The personal names of 16th to 17th-century Bereg County batkos

Abstract

Among the most important sources for onomastic and diachronic name research are the 17^th-century ‘urbaria’ (land surveys) and tax records from the Mukachevo/Munkács and Chynadiyovo/ (Bereg)szentmiklós estates. In the history of Bereg County, the roughly century-long period from the mid-16^th to the mid-17^th century represents one of the most significant eras. During this time, the repopulation of previously uninhabited areas was largely carried out by kenezes (village founders and settler recruiters), while the spiritual and religious needs of the new communities were served by Rusyn priests known as batkos. These untrained clergy members, who were often forced into their positions by circumstances, played an important role in maintaining community cohesion and ensuring the survival of villages. This study examines the name forms of the batkos based on two Latin and three Hungarian-language urbaria, covering nearly eight decades. It seeks to address the following question: why, unlike the occupational title kenez, the title batko did not give rise to a large number of hereditary surnames? Through the analysis of this name type and the associated processes of name formation, the author sheds light on a lesser-known aspect of personal naming practices in the historical county of Bereg.