Surname Hajdu - Meaning and Origin

Hajdu: What does the surname Hajdu mean?

The last name Hajdu is derived from the Hungarian noun meaning "woodcutter". It is thought to have been a nickname for someone who worked in a forest or who made a living out of the sale of timber.

The name can be found in many countries in Central and Eastern Europe including Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia. In Hungary, the surname Hajdu is the third most common surname, likely due to the large population that immigrated during the Ottoman wars.

Today, the name Hajdu can be used as either a first or a last name, and those who carry it are likely to be of Hungarian, Slovakian or Austrian descent. The name has been in use since at least the early 15th century, and is likely to continue as a popular surname for many years to come.

As a result of its long history, the surname Hajdu has acquired a variety of meanings in different cultures and regions. As well as the core meaning of woodcutter, it can also be interpreted as 'hunter', 'trader', 'soldier', 'innkeeper', 'musician' or someone who follows the 'whisperer' profession. All of these interpretations suggest that those who bear this surname are often active, entrepreneurial and lively people.

Hajdu: Where does the name Hajdu come from?

Hajdu is a surname of Hungarian origin. It is most common in Hungary, where it is ranked as the 61st most frequent surname in the country. Within Hungary, Hajdu is most prevalent in the northwest within the region of Zala.

Outside of Hungary, Hajdu is most common in the United States where it ranks in the 15,000th most frequent surname. It is a relatively rare surname in the United States, with the surname only making up 0.013% of the population in the country. It is most common in the Midwest, particularly in Ohio, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota.

In Australia, Hajdu is also among the 15,000th most common surname, ranking as the 2,116th most frequent surname. It is most prevalent in the state of Victoria, particularly in the Greater Melbourne region, with it also being present in other states.

In Canada, Hajdu is an uncommon surname and is among the 30,000th most frequent surname. It is most frequent in Ontario and Quebec, particularly in the metropolitan areas of Montreal and Ottawa.

Overall, Hajdu is most common in Hungary, followed closely by the United States, Australia, and Canada. This suggests that the surname is heavily associated with migration from Central and Eastern Europe to the Americas, Australia and other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Hajdu

The surname Hajdu has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames all of the same origin.

The most common spelling is Hajdu, which is of Hungarian origin. The other primary variants are Hajdú and Hajdoo. Additionally, there are several spellings of the surname with accents, such as Hajdú, Hajdű, and Hajdy.

This surname is also found in other countries, taking on slightly different spellings. Some of these countries include Romania (where it is spelled Hadju) and Slovenia (where it is spelled Hadjo).

The surname is also found in variations of the surname, including Hajdo, Hajdoo, Hajdó, and Hajdók.

Variations of the surname with slightly different spelling but the same origin are Hájek, Hajek, Hajdik, Hajeková, Hajková, and Hajzler.

The Hajdu surname is also connected to a variety of other surnames including Hadji, Khajee, Kajdasz, Haiduk, Hajduszkiewicz, and Hajdys.

In addition, other surnames with the same origin, but slightly different spellings include Hadjic, Haidu, Khadje, Hajekovic, and Hajdysz.

Altogether, the surname Hajdu has multiple variants, spellings, and surnames all of the same origin. Those variations and spellings exist across many countries, as well as other related surnames.

Famous people with the name Hajdu

• David Hajdu: American author, music critic and biographer
• Sändor Hajdu: Hungarian sculptor
• Mike Hajdu: Canadian competitive eater
• Zoltán Hajdu : Hungarian weightlifter
• Szabolcs Hajdu: Governor of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, Hungary
• Vince Hajdu: Canadian former professional ice hockey player
• Adam Hajdu: international basketball player from Hungary
• András Hajdu: Hungarian football player
• Vince Hajdú: Hungarian Olympic fencer
• Pal Hajdu: Hungarian Olympic fencer
• Gábor Hajdu: Hungarian classical pianist and composer
• Dániel Hajdu: Hungarian dressage rider
• Gábor Hajdú: Hungarian triple jumper
• Paul Hajdu: American political scientist
• John Hajdu– American politician from Connecticut
• André Hajdu: State Councillor from Hungary
• Zoltán Hajdu: Hungarian Olympic shooter
• Vilmos Hajdú: Hungarian actor
• Margit Hajdú: Hungarian actress and stage director
• Aleksandar Hajdu: professional Austrian footballer

Other surnames