fazekas

Fazekas is a Hungarian surname derived from the Hungarian word fazekas, meaning potter or ceramic craftsman. The surname originates from the occupation of pottery making and is an example of the many Hungarian surnames formed from trades.

In Hungarian, fazekas referred to a potter who made jars, bowls, and other wares on the wheel; as a surname it identifies ancestral occupation. The name is most common in Hungary and among Hungarian communities abroad, including parts of Romania and Slovakia, and in countries with Hungarian diaspora.

Notable people with the surname include Mihály Fazekas, a Hungarian poet and writer best known for Lúdas Matyi, a long-standing piece of Hungarian literature.

Today Fazekas is primarily encountered as a family name in Hungarian-speaking areas, and sometimes appears in other countries among people of Hungarian descent. The name remains a common marker of cultural heritage tied to traditional crafts. The name continues to be used across generations and can be found in contemporary Hungarian literature, academia, and public life.