szenes

Szenes is a Hungarian surname, derived from the word szén, meaning coal, with the suffix -es forming an adjective or toponymic surname that denotes an association with coal or coal-bearing origins. The traditional Hungarian spelling is Szénes, while the unaccented form Szenes is common in international contexts and in diaspora communities.

The surname is found primarily among Hungarian-speaking populations and their descendants. It is particularly associated with Hungarian Jews, but it is also borne by people of broader Hungarian heritage. Today the name can be found in Hungary and in diaspora communities across Israel, the United States, Canada, and other countries.

Notable people with the surname include Hanna/Hannah Szenes (1921–1944), a Hungarian-born poet and member of the Jewish resistance during World War II. She wrote poetry before the war and became a national heroine for her resistance activities; her work and legacy have been widely commemorated in Israel and Hungary, and her poetry has been translated into multiple languages.

See also variants of the name include Szénes (with the acute accent), and other spellings that result from transliteration or diaspora usage.