Horvitz

Horvitz is a surname of Central or Eastern European origin. The name is a variant of Horváth and is found among Jewish and non-Jewish families, particularly in the United States and Europe. It may derive from the Hungarian given name Horvát, meaning “Croat,” or from occupational or topographic roots common to Hungarian surnames. As a surname, it has appeared in academic, professional, and cultural contexts.

Notable people with the surname include Eric Horvitz, an American computer scientist known for his work in artificial intelligence. He has held leadership roles at Microsoft Research and has been influential in the development of AI systems and research into responsible and robust AI.

In statistics, the Horvitz–Thompson estimator is a design-based method used for estimating totals and means from finite populations in survey sampling when encounter probabilities vary. Introduced in the 1950s by Horvitz and Thompson, the estimator provides unbiased estimates under unequal probability sampling and is a foundational tool in survey methodology.

The surname continues to appear across various fields and contexts, reflecting its broad geographic and cultural dispersion.