Find out how popular the last name Pusztai is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Pusztai.

Pusztai, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Pusztai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Pusztai in America

Pusztai is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Pusztai surname appeared 129 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Pusztai.

The history of the last name Pusztai

The surname Pusztai is of Hungarian origin, dating back to the early medieval period. It is derived from the Hungarian word "puszta," which means "deserted" or "uncultivated land." The name likely originated in rural areas where people lived on or near such lands.

Pusztai is a locative surname, meaning it was originally given to someone who lived near or worked on a puszta. In the 13th century, as the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread in Hungary, individuals began to adopt surnames based on their place of origin, occupation, or other distinguishing characteristics.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Pusztai surname can be found in a land registry from the 15th century, where a certain Máté Pusztai is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Csobánka, near Budapest. This suggests that the name was already well-established by that time.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Pusztai name appeared in various historical records, including tax rolls and court documents. Notably, a certain Péter Pusztai was a prominent figure in the Hungarian Reformation movement, serving as a Protestant minister in the town of Debrecen in the 1560s.

In the 18th century, the Pusztai family played a significant role in the development of the wine industry in the Tokaj-Hegyalja region of northeastern Hungary. János Pusztai (1712-1787) was a renowned vintner whose wines were highly sought after by the nobility and even exported to other European countries.

Another notable figure with the Pusztai surname was Károly Pusztai (1844-1918), a politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Hungarian parliament in the late 19th century. He was a vocal advocate for Hungarian independence and played a crucial role in the negotiations that led to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.

In the 20th century, the Pusztai name gained international recognition with the work of Árpád Pusztai (1929-2020), a Hungarian-born biochemist who conducted controversial research on the potential health risks of genetically modified foods. His findings sparked a global debate and influenced policies regarding the regulation of GM crops.

Throughout its history, the Pusztai surname has been associated with various locations in Hungary, including villages and towns near Budapest, Debrecen, and the Tokaj-Hegyalja region. While the name has spread to other parts of the world due to migration, its origins can be traced back to the rural landscapes of medieval Hungary.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Pusztai

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Pusztai.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Pusztai was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Pusztai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Pusztai, please contact us.

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