VARGA
Varga is a surname of Hungarian origin that has been adopted by families throughout Europe and beyond. The name is derived from the Hungarian word varga, meaning “shoemaker” or “cobbler”. As an occupational surname it was originally given to individuals who practised that trade, and it has since become one of the most common surnames in Hungary.
The meaning of the name extends beyond the craft of shoemaking. In the early Magyar tongue the root Várga also meant “picked” or “selected”, a term that was applied to skilled butchers, metal workers and musicians chosen for their expertise. This linguistic heritage suggests that bearers of the name were often regarded as selected or distinguished in their profession.
Several spelling variations are documented. Besides Varga itself, the surname appears as Vargas, Vargan, Vargha and Vargá. The variations are most commonly seen in neighbouring countries such as Austria, Slovakia, Croatia and Serbia, where local orthographic conventions have produced forms such as Bargha, Vargova and Vajga. In the United Kingdom the name has historically been listed simply as Varga, while in the United States it is sometimes anglicised to Vargo.
In Hungary alone approximately fifty thousand people bear the surname, making it one of the country’s most frequent family names. The name is also widely found in neighbouring Central European states, including Austria, Croatia, Romania, Germany, Serbia and Slovakia. In the United States it is most common in states with large Hungarian enclaves, namely Texas, New Jersey and California. In Canada it is registered in areas settled by Hungarian immigrants during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. According to the 2018 national census the surname ranks as the 163rd most common in England and Wales.
Outside of Europe the name has spread to South America, where it is received in Brazil and Argentina, and to the Caribbean and Mexico. In these regions the surname is generally interpreted as an immigrant surname of Hungarian origin, though it may occasionally refer to the geographically distinct Spanish and Portuguese surname Vargas, which has a locational or topographical derivation from a town or water meadow known as Vargas.
Bearers of the surname are often characterised by traits associated with the name’s historical significance. Reports and genealogical records consistently link the name with a strong sense of loyalty, responsibility, determination and perseverance, reflecting the manual and selected nature of the original professions.
Typical given names associated with the Varga surname
Male
- Andrew
- Attila
- Gabor
- Istvan
- Janos
- Laszlo
- Peter
- Robert
- Tamas
- Tibor
- Zoltan
Female
- Andrea
- Anita
- Caroline
- Emma
- Gabriella
- Janet
- Katalin
- Krisztina
- Margaret
- Maria
- Monika
- Susan
- Timea
- Viktoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Varga in...
Braille
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Morse
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There are approximately 1,048 people named Varga in the UK. That makes it roughly the 7,107th most common surname in Britain. Around 16 in a million people in Britain are named Varga.
Origin: Iberian
Region of origin: Europe
Country of origin: Spain
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: Spanish
Famous people named Varga
- Richard Varga - Slovakian triathlete
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.