Lakó

Lakó is a Hungarian word and surname derived from the verb lakik, meaning "to live" or "to dwell." As a common noun, lakó means "resident," "inhabitant" or "occupant"; as a surname it likely originated as a descriptive or occupational name for someone identified by their place of residence or status as an occupant of property.

Etymology and pronunciation: the name comes from the Hungarian root lak- with the agentive or descriptive suffix -ó. In Hungarian orthography it is written Lakó and pronounced approximately [ˈlɒkoː], with a short back vowel followed by a long close-mid back vowel. The form without the acute accent, Lako, appears in contexts where diacritics are omitted, such as international documents or digital systems.

Distribution and variants: Lakó is most common in Hungary and among Hungarian-speaking communities in neighboring countries and the diaspora. Variants and related forms may appear through transliteration or linguistic assimilation, and the element lakó also occurs in compound words and place-related terms (for example in compounds describing residential areas).

Onomastic and cultural notes: as a surname, Lakó belongs to a class of family names formed from personal characteristics, locations or social roles. It appears in civil registers, historical documents and modern records but is not among the most widespread Hungarian surnames.