SZABO Surname Meaning and Origin

Szabó is a common Hungarian occupational surname meaning "tailor," or "one who cuts or metes out."

Surname Origin: Hungarian

Alternate Surname Spellings: SABO, ZABO

Fun Fact About the Szabo Surname

Up until about the 17th century, Zabo was the most common spelling of the Szabo surname.

Famous People With the Surname SZABO

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• Laszlo Szabo - Hungarian chess grandmaster
• Violette Szabo (nee Bushnell) - decorated WWII female spy
• Ecaterina Szabo - Romanian Olympic gymnast
• Zachariah Szabo - American figure skater
• Dezső Szabó - Hungarian writer

Where Do People With the SZABO Surname Live?

According to surname distribution data from Forebears, the Szabo surname is by far the most prevalent in Hungary, where it ranks 3rd in the nation. It is also common in Slovakia, ranking 8th, followed by Romania (139th) and Austria (212th).

Data from WorldNames PublicProfiler also identifies Szabó as most prevalent in Hungary, by far, particularly in the Pest region.

Genealogy Resources for the Surname SZABO

Szabo Surname Project
Learn about the Szabo DNA Surname Project at Family Tree DNA.

Szabo Family Crest - It's Not What You Think
Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Szabo family crest or coat of arms for the Szabo surname. Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.

SZABO Family Genealogy Forum
This free message board is focused on descendants of Szabo ancestors around the world.

FamilySearch - SZABO Genealogy
Access over 1.9 million free historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Szabo surname and its variations on this free genealogy website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

SZABO Surname Mailing List
This free RootsWeb mailing list for researchers of the Szabo surname and its variations includes subscription details and searchable archives of past messages.

The Szabo Genealogy and Family Tree Page
Browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Szabo from the website of Genealogy Today.

References

• Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.
• Dorward, David. Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.
• Fucilla, Joseph. Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.
• Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.
• Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.
• Reaney, P.H. A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.
• Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.