Hungarian Surnames Related to Wandering
by Kolosvari Arpadne Julia, 2014
A lot of people in the SCA want to be wanderers. Here is a list of Hungarian surnames with meanings related to wandering, with pre-1650 citations, from Kázmér Miklós: Régi Magyar családnevek szótára (Magyar Nyelvtudományi Társaság, Budapest, 1993). This is based on the list of names with related meanings found at the end of the entry for Bujdosó. I skipped the names that only had post-1650 citations.
Typography and notation: Each item consists of the Headword (as found in K.; generally the modern standard spelling, useful for pronunciation); the definition; and one or more of “date: given name surname” or “date: surname given name.” (If there are multiple citations from the same year, the date is only listed once.) Names in square brackets are modernized/standardized. “-0-” means only the surname was recorded. I have grayed out the post-1600 citations.
- Bolygó, “exile, wanderer” (also the modern word for “planet”), 1466: Bologo -0-, 1482: Bolygo -0-, 1496: Jakobo Bolygo, 1498: Iohanne Bwlygo, 1511: Blasius Bolgo, 1513: Bolgo -0-, 1522: Thomas Bolgo, Emericus Bolgÿgo, 1648: Bolygo Mihaly.
- Bujdosó, “exile” (literally “hider”), 1525: Urbanus Budosso, Urbanus Budoso, 1570: Budoscho -0-, 1588: Budoso -0-, 1600: Budoso -0-, 1620: Budoso -0-.
- Csángó, “stray” (also an ethnic group, Hungarians who live east of the Carpathians), 1556: andreas chango, Michael chango, 1560: [Csángó András], 1602: [Csángó Miklós]; dictus-name in 1400.
- Csavargó, “tramp”, 1489: Martinum Chawargo, Mattheus Chawargo.
- Futamot, roughly “escapee”, 1476: Petri Futhamoth, Egidii Futhamoth, 1478: Johannes Fvthamoth, 1510: Gregorio fwthamoth, 1515: Gregorium Fwthamoth, 1522: Fabianus Fwthamoth, 1567: Futamoth [György].
- Futás, “running”, 1448: Futhas -0-, 1453: Mathiam Futas, 1458: Fwthas -0-, 1466: Egidius Fwthas, Thomas Fwthas, 1468: Lucas Futas, 1476: Emericus et Egidius Fwthas, 1482: Thomae Futhas, 1498: Johanne Fwtas, 1519: Fwthas -0-, 1552: Futas -0-, 1588: Fwtas -0-, 1599: Futas -0-, 1614: Matthias Futas.
- Futó, “runner”, 1437: Ffuto ~ Fwtho [János], 1439: Johanne Fwtho, 1453: Benedictus Futo, c. 1460: Futo Gergel, 1478: Johannes Fwtho, 1481: Fwtho -0-, 1482/1483: Dominico Fwtho, 1483: Fwtho -0-, 1488: Benedictus Fwtho, 1489: Thome Fwtho, 1520: Vrbano Fwtho, 1522: Georgius Phwtho, Fabianus Phwtho, Clemens Fwtho, Franciscus Fwtho, Philippus Fwtho, 1523: Benedicto Fwtho, Georgio Fwtho, 1525: Blasius fwtho, 1529: Walentinus fwtho, 1539: Fwtho [Bálint], 1548: Joannes Fwtho, 1554: Andreas Futho, 1568: Boldisar fwto, 1572: Fr(anciscus) Fwtho, 1591: futo Thamas, 1599: Futho -0-, 1617: Stephanus Futo, 1624: Steph(anus) Futo, 1632: Franciscus Futo.
- Futós, “quick-footed”, 1470: Emericus Futhos, 1475: Fwthos -0-, 1497: Johanne Fwthos.
- Futott, “runaway”, 1553: Georgius Futotth, 1588: Futhoth -0-, 1597: Fwtott -0-, 1598: Futoth -0-, 1599: Futott -0-, Futot -0-, 1602: Futott -0-, 1630: Futott -0-.
- Kóbor, “stray” (also a type of basket, so may be metonymic for a basketmaker), 1480, 1489: Simone Kobor, 1489: Barnaba Kobor, Stephano Kobor, 1495: Valentinus Kobor, 1522: Stepanus Kobor, Elizabeth Kobor, Elizabeth Kobor, 1579: Francisco [Kóbor], 1593: Kobor Orban.
- Kórica, Transylvanian dialect word for “wandering”, 1625: R. Koricza Janosne.
- Kósza “wanderer, stray” (or patronymic, from a diminutive of Cosmas), 1452: Johannes Coza, 1522: Blasius Koza, 1570: Petrus Koza, 1590: Koza Janos, 1614: Koza Georgj, 1616: Koza Peter.
- Lődör “tramp”, 1522: Paulus Lwdwr.
- Sohonnai, “homeless, useless, upstart” (literally “from noplace”), 1548: Joannes Sohonnaÿ, Steph(an)y Sohonnay, 1549: Gregorius Sohonaÿ, 1569: Sohonnay -0-, 1576: Sohonnay -0-, 1598: Rufenus Sohonnaj, 1599: Sohonnay -0-, 1619: Sohonnai -0-, 1637: Sohonnaj [István].
- Szakadt, “separated, escaped” (literally “torn”), 1418: Gregorio Zakadth.
- Szarándok, “pilgrim, passenger, traveler”, 1400: Petrum Zarandok, 1401: Petrum Zaranduk, 1453: Martino Zarandok.
- Szökő, “escaper” (or “jumper, dancer”), 1424: Zewkew -0-, 1482: Emerico Zekew, 1503: Martinum Zekew, 1509: Sandor Zekee, 1563: Szökö -0-, 1600: Szeke -0-.
- Vándor, “wandering person” or “pilgrim”, c. 1638: Vandor Janose.
(This list started as a comment in OSCAR on an internal letter from Meridies.)