Király is a Hungarian surname, meaning king (female Királyné/Királynő). The name is predominantly found in communities across Hungary, followed by Austria, Slovenia, and Switzerland in terms of frequency per million of citizens. Origins of the surname include the Slavonic word of the late 1600s meaning "king". It is also a middle high German word, used as a term of endearment, for curly headed individuals.
This pronunciation of Kiraly differs by region. The American pronunciation of Kiraly is "Keer-ah-lee." The accent falls on the first syllable. The Hungarian pronunciation is /kiraːj/, used by Gábor Király.
Kiralys in the United States
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Small pockets of Kiraly families exist around the world, primarily in Hungary, but most in the United States are found in Cleveland, Ohio, the state of Connecticut, and in Arlington, Virginia. And some are also in the far west region of Texas.
Notable people with the name include:
- Annamária Király (born 1985), Hungarian handball player
- Béla Király (1912–2009), Hungarian general and politician
- Botond Király (born 1994), Hungarian footballer
- Don Kiraly (born 1953), American linguist
- Ede Király (1926–2009), Hungarian figure skater
- Gábor Király (born 1976), Hungarian footballer
- Hajnalka Kiraly (born 1971), Hungarian-born French épée fencer
- Karch Kiraly (born 1960), American volleyball player and coach
- Linda Király (born 1983), American-Hungarian singer-songwriter
- Lucy Kiraly (born 1950), Australian fashion model and television presenter
- Mónika Király (born 1983), Hungarian road cyclist
- Pál Király (1880–1965), Hungarian engineer and weapons designer
- Pál Király (athlete) (1896–1969), Hungarian long-distance runner
- Viktor Király (born 1984), Hungarian–American pop singer
- Zoltán Király (born 1948), Hungarian journalist, educator, and politician