Szabó

Szabó is a Hungarian surname meaning "tailor." It derives from the Hungarian word szabó, an occupational term used since medieval times to designate a person who made clothing. As a hereditary surname, Szabó spread with the population of the historical Kingdom of Hungary and is now among the most common surnames in Hungary and in Hungarian-speaking communities abroad.

The name is typically rendered with the diacritic on the final vowel as Szabó. In contexts that do not use diacritics, it is written Szabo. In neighboring countries and among diaspora populations, related forms such as Šabo or Szabo may occur, reflecting local orthography. The surname is found across Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and among Hungarian communities around the world, including North America and Western Europe.

There are many notable people named Szabó who have made contributions in fields such as science, sports, arts, and public life. Because it is a common surname, it often appears in various national and international contexts, sometimes with different given names, but the underlying origin remains the same: a reference to the trade of tailoring. The name also features in academic, cultural, and historical contexts, illustrating the enduring legacy of occupational surnames in Hungarian onomastics.