Many clients turn to us in search of family origins in Hungary, often to understand ancestral ties across regions such as Transdanubia, the Northern Great Plain, or historic Upper Hungary (now part of Slovakia). We carry out research in state and county archives, ecclesiastical repositories, local municipal registries, and Jewish community collections. Our team locates parish registers, civil records, land and tax documents, and nobility confirmations where applicable. Certified extracts and high-quality transcriptions are prepared for official, academic, or family purposes. We also assist with historical interpretation, helping families understand the impact of border changes, imperial reforms, and ethnic diversity in regions like Transylvania, where Hungarian-speaking communities lived alongside Romanians, Saxons, and Szeklers. Our work often includes translating and contextualizing records written in Hungarian, Latin, German, Slovak, and Hebrew.

Genealogical research in Hungary offers a compelling and rewarding path into the historical fabric of Central Europe, allowing families to rediscover their roots and explore the richly diverse cultural layers that have shaped Hungarian identity over centuries. Hungary’s long-standing role within the Austro-Hungarian Empire, as well as its connections with the Habsburgs, the Ottoman period, and neighboring Slavic and Germanic peoples, has produced a uniquely intricate archival legacy. As a result, genealogical investigations in Hungary often reveal surprising details about multilingual heritage, religious coexistence, social mobility, and migrations across Central and Eastern Europe. At the European Genealogical Center, we assist clients in tracing Hungarian ancestry through thorough analysis of historical documents, family reconstructions, and the creation of custom genealogical materials. Hungary’s archival collections span from the 16th century onward, making it possible to trace multiple generations and place ancestors within their historical and geographic context.

Beyond the vital records and taxation lists, our team explores a broad range of supplementary materials to reconstruct personal and family histories. These include cadastral maps and land registers, noble lineage confirmations, military conscription rolls, educational records, emigration files, professional guild lists, and court documents. Property plans and estate records, especially in rural areas, can reveal a great deal about ancestors' living conditions and community status. School and university records, which became more widespread in the 19th and early 20th centuries, offer clues about literacy, language, and professional aspirations. Town-level censuses, especially those from 1869 and later, offer rare insights into household structure and mobility.

Time inexorably races forward, carrying away the pages of history and the mysterious destinies of ancestors left in the past. It's challenging to comprehend, but behind each person in the genealogical tree lies an entire lived life. These individuals left their mark in time, filling their lives with events, joy, sorrow, happiness, and sadness. Despite having long faded into oblivion, their legacy, like an invisible thread, connects us to the past. The importance of preserving this history is undeniable. The European Genealogical Center provides an opportunity to dive into family history. Remembering, cherishing, and respecting it not only allows us to delve into our past but also strengthens our connection to what makes us a unique part of this world.

One of the foundational sources for genealogical research in Hungary is the parish register, or anyakönyv, in which baptisms, marriages, and burials were recorded by Catholic, Calvinist, Lutheran, and Greek Catholic parishes. Jewish communities also maintained detailed registers, particularly in the 19th century, often using Hebrew and German. These records date back to the early 18th century and are among the most consistent and detailed genealogical resources in Central Europe. During the late 18th century, under the reign of Maria Theresa and Joseph II, additional reforms introduced civil oversight of religious registers and created valuable land tax records — known as the Urbarium Tables (Úrbéri tabellák) — which document land ownership, peasant obligations, and economic life at the village level. These materials allow us to link families to specific locations, properties, and occupations, offering insight into both lineage and livelihood.