As some of you know, I write a lot about genealogy research for Americans who can trace their heritage back to Hungary. It is through research both personal to me and for others, which includes historical and cultural research, that I've been able to reattach to and recognize just how Hungarian - American I am. Along the way I try to address stereotypes that are silly, ridiculous, or so true - hopefully you like my sense of humor. I look at present day life in Hungary. I provide lots of links, many on my sidebar are of cultural interest. I offer some opinion and stories about my life, especially life with my dog, and other areas of interest.
Due to Covid restrictions I haven't been able to physically go to libraries to do my research in over a year but if you're into genealogy there's plenty for you to read in this blog that might be of help to you.
Yesterday afternoon and all this morning I read web sites that seem new to me that were coming up when I searched for some surnames and places I've looked for many times over the years. It used to be difficult to find much on Hungary in general but that's changing. I was excited to see on- line a booklet about a village (Nagygeres) that figures in my research that was published in 2014. It gave me a greater sense of the lives of the people there in the past and today.
Then I found an online PDF file which is downloadable. Now I've looked at this same file before but I was excited to see it is a 2021 edition implying corrections and additions have been made and that it's an ongoing project.
It is the work of an educated, scholarly man named Steven Totosy de Zepetnek and yes he comes from Hungarian nobility. It's called "List of Historical Surnames of Hungarian Nobility. (Nobilitas Hungarian). He and this online list is associated with Perdue University in the state of Indiana
Now I'm going to give you a little information on why you might find nobility in your humble family of interest.
First, as an American, even if your immigrant ancestor came in as a noble, they gave up all titles and allegiance to other countries and Kings upon becoming citizens. So, no you will not become a noble. (And Hungary ended nobility titles in 1947.) You may find a family crest, shield, or motto. These can be of great interest but as art or history.
Second, nobility itself was abolished in 1919 in the Austrian Empire in the sense that the nobility no longer had "special privileges." Back in the day of Barons, Counts, and Knights, with and without vast estates, only these men could vote. (The change in law couldn't change your heritage and it's my sense that some social and cultural privileges lingered.)
Third, there were different ways to become a noble in the first place. Being from a founding tribe or family early on (such as before the Mongol Invasion) circa 12th - 13th century was a way. Being recognized as having performed exceptional service (implied in a military fashion) by a King was another and a reward of a land grant was common. Marriage or through inheritance was another way to gain or maintain nobility and that often meant reward such as a land or title inheritance. (The rules of nobility are that the father's rank was given to his children. A noble woman who married a common man wouldn't loose her rank but her children were not nobles. A woman who married "up" shared her husband's status and their children were nobles. (But only noble men were voting and involved in making the important decisions.) Obviously, this must have kept pressure on noble women to marry their own.
Also nobles from neighboring European countries sometimes moved in, buying property. During the Austrian Empire, not only were men newly enabled, Counts from Austria moved in. (Their surnames are Germanic.)
However, all the upheavals of invasions, wars, and politics also effected families, noble or not. People fled, moved, had their property seized or destroyed, soldiers died, women were raped and bore illegitimate children. People were murdered, and houses burned and castles were taken. So, some noble lines died out or were carried on in the female line.
When researching, you soon learn many documents don't even name the wives, don't even give the names of mothers of children being baptized unless they are noble women and even then in some cases that Matriarchal DNA source isn't named.
Some nobles were granted status by Austria (late) while others can go back into pre–Mongol Invasion history.
It's something worth finding though because if you've been working on your genealogy and family history project and feel engaged with it, you want to keep on going.
Because Hungary had a higher percentage of nobles (and an array of noble standing) than other European countries it's more likely you do have a noble in your heritage and will find a story worth including in your personal book.
The right to vote was important. You might learn that your ancestors took part in revolution, law making, religious conversion, debate, science, education, or medicine. (Have the last few years of politics in America and the pandemic put you on edge?)
Hold that thought.
About the list:
The list of nobles' surnames is long. Some of the names are quite common, others more exotic sounding. It doesn't say where their family origin was though a name like Mariassi de Markusfalva or Bornemissza de Szendro do.
A negative is that no genealogy charts or reference to where documents were or are found is given. This long list is a starting place.
Finding a surname on it does not mean your ancestor with that name was noble. And they could have been a noble who was poor and struggling, landless, and so eager for opportunities in another country.
You will find many a common name on the list, lots of Nagy's and Kis.
C 2021 Magyar-American BlogSpot
This post is part of a series on Hungarian Nobility research Click on the tag Pro Tips - Hungarian Nobility in the Family to bring up all posts,
