Hungarian Ottoman studies have always been at the forefront of Turkish tax census research, using increasingly sophisticated methods that provide unparalleled insights into the demographics of the population in Ottoman Hungary – in this case, the Magyars. In this respect, the works of Gyula Káldy-Nagy and Géza Dávid are still very relevant. Their studies, however, also prove that only the combined and critical use of multiple sources can yield realistic results for a given settlement, and that it is imperative to conduct in-depth research down to the level of families and individuals. The study uses this approach to trace the development of the Hungarian population in Buda between 1546 and 1590, while at the same time drawing attention to the limitations of the defters as source material. It argues that Buda at this time was depopulated to a lesser degree than had been previously assumed; the community was tenacious and, albeit somewhat fractured, it still constituted a significant urban population. Ottoman Buda remained one of the most important Hungarian cities.