In 2019, it occurred in 203,126 names, making it the fourth most frequent Hungarian surname.
It is usually originated from the present participle form ("szabó") of the verb "szab", meaning to "cut cloth to size", which then became a noun denoting the occupation of a tailor.
[2] It is also thought that the other meaning of the verb "kiszab", denoting the act of imposing fines, levying taxes etc.
could have also led to the creation of the noun "szabó", meaning an occupation similar to a judge's or magistrate's.
The existence of the two meanings could also justify why this surname could become so wide-spread.