Show ContentsNagy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Nagy surname is derived from the Hungarian word "nagy," which means "big" or "great". No doubt it evolved from a nickname for a large man or great man.

Early Origins of the Nagy family

The surname Nagy was first found in Hungary, where it is thought that the surname originated.

Early History of the Nagy family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nagy research. Another 43 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1326, 1342, 1370, 1382, 1437, 1449, 1582, 1631, 1797, 1846 and 1868 are included under the topic Early Nagy History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nagy Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Nagy, Naggy, Nady, Natz and others.

Early Notables of the Nagy family

Notable amongst the family name in this era

  • King Louis the Great (Lajos Nagy) (1326-1382), King of Hungary and Croatia from 1342 and King of Poland from 1370 until his death
  • Nagy de Galantha, who was ennobled in 1582
  • Károly Nagy (1797-1868), an Hungarian astronomer, mathematician, chemist and politician

Nagy Ranking

In the United States, the name Nagy is the 3,322nd most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. [1] However, in France, the name Nagy is ranked the 8,555th most popular surname with an estimated 500 - 1,000 people with that name. [2]


United States Nagy migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Nagy Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Stephan Nagy, who applied for naturalization in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania in 1889
  • Leo Nagy, who emigrated from Bremen to New York on the Steamship Trave in 1893
  • Leo Nagy, aged 42, who landed in New York, NY in 1893 [3]
Nagy Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Agostosine Nagy, aged 33, who landed in America, in 1902
  • Albert Nagy, aged 2, who settled in America from London, in 1903
  • Amcilia Nagy, aged 20, who landed in America from London, in 1903
  • Andras Nagy, aged 31, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
  • Andras Nagy, aged 25, who immigrated to America from Kalle Lemeny, in 1903
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Nagy (post 1700) +

  • Dennis Mark Nagy (1943-2023), American Air Force lieutenant, acting Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency from September 1991 to November 1991
  • Joseph F. Nagy, American Republican politician, Candidate for Michigan State House of Representatives 30th District, 1964, 1968; Candidate for Michigan State Senate 10th District, 1966
  • David A. Nagy (b. 1940), American Libertarian politician, Candidate for Michigan State Senate 9th District, 1998
  • Stephen Nagy (1919-2016), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1947 to 1950
  • Christine Nagy, American actress and radio personality
  • Gregory Nagy (b. 1942), American professor of Classics
  • Charles Nagy (b. 1967), American former Major League Baseball all-star right-handed pitcher
  • William A. Nagy, American Republican politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Assembly from Milwaukee County 23rd District, 1958
  • Tibor P. Nagy (1949-1996), American politician, U.S. Ambassador to Guinea, 1996-98; Ethiopia, 1999
  • John K. Nagy, American Republican politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 22nd District, 1958
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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