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

Szalai, 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 Szalai surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Szalai in America

Szalai is the 67747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Szalai surname appeared 291 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 Szalai.

We can also compare 2010 data for Szalai to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Szalai

The surname Szalai is of Hungarian origin, originating in the 14th century. It is derived from the Hungarian word "szálló" meaning "inn" or "hostel". The name likely referred to an innkeeper or someone who worked at an inn.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Szalai can be found in a document from 1389 in the town of Debrecen, Hungary. This document mentions a landowner named Szalai Kelemen.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various records from the region of Transdanubia in western Hungary. This was a particularly prosperous area at the time, and many inns and hostels were situated along trade routes.

A notable individual with the surname Szalai was Szalai Miklós, a Hungarian poet and writer who lived from 1884 to 1965. He was renowned for his lyrical poetry and his work in preserving Hungarian folklore and traditions.

Another prominent figure was Szalai Sándor, a Hungarian politician and economist who served as the Minister of Finance from 1953 to 1956. He played a key role in implementing economic reforms during the post-World War II era.

The Szalai family name can be traced back to several villages in the counties of Vas and Zala in western Hungary. Some of these villages include Szalafő, Szalapa, and Szalaszentmihály, which may have influenced the development of the surname.

In the 16th century, the name appears in records from the town of Sárvár, which was a significant center of trade and commerce. A document from 1567 mentions a merchant named Szalai György who owned several properties in the town.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Szalai family name spread across Hungary, with notable individuals emerging in various fields. For instance, Szalai József was a renowned military leader who fought against the Ottoman Empire in the late 17th century.

As the centuries passed, the spelling of the surname Szalai remained relatively consistent, although some variations such as Szalay or Szalaji were also used. Despite its humble origins, the name has become well-established and respected in Hungarian society.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Szalai

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

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 Szalai 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Szalai has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Szalai was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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