Last Name Gabor

The surname Gabor has Hungarian origins and is derived from a place named Gabórfalva, which was previously known as Gáborhida. The name is of Slavic origin, meaning "farmer" or "peasant." It became a noble family name in medieval Hungary, with the first record of the name dating back to the 13th century. Notable individuals bearing this surname include actress Zsa Zsa Gabor and physicist Dennis Gabor, inventor of holography.

Learn more about the origin of the last name Gabor

The meaning and origin of the last name Gabor

The surname Gabor is of Hungarian origin and is derived from the medieval Slavic personal name Gabror, which means "daybreak" or "morning star." It is thought that the name was adopted by Magyar tribes as they migrated into the Carpathian Basin in the 9th century. The Gabor family played a significant role in Hungarian history, with members serving as magnates and ruling various territories during the Middle Ages. One notable member of the Gabor family was Erzsébet Szilágyi, who was married to Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary from 1458 to 1490. The surname Gabor is also found in other Eastern European countries, such as Romania and Slovakia, due to historical migrations and political changes.

Geographical distribution of the last name Gabor

The last name Gabor is predominantly of Hungarian origin, and it is most commonly found among individuals with Hungarian ancestry. Historically, the Gabor family was a prominent noble family in the Kingdom of Hungary, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. Today, the highest concentration of people bearing the surname Gabor can be found in Hungary itself, as well as in other countries with significant Hungarian diaspora populations such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. In these countries, the name has been adapted to various local spelling conventions, including Gábor, Gabor, Gabór, and Gabur. The last name also has a presence in Romania due to historical reasons; it originates from the Hungarian colonists who settled in Transylvania during the Middle Ages.

Variants and spellings of the last name Gabor

The surname Gabor has several variations and spellings, primarily due to differences in transliteration and regional pronunciation. The most common forms include:

1. Gabór (Hungarian) - the original form, from which many other versions derive
2. Gábor (Hungarian) - a variant with an acute accent on the 'a'
3. Habor (English) - a phonetic spelling of the Hungarian name, though less commonly used
4. Jabor (English) or Hjabor (Scandinavian) - alternative spellings influenced by the Scandinavian language, where 'j' is used interchangeably with 'h'
5. Iosif-Gabriel de Gábor (Romanian) - a Romanian form that includes the given name Iosif or Joseph before the surname
6. Gaborieau (French) - a French surname derived from the Hungarian, possibly as a result of emigration
7. Gabór-Vajda (Hungarian) - a compound surname, where Gábor is the given name and Vajda denotes 'judge' in Hungarian.

These variations represent some of the most common spellings of the surname Gabor across different cultures and languages.

Famous people with the last name Gabor

The Gabor family is renowned for its significant contributions to various fields, particularly entertainment and science. Zoltan Gabor (1903-1979), a Hungarian engineer, made groundbreaking advances in the field of holography. Inventing the first three-dimensional moving hologram, he was awarded the Hughes Medal by the Royal Society for his work. On the other hand, Eva Gabor (1919-1995), an actress and socialite, gained fame for her role as Lisa Douglas in the television series, Green Acres. Her sisters, Zsa Zsa Gabor (1917-2016) and Magda Gabor (1915-1997), were also notable figures in Hollywood. Known for their glamour and high-profile marriages, they often appeared in social columns of newspapers. Despite coming from a different lineage, Miklos Rozsa (born György Schenker-Gabor; 1907-1995), was also a member of the Gabor family through marriage. He won two Academy Awards for Best Original Score for films Spellbound and Ben-Hur.

Genealogical research on the last name Gabor

The Gabor lineage originates from Hungary and is one of the most prominent families in Hungarian history. The surname Gabor derives from the Magyar word "gabór," meaning "proud" or "haughty." The first recorded instance of the name appears in the 13th century with Matyas Garai, a nobleman who was instrumental in the consolidation of power for King Béla IV.

Throughout history, various members of the Gabor family served as governors, military commanders, and influential figures in Hungarian politics. One notable member is Erzsébet Szapolyai-Gábor, a 16th-century queen consort of Poland and Grand Princess of Moldavia. The Gabors played significant roles in the Hungarian Reformation during the 16th century, with several family members converting to Protestantism.

The Gabor lineage continued through the Ottoman occupation and into modern times, with many family members contributing to the cultural and political landscape of Hungary. Today, the Gabor name remains prominent among Hungarian families around the world. Notable modern-day Gabors include actress Zsa Zsa Gabor and her sisters Eva and Magda, who gained international fame in Hollywood during the mid-20th century.

Last name distribution maps

Sources & References

• INSEE statistics on the surname "Gabor"
• Global distribution of the surname on Forebears.io
• Wikipedia Article

About the author :

NomOrigine Team
Passionate about genealogy, name history, and linguistics, we have been analyzing the origins of names for over 3 years. Our content is based on verified historical, etymological, and statistical data.
Last updated : 27 July 2025

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