ; 1580 Galaci; 1585 Csöb; 1589 Bornemissza; 1592 Elek; 1596 Gege
Josae 1581 Cseglei
Josam 1543 Ormán
Josanak 1589 Ötvös
Josÿka 1544 Vinci
Yofa 1522 Valkai

Judit
Judith 1576 Miskolci; 1592 Alagi; 1611 Elefánti
Judithnak 1595 Aszú

Júlia
[Julia] 1551 Rácsai

Julianna
[Julianna] 1508 Horhi

Katalin
[Katalin] 1572 Györgyi
[Katalintól] 1592 Szentimrei
[Katherina] 1561 Szegény, Tõtös
Catalin 1584 András, Papfalvi; 1598 Bíró
Catalinhoz 1592 Radnai
Catalÿn 1560 Károlyi
Caterina 1522 Udvardi; 1555 Bajcsi; 1566 Bolya
Cathalin 1597 Pócsi; 1599 Makrai
Catharina 1526 Tasi; 1537 Botka; 1561 Beteg; 1564 Bor; 1572 Micskei; 1587 Baracskai; 1588 Csáki; 1590 Bács
Catharinam 1574 Tegzes; 1580 Mérei
Catherina 1542 Csenõ; 1563 Bakóci; 1573 Pálóci; 1576 Zrínyi; 1585 Kota; 1597 Dékán; 1599 Koppányi
Catherinae 1563 Kaplati; 1587 Szentpéteri
Catherinam 1569 Mindszenti
Catherina 1599 Füle
Catherine 1568 Ráskai
Chaterine 1590 Ibrányi
Katalin 1529 Pálóci; 1555 Himfi; 1560 Petki; 1570 Kismárton, Pártaszövõ; 1573 Magyari; 1575 Pártás; 1581 Kölcsei; 1587 Csicseri; 1592 Andrási; 1597 Derzsi; 1600 Kékesi
Katalinak 1568 Pártaszövõ
Katalinal 1574 Pártás
Kathalin 1566 Ráskai; 1575 Jankafi; 1592 Kadácsi
Kathalyn 1557 Pinnyei
Kathalÿn 1537 Zaj; 1565 Artándi
Katharina 1529 Tikáros; 1544 Zoltán; 1549 Laksai; 1559 Lasztóci
Katherina 1453 Körtvélyes; 1499 Császár; 1551 Lévai
Katheryna 1550 Szatmári
Kattalynazzon 1570 Jankafi

Kató; (Katalin)
[Katát] 1567 Szécsi
Cata 1598 Daróci
Cathanak 1555/66 Bogáti
Cathus 1596 Oláh
Catus 1592 Boda
Chatanak 1588 Tenki
Chatus 1585 Jó
Kata 1557 Köte; 1562 Szomor; 1574 Bácsmegyei, Császári, Gazdag; 1578 Gencsi; 1589 Bakóca; 1591 Ráskai; 1594 Egri; 1596 Móric; 1597 Kalácssütõ; 1610 Barkács
Kataszonnak 1588 Várdai
Katazzont 1591 Radvánci
Katha 1539 Paksi; 1551 Dénesi; 1562 Izbugyai; 1566 Ragyolci; 1577 Sándor; 1578 Jakófi; 1594 Bakóca; 1595 Hartai; 1597 Ibrányi; 1598 Teremi; 1603 Várdai
Kathanak 16c Korlát
Katho 1568 András
Kathws 1570 Pesti
Kato 1568 Fejérdi, Nagypál; 1583 András
Katowal 1573 Ágoston
Katta 1581 Jakófi; 1590 Káldi
Katthazzon 1578 Zsuki
Katus 1568 Pesti; 1598 Simai
Katws 1573 Ádám

Klára
[Klára] 1546 Szele
Clara 1522 Puha; 1557 Fias; 1569 Cserényi; 1586 Bocskai; 1590 Bánfi; 1592 Urai; 1596 Donát; 1599 Pásztói
Clarae 1565 Ödénfi; 1574 Henyei; 1580 Nagyécsi
Claram 1558 Forró; 1583 Tóbiási
Clarazzony 1584 Frátai
Kalara 1605 Rozgonyi
Kalaranak 1540 Kende
Klara 1558 Bornemissza

Krisztina
Christina 1564 Szerecsen; 1576 Kállai; 1590 Nyári; 1610 Kávai
Chrÿstinawal 1586 Irinyi
Cristina 1537 Dombai; 1570 Sánta
Crÿstina 1562 Nyári
Krystyna 1571 Korlátkõi
Krÿstÿnanak 1585 Dobó

Lea
Lea 1517 Ráskai

Lúcia
Lucia 1542 Tarcai

Magdolna
Magdalena 1564 Vikárius
Magdalna 1568 Kozárvári; 1574 Szele; 1578 Bagosi
Magdollnazonit 1596 Mácsovai
Magdolna 1546 Bánfi; 1549 Csikó; 1568 Pálfalvai; 1594 Rákóci; 1597 Eszterhás; 1603 Orgován
Magdolnanak 1578 Baládfi
Magdolnawal 1549 Csúzi
Magolna 1550 Balassa
Magdona 1562 Pálfalvai
Magda 1522 Cseh; 1571 Forintos; 1601 Fejérdi

Margaréta
Margareta 1522 Sáfár; 1579 Solymosi
Margaretam 1595 Hámoros
Margaretha 1436 Illés; 1504 Szécsi; 1505 Bánfi; 1522 Nagy; 1553 Kassai; 1559 Falusi; 1566 Szõ; 1567 Boros, Füri; 1576 Járai; 1584 Felfalusi; 1589 Pejkes
Margarethae 1563 Szõlõsi; 1573 Ispán
Margaretham 1574 Csányi
Margarethe 1560 Szécsi
Margarÿtha 1542 Tahi
[Margittól] 1467 Madzag
Margit 1516 Olajos; 1573 Csellegõ; 1584 Borsovai; 1588 Sándor; 1589 Pati; 1594 Dormáni; 1597 Olti; 1599 Pásztói; 1604 Korom; 1609 Hacoki
Margital 1573 Csellegõ
Margith 1548 Pató; 1582 Koroknai; 1593 Kénosi; 1600 Kávási
Margitnak 1574 István
Margittal 1568 Taligás
Margyth 1586 Derzsi

Mária
[Mária] 1615 Kenderesi Maria 1592 Tihanyi

Márta
Marta 1529 Sövényházi; 1577 Apoldi; 1579 Török; 1584 Teremi; 1590 Egeresi; 1597 Némai; 1600 Zetelaki
Martha 1571/1575 Apoldi

Orsolya
[Orzsikának] 1600 Sitkei
Orsola 1556 Kanizsai; 1557 Mikola; 1571 Szele
Orsolia-azzon 1572 Hadrévi
Orsolianak 1592 Sebestyén
Orsolla 1549 Kanizsai
Orsolya 1568 Szele; 1590 Dersfi
Orssola 1537 Zoltai
Ursola 1550 Sárkány
Ursula 1530 Kánya; 1576 Berceli; 1593 Zrínyi
Ursulae 1578 Deméndi
Ursulam 1572 Márkházi
Vrsula 1542 Kanizsai; 1578 Jakabházi
Orsiknak 1570 Tibai

Petrónia
Petronÿa 1571 Serjéni
Pettronella 1556 Serjéni

Piroska
Piroska 1576 Csanak; 1592 Szarvadi; 1602 Cipó
Pirosskanak 1589 Tököli

Potencia
Potÿncza 1589 Lasztóci

Priszcilla
Priscina 1576 Gábor

Sára
[Sára] 1572-1585 Csomori
Sara 1543 Már; 1552 Gyulafi; 1562 Csúzi; 1568 Duskás; 1576 Sulyok; 1584 Csarnai, Szodorai; 1595 Szepesi; 1598 Cserényi, Szinyei
Sarae 1590 Semsei
Sarazzon 1572 Bodai

Terézia
Theresia 1565 Barca

Zsófia
Soffia 1573 Gyulafi
Soffianak 1589 Poki
Soffya 1551 Pogány
Sófi 1588 Kükemezei
Sofia 1565 Csorba; 1578 Jánoki
Sofiazonual 1551 Forgács
Sofÿa 1549 Butkai
Sofyazon 1580 Szilvási
Sophi 1595 Orsós
Sophia 1522 Ágo; 1548 Dancs; 1549 Kenderesi; 1551 Révai; 1553 Perzselt; 1566 Balassa, Kolozsi; 1569 Telegdi; 1576 Patócsi; 1585 Litasi; 1591 Szilvási; 1592 Kertész; 1606 Szentmáriai
Sophiae 1557 Cseri; 1563 Patócsi; 1571 Henyei; 1576 Bjomi; 1579 Bori; 1592 Ürményi
Sophiam 1572 Bajomi; 1599 Nagyváradi

Zsuzsanna
[Zsuzsánna] 1592 Korláti
[Zsuzsánat] 1592 Bogárdi
Susanna 1591 Dajka; 1600 Rudinai, Szilágyi; 1605 Vatai
Swsanna 1543 Nádasdi
Szuszana 1593 Csapi
Zuzanna 1586 Serédi
Zwzanna 1550 Gici


Copyright © 1998, 2002 by Brian R. Speer, vespirus@socrates.berkeley.edu. Please get my permission before printing or redistributing!

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