There are many well known celebrities and people of accomplishment who have Hungarian roots. Wonder who they are?
Hungarians – They Might Surprise You
There are many more famous Hungarians than you might think, and some of your favorite celebrities might be Hungarian in descent. Look through the lists and learn about a few of them.
You might notice the large contingent of Jewish Hungarians, since Hungary had a long history of Jewish, Turk, and Christians living together with tolerance, there being both periods of toleration and oppression. With notable exceptions of persecution in history, including during the World War 2, when many Jews fled or were forcibly transported from the country.
All histories are biased to some extent… here are a few to read to give some context to the understanding of Hungarian people:
All part of the tragic history and land that has produced some very illustrious people.
Who’s Who?
Who are the famous Hungarians?
Barbara Palvin – Fashion Model
Barbara Palvin – Fashion Model
Actors and Actresses
Jessica Szohr
I didn’t know they were Hungarian!
River and Joaquin Phoenix
Drew Barrymore
Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hungarian Born American Actress
In retrospect, it is an odd thing that Paul Newman’s film charisma seems almost eclipsed by the food business his name represents now. From salad dressing to spaghetti sauce and a number of fairly wholesome products in between, His politics and good taste combined in a business. Interesting story to read.
Directors and Film Media
William Fox – Hungarian founder of Fox Studios
Who’s Who
Albert Szent-Györgyi
In Science
People of Hungarian descent
Donat Banki – co-inventor of the carburetor
James Csonka – Co-invented the carburetor
Les Besser – “Father of microwave computer aided design.”
Charles Simonyi – Computer scientist
Jozsef Szabo von Szentmiklos
Edward Teller “the father of the hydrogen bomb”
Dr. Bela Schick, a Hungarian-born American pediatrician discovered a cure for diphtheria. His “Schick test”, given to newborns tested for susceptibility to diphtheria.
Dr. Roy A.E. Bakay was the leading authority on surgery for movement disorders during his lifetime.
Sports Figures
Famous Athletes of Hungarian Descent
- Joe Namath, American Football Great
- Monica Seles, Tennis Superstar Athlete
- Joe Theismann, famous football player.
- Ferenc Puskás, one of the greatest soccer players of all time.
Hungarians In Music
Franz Liszt
People of Hungarian descent
Hungarians
A Blend of People and Culture
Hungary stood at the border of many conquests, and in such situations there are groups of people who settle and contribute their culture and influence; additionally some of the conflicts so decimated the population of Hungary that other groups were invited in to resettle the land. And so the fascinating blends and historical distinctions of the story of Hungarians takes place.
This resulted in groups of Magyars, of Germans known as Swabians in Hungary, Turks, numerous other culture and ethnic groups, and Jews.
The Magyars, considered the native people, were themselves invading conquerors. Later the Turks (Ottomans), displaced in rule by the Austrians, with the invited Swabians (Germans) to repopulate the land after the horrendous effects of the Ottoman wars. [1]
The Hungarians: A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat
How do you say “Famous Hungarians” in Hungarian? “HÃres Magyarok”
In Art – Artists of Hungarian Descent
Women of Eger by Bertalan Szekely
Hungarian-descent Artists:
Willy Pogány – Artist and Illustrator
Other Disciplines and Accomplishments – More Famous Hungarians
- Paul Halmos contributed significantly to probability theory, statistics, and logic.
- Cornelius Lanczos developed the Lanczos algorithm and Lanczos approximation
- Thomas Szasz, sociologist
- Artists Marcel Breuer and László Moholy-Nagy
- William Andrew Pogany, Hungarian born illustrator
- George Soros, well known financier
- Joseph Pulitzer, famous newspaper journalist and publisher was born in Makó, Hungary
- Jozsef Mindszenty, famous cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
- Calvin Klein, famous fashion designer, was born to Hungarian Jewish parents.
- Estee Lauder, cosmetics company mogul.
The Famous Houdini
Harry Houdini, Magician was born in Budapest.
The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero
Transylvanian Roots: The True Life Adventures of a Hungarian-American
The Truth Is Out There
When Nobel Prize winner Enrico Fermi was asked if he believed in extraterrestrials, he replied:
“They are among us, but they call themselves Hungarians”
Looking At Long Ago
Inventive People
Have fun watching!
Entertainers
Gene Simmons of Kiss fame was born in Israel – both his parents, however were born in Hungary.
Find Out More About Famous Hungarians – elsewhere on the web
Budapest, Hungary by Julia Thorne
- Hungary – A love for life! | Hungary’s high achievers
Hungarian High Achievers - List of English Words of Hungarian Origin
English is a language with roots in many other languages, because English-speaking people have intermingled with cultures around the globe, as well as colonized many areas of the world. This article gives a list of English words of Hungarian origin w
Find Your Rubik’s Cube – and go play with it awhile 🙂
Yes, this was a Hungarian invention.
