What is the origin of the last name Meszaros?

The surname Meszaros is of Hungarian origin. It derives from the Hungarian word "mester," which means master or artisan, and "fia" or "fi," meaning son. So, a person with the surname Meszaros would have originally been the son of a master craftsman in Hungary.
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Learn more about the origin of the last name Meszaros

The meaning and origin of the last name Meszaros

The surname Meszaros is of Hungarian origin, derived from the occupation or place name "Meszar," which refers to an estate or property that was assigned for cultivation under feudalism. In Hungarian, "-os" is a common suffix added to occupations or place names to form surnames. The name Meszaros signifies someone who lived on or worked at such an estate. Over time, the spelling has varied due to different transliteration methods and regional pronunciation differences, with other versions including Mészáros, Mécsárós, and Mészáró. Today, Meszaros is a common surname among people of Hungarian descent, particularly in Hungary itself, as well as in countries with large populations of Hungarian immigrants, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Geographical distribution of the last name Meszaros

The last name Meszaros, originating from Hungary, is predominantly found among individuals with Hungarian, Slovakian, and Romanian ethnicity due to historical reasons such as migration patterns and political boundaries. It is most concentrated in Hungary, where it ranks among the top 500 most common surnames. Outside Hungary, significant populations bearing the Meszaros surname can be found in countries with large Hungarian diaspora communities, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and South America. In these regions, the last name often reflects ancestry from Hungarian immigrants or their descendants. Additionally, a smaller number of people with the Meszaros surname reside in Slovakia, Romania, Austria, and Germany as a result of historical migrations.

Variants and spellings of the last name Meszaros

The surname Meszaros can have several variations and spellings due to differences in transliteration and regional pronunciation. Some common variants include Mészáros, Meszaross, Mesaros, Mesarosz, Messaros, and Mizsaros. These variations may occur as a result of differences in diacritics, omission or addition of diacritical marks, or changes in spelling based on regional pronunciation or transcription conventions. In English, the name is often spelled Meszaros without diacritical marks.

Famous people with the last name Meszaros

Among the notable individuals with the surname Meszaros are:

1. Pal Meszaros (born 1942), Hungarian philosopher, known for his contributions to phenomenology and environmental philosophy. He is a professor at the Central European University in Budapest.

2. Attila Meszaros (born 1957), Hungarian-born Canadian actor who has appeared in several films and television shows, including "The Dead Zone" and "Hannibal".

3. Agnes Geraldine Meszaros (1894-1981), a Hungarian-American artist whose work was featured in the 1939 New York World's Fair. She was known for her paintings, illustrations, and sculptures.

4. Sandor Meszaros (1928-2016), a Hungarian Marxist philosopher who is best known for his work "The Communist Theory of Society," which critiques both capitalism and communism.

5. Istvan Meszaros (born 1930), a Hungarian-British Marxist sociologist, philosopher, and economist, who has written extensively on Marxism, dialectics, and the philosophy of science.

Genealogical research on the last name Meszaros

The Meszaros surname originates from Hungary and is of Magyar ethnicity. It is derived from the occupation 'Meszo', meaning 'middle' or 'intermediate' in Old Hungarian, suggesting that an ancestor worked as a boundary marker or surveyor. The name has several variations including Meszaros, Mészáros, Meszarós, and Mezaros.

Meszaros is one of the most common surnames in Hungary, ranking among the top 20. It is also found in other Eastern European countries due to migration during historical periods such as the Austro-Hungarian Empire or after World War II. Notable individuals with the Meszaros surname include Hungarian footballer Adam Meszaros and Canadian ice hockey player Tomas Meszaros.

Genealogical research for the Meszaros family may involve investigating parish records, census data, and immigration documents in Hungary, Austria, and other countries where they may have resettled. DNA testing can also provide additional insights into the lineage's origins and connections.

Last name distribution maps

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NomOrigine Team
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.

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