2010
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Palhegyi
Hungarian surname derived from the words "pal" (Paul) and "hegy" (hill), meaning one from Paul's hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Palhegyi. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Palhegyi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Palhegyi in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Palhegyi, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Palhegyi
The surname Palhegyi is of Hungarian origin and dates back to the late 15th century. It is derived from the Hungarian words "pál" meaning Paul and "hegy" meaning hill or mountain. The name likely originated in the hilly regions of western Hungary, possibly in areas near the town of Győr.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Palhegyi name can be found in a land registry from 1492, which mentions a János Palhegyi as a landowner in the village of Pázmándfalu, now part of modern-day Győr. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name appears in various church records and census documents from the region around Győr and the nearby town of Sopron. A notable figure from this time period was István Palhegyi, a Protestant minister who was active in the city of Sopron during the 1560s.
The 17th century saw the spread of the Palhegyi name to other parts of Hungary, as well as to neighboring regions of Austria and Slovakia. In 1624, a Mihály Palhegyi was recorded as a landowner in the village of Újfalu, now part of modern-day Burgenland, Austria.
During the 18th century, the Palhegyi name continued to be found in various records throughout Hungary and the surrounding areas. One notable figure from this time was József Palhegyi, a Catholic priest who served in the town of Esztergom from 1745 to 1782.
The 19th century brought further spread of the Palhegyi name, with individuals bearing the surname appearing in records from cities and towns across Hungary, as well as in parts of neighboring countries. A notable figure from this period was Sándor Palhegyi, a Hungarian writer and poet who was born in 1820 and published several works during his lifetime.
As the 20th century arrived, the Palhegyi name could be found throughout Hungary and in Hungarian communities in neighboring countries. One notable figure from this time was Zoltán Palhegyi, a Hungarian engineer and inventor who was born in 1895 and made significant contributions to the development of early television technology.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Palhegyi
Among Census respondents with the surname Palhegyi, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Palhegyi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Palhegyi surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.0% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino6.7% · 8
- Two or more races5.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.3% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Palhegyi
Palhegyi appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+13 bearers (+12.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,579 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.1%) | Up 10,579 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Palhegyi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #152,628 | #142,049 | 6.9% |
| Count | 107 | 120 | 12.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Palhegyi bearers went from 107 to 120 (+12.1% change). The surname moved up 10,579 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #142,049.
FAQ
Palhegyi surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Palhegyi?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Palhegyi. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Palhegyi?
Palhegyi ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Palhegyi. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Palhegyi.
Has Palhegyi become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Palhegyi went from 107 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 13 (+12.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Palhegyi?
Among Census respondents with the surname Palhegyi, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Palhegyi in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.0% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Palhegyi appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.0%), Hispanic (6.7%), Two or More Races (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Palhegyi (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Palhegyi mean?
Hungarian surname derived from the words "pal" (Paul) and "hegy" (hill), meaning one from Paul's hill. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Palhegyi (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Palhegyi?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Palhegyi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.