Horváth

Horváth is a Hungarian surname meaning “Croat” or “Croatian.” It derives from the Slavic exonym Hrvat, used in Croatian, Serbian, Slovenian and related languages, and was adopted into Hungarian to denote someone of Croat origin or ancestry. The name is typically considered ethnonymic rather than occupational or topographic.

It is one of the most common Hungarian surnames and is found among Hungarian communities in neighboring countries such as Slovakia, Romania, Serbia, and Croatia, as well as in the Hungarian diaspora in North America and elsewhere. In non-Hungarian contexts it may appear without diacritics as Horvath or, in some Slavic contexts, as Horvat.

Variants of the surname include Horvath (unaccented). In Croatian and Slovenian, forms such as Hrvat exist, meaning “Croat.” The Hungarian form Horváth reflects typical Hungarian spelling conventions, and pronunciation is commonly rendered as approximately hor-VAHTS, with the final sound similar to “ts.”

Many individuals bearing the surname have contributed to politics, arts, sciences, and sports in Hungary and abroad, reflecting the long-standing presence of Croat communities within Hungarian history. The name illustrates historical migrations and cultural interchanges in Central Europe. See also entries on the ethnonym Hrvat/Hrvat, and on related surname variants found in the region.