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HISTORICAL STUDIES

by

Lajos Marjalaki Kiss

 

The population of Hungary at the time of Árpád’s(1) conquest could only have been Hungarian. This is based upon the geographical names of the main body of their country, and particularly the names of the region east of the Danube-Garam line. This becomes evident if we view the small number of the Bulgarian-Slavic and Czech geographic names in the sea of Ugor-Hungarian names in the 9th c. AD. We must also remember that the territories occupied by the two Oláh(2) principalities in Moldavia and Havasalföld have been Oláh speaking territories for the past 700 years and even so, only one-seventh of their river-names are of Oláh origins up to this day. One must remark that even this one seventh part of river-names is applied to smaller rivulets or brooks only. (pg.65)

Anonymus(3) mentions several times in his work that the peasants spoke a different language than the Árpáds. He states, for example, that Duke Bors “collected many of the peasants to build a castle near the Boldva, which ’these people’ named Borsod.” Consequently, “these people”,  that are mentioned by Anonymus, could have been none other than Hungarians.

None of the river names mentioned in Anonymus’ Gesta were proven to be anything else but Hungarian! It is not likely that they could be anything other than Hungarian as written sources, even before the 10th c. AD., already mention the following bodies of water: Duna, Tisza, Maros, Szamos, Körös, Temes, Olt, Zala, Rába, Balaton, etc. These all preserved their Hungarian names even though the Dak (Dacians), the Celts, Illyrians, Romans, Sarmatians, Germanic people, the Huns, the Avars, Bulgarians, Slavs, Oláhs passed through these regions. Chauvinism in ancient times was never so strong as to erase the original names of geographic areas. (pg.70)

Not all of the historical documents of the Árpád era have been published as of yet. The greatest number of these documents were published in the 12 hefty volumes by Wenzel, in the “Collection of the Árpád documents”. Out of these and the alphabetized Index prepared by Nándor Kovács, one can easily assemble at least 3-4000 names of bodies of waters. Of all these names — for the sake of easy survey — I am going to discuss only the oldest names, which are the names before the Tatár invasion; even of these I will mention only the most significant ones.

One also has to remark that if the people who spoke Hungarian had arrived only with the Árpáds, there would not be any Hungarian geographic names in the earliest documents. But as we shall see, there are many of these. Among St. István’s documents written in Greek, there is a document from the year 1000 from Veszprémvölgy, in 1001 from Pannonhalma, in 1002 from Veszprém (donations of Hurhida, etc.), in 1009 from Pécs and in 1015 from Pécsvárad. All except the first mentioned were written in Latin and in all of these there is a considerable number of Hungarian place-names mentioned. Unfortunately, (that) the originals of these documents were lost. Existing copies originated 100, 300 and 400 years later.

                                   

* Note: Let us observe not only the mass of Hungarian geographic names prior to Árpád’s introit into Hungary, but let us also observe the way these names were written by foreign, Latin trained historians and scribes. The sometimes severely distorted rendering of names will serve as an excellent guide to “decipher” the forms and meaning of Scythian names. (Ed.)

 

 


 

Hungarian geographic names and as they appear in the Anonymus Gesta

     Names of bodies of             water

 

Abádrév                      portus Obad

Almás folyó                  fluvius Almas

Balaton                         fluvius Bolutun

Bodrog folyó                fluvius Budrug

Bodrog melléke                        partes Budrug

Böge (Bega)                 partes Beguey

Csesztreg folyó             fluvius Seztureg

Eger folyó                     fluvius Egur

 

Bodies of water cont.:

Fertő mocsár                stagnum Ferteu

Hejő folyó                    Heuyou

Hernád folyó                Honrad

Jószás folyó                  fluvius Jouxas

Kapus folyó                  fluvius Copus

Kelepataka                   Kelepotaca

Kórógy ér                    fluvius Couroug

Körös folyó                 Cris

                                   Castrum

Körtvélytó                    Curtueltou

Maros folyó                  fluvius morus

Nyárád vize                  fluvius Naragy

Omsó-ér                      fluvius humusouer

Ostoros vize                 fluvius Ystoros

Rákos patai                  fluvius Racus

Sajó folyó                     Souyou, Souiou

Sár viz                          Saru

Soroksár viz                 ultra Surucusar

Szamos folyó                fluvius Zomus

Tekerő vize                  fluvius Tekereu

Temes folyó                  fluvius Temes, Temus

Tormos patak               rivulus Turmos

Tur vize                        fluvius Turu

Vág folyó                     fluvius Wag

Vajas Duna-ág             fluvius Uoyos

Bihar vár                      Byhor

Bodajk hegy                 Bodoctu

Bolhád hegy                 Bulhadu

Bolondos vár                Blundus

 

Other geogr.names

Borsod

Borsodvár

Bars vár                      Castrum Borsu

Budavár                      Buduuar

Diód falu                      Gyoyg

Emőd falu                     Emeud

Erdély országrész         Erdeuleu

Esküllő falu                   Exculeti

Gömör vár                    Gumur

Győr (gyürü) vár           Geuru

Gyümölcsény erdő        silva Gemelsen

Havas erdő                  silva Houos

Himes udvar (Tokaj)    Hymes uduor

 

Other geogr.names cont.:

Keve vára                    castrum Keue

Komárom vára             Camarum

Meszes kapu                in porta mezesina

Nyir erdő                     a silvis Nyir

Pákozd hegy                 montem Pacoztu

Sárvár (Ecsedi-lápon)   Saruuar infra paludes

Sátorhalom (Sátorhegy) Saturholmu

Szeghalom falu              Zeguholmu

Szekcső falu                  Zecuseu

Székelyek                     Siculi

Szepes erdő                 siléve Zepus

Szerencs hegy               Zeremsu

Szerep mocsár              Iutum Zerep

Szer                             locum Scerij

Szihalom                       montem Zenuholmu

Tarras falu                    Torhus

Tetőtlen halom              Teteuetlen

Torbágy erdő               silva Turobag

Tursok (törzsök)erdő   silva tursoc

Ungvár                         Hunguar

Várad (Bars)vár           castellum Uarod

Vértes erdő                  silva Uertus

Zaránd megye               Comitatum de Zarand

Zilah város                    Ziloc

Zobor (Szopor) hegy     Zubur

Zombor (Zsomboly)      Zumbor

 

Names of Hungarian rivers prior the

Tatár invasion according to latin documents

 

Name              Year                Meaning

Ag Duna          1201                Dunaág

Aldoucuth        1212                Áldókút

Alma                1183

Aranas             1176                Aranyos

Arpas              1036,1086

Balatin              1036                Balaton

Belsar               1231                Belsár

Berekzow(Lycosholm

mellett)             1231

Berethe                        1227

Berkyou                       1235     Berettyó

Berkest alias Hydus-

potok, fuit in

Berekzo                       1231      Berkesd

Bodrog, Bodrug           1093

Budrog, Budrig            1067

 

Name              Year                  Meaning

Boga Toufeu               1227         B.Tófő

Bozyas foka                1173         Bodzás foka

 

Boyzastou                   1173         Bodzás tó

Chergou                      1218               

Churgó                        1219        Csurgó

Chuespotok                1212         Kövespatak

Copos,Copus             1231         Kapos

Cuher                         1232         Kűér

Chuthsar eri                1214         Kúntsár ere

Dedpotoka                 1200               

Didvag                       1217          Dudvág

Donathava                  1228         Dunatava

Dunazel                      1223         Dunaszél

Éhes                           1067

Egur                           1057          Eger

Egruspothoka             1231          Egres

Egris                           1231         Egres

Egrog                          1171         Egregy

Eleu teu                       1223         Elő tó

 

Ereus ag                      1231

 

Name                       Year           Meaning

Eurem                       1093          Örvény

Eurmenes                  1219          Örvényes

Feyrthou                   1224           Fehértó

Fekete sar                 1216

Fekete viz                 1231            Máskép:

                                                    Monyorós

Fekete rhe                 1211           Fekete rév

Ferteu                       1211            Fertő

Water names            Year                 Meaning

Ferghes er                1228             Ferges ér

Fihed heri                 1214

Fizeg, Fizig               1086             Füzegy

Folutoa                     1231            Falutava

Fuk                          1228             Fok

Garmas potoka        1210

Gastuna                      800            Gesztenye

Gemulsinus               1214            Gyümölcsénes

 

Gerne vize                1219

Gungus                     1217             Gyöngyös

Hagymas                   1093

Halogos                    1161

Halap                       1231

Hango                      1211

 

Water names            Year            Meaning

 

Harangud                  1211

Her                           1221               Ér

Hydus                       1231               Hidas

Holt wag                   1223

Hornad                     1231               Hernád

Homuser                   1067

Homuspotok             1231

Hucseos                    1211

Homoroupotok          1210

Keurs, Keurus           1171                Kőrös

Kyris                         1086

Koaspotok                1231                Kováspatak

Kuken-egur-

pothok                       1206                Kökény éger

Kuyar                        1135                Kőárok

Lapus                        1231                Lápos

Lapus feu                  1224                Láposfő

Lenozou                    1239                Lenaszó

Ludos er                    1239                Ludas

Medes Pothok           1219                Meggyes

Myler, Miller tou        1237                Mélyér tó

Mocher                      1231

Mogoroud                 1237                Mogyoród

Monorous                  1231                Mogyorós

 

Water                       Year               Meaning

 

Moris                         1219                Maros

Morzol                       1234                Marcal

Nados                        1213                Nádas

Noger                         1239                Nagyér

Alma                           1231                Alma

Peles                           1231                (Hodos-ba)

Piscaros to                  1232                Piskáros tó

Pwk er                        1228                Pok ér

Queureus                     1211                Kőrös

Quamlou uolgu            1086                Komló völgy

Racpotok                    1216                Rák

Saar                            1067                Sár

Saard, Saartou            1217                Sártó

Saharret                      1228                Sárrét

Sajo, Syov                  1230                Sajó

Soyov                         1237

Sartue                         1067                Sártő

Sarus                          1231                Sáros

Seeg                           1239                Szeg, v. Szék

 

 

Water                          Year            Meaning

Seilvas feu                   1231                Szilvásfő

Sebes                          1137               

Secues                        1211

Soust                          1219                Sósd

Tenerhere                    1236

Wagkuz                      1237                Vágköz

Weguhomoc                1194

Wios                           1173                Vajas

Wirthis                         1146                Vértes

Wyzes fener                 1239                Fenyér

Woyos, Voios              1194                Vajas

Urkuta                          1033

Icurtou                          1214               Ökörtó

Zabadhegh                    1093               völgy

Zakadath                      1231                Szakadát

Zyndpathaka                1176                Szind

Zomus                          1231                Szamos


 

***

 

 

 

But the document concerning the founding of the Church of Tihany dated in 1055 came down in the original and many Hungarian geographic names are preserved even (of) this one. Among these is Segisti, today Segesd tó, Fuk = Fok, Kucs-kut = Köveskut, Zilu-kut = Szilkut, Mortis = Martos, Sumig = Somogy.

An original document dated from 1071 and 1217 mentions Fizegi = Füzegy, Meler = Mélyér, Aranas = Aranyos, Cris, Kyris = Kőrös, a document from 1090 mentions the following river names: Budrig = Bodrog, Eurim = Örvény. (Page 71-72)

 

 

 

 

                                   

*The above author comes to the same conclusion when examining the question of the ancient Hungarian presence in Erdély (Transylvania).(Ed.)

 

Who were the ancient inhabitants of

Transylvania?

 

The river names are the crown-witnesses to solving this question. All the river-names east of the Tisza river both in the works of Anonymus and also in Árpád Ortvay’s two volume collection of river names are without doubt of Hungarian origin and point to an ancient Hungarian presence in Transylvania. These evolved during the history of this region and are still in use within the Hungarian, Transylvanian Saxon and Rumanian population.

Names of bodies of water by Anonymus: Tisza, Szamos, Almás, Kapus, Sár, Omsó ér, Körös, Jószás, Tekerő ér, Tur, Kórógy, Maros Csesztreg, Böge, Temes, Föveny rév.  Out of these sixteen names nine carry a Hungarian meaning. But words formed with the -s affix are also clearly of Hungarian origin. None of the sixteen names could be deduced from any other language.

Ortvay’s collection of river names from the XI-XIII centuries are primarily the very specific Hungarian names formed with the above -s, an adjective affix. In later sections I will discuss some of these very clearly Hungarian names. For easier reading, I grouped them according to counties:

Alsó-Fehér county: Maros, Nádas-patak, Pokolos, Sárd, Tó, Udvarág, Bocsárd

Arad county: Száraz ár. Also in this county, in one single document, which originated in 1203 AD. we find the following names: Kőrös, Sáros, Hölgyes (arch. form of wiesel), Hodos, Ér, Fok, Kengyel víz

Beszterce Naszód county: Gyepes, Kőrös, Medgyes, Somos, Hévjó, Berekjó, today Berettyó, Tekerő, Szakál ér, Szil ér, Omsó ér

Brassó county: Tömös, Barca, Olt

Fogaras county: Árpás, Eger

Hunyad county: Nádos-patak, Feredű gyógy

Kis and Nagyküküllő county: Hévíz, Küküllő

Kolozs county: Almás, Aranyos-foka, Darvas-tó, Nyulas, Nádas, Sebes, Szamos, Aszujó séd, Borzasztó mocsár

Krassó Szörény county: Temes

Maros-Torda county: Szakál

Szatmár county: Hidas, Erőság, Főzes, Hodos, Kékes, Kovás, Lápos, Berkesd, Berekszó, today Burszó, next to the Fentős erdő that was mentioned in 1236 AD, Bika patak, Fertő, Fekete víz, its other name Monyorós; Sár, Somos. A recently found document dating from 1181 identifies Tur, Ered, Sár and Kerektó next to the Szamos Sebes-patak.

Szilágy county: Almás, Egres, Egregy, Szilágy

Szolnok-Doboka county: Egres, Gyékényes, Lápos, Szamos, Sajó, Mélyséd

Temes county: Temes, Harangod, Bega

Torda-Aranyos county: Aranyos, Örményes

Ugocsa county: Homus patak

These are only a few names that point to Hungarian origin in Transylvania. For example, in addition to this extensive list there is also the Vargyas, Homoród, Nyárád, the other Almás, Szartos, Pogánis, Karas, Berény, Gyógy, Székás, Hideg, Hortobágy, Gyéres, Ludas, the other Kapus, Görgény, and Bodza among others.

Within the areas that were torn from the body of Hungary in the treaty of Trianon, we could easily mention at least another thousand Hungarian water-names.

The great majority of river-names used by the Transylvanian Saxons are Hungarian names. The only German names are those of small brooks near Nagyszeben and Brassó. According to our findings, the river-names show the following origins:

Hungarian names                 20

German names                      4

Oláh names                           1

Slavic names                         2

Names of unknown origins     4

 

None of the greater rivers have Oláh names. They use the same names as the Hungarians and the Saxons. The witnesses to the priority of habitation in this region are the river-names and they show Hungarian presence in this region since ancient times.

***

 

 

The quoted work of Lajos Marjalaki Kiss was published by the Ottó Herman Museum in Miskolc in 1987. The foreword was written by István Dobrossy.

Lajos Marjalaki Kiss was born on December 18,1887 in Kisújszállás. He was the only one of the nine children in his family who was able to further his education. He studied in the renowned presbyterian school of Debrecen, and he obtained his teacher’s certificate in 1906. He worked in Szinpetri (Borsod county) in 1906-1907, later he taught elementary school in his hometown. He worked as a teacher in Abrudbánya, Transylvania from 1913-1918. At the same time, he also worked with the archeological department of the Kolozsvár Museum. He remained active in the fields of archaeology, linguistics, ethnography throughout his life. He published several scholarly works and articles which were published by the Ottó Herman Museum. He still has a great number of unpublished manuscripts, dealing with family histories, research materials, correspondences, which are of great value from the point of view of cultural history. He was a member of the Hungarian Ethnographic Society and he regularly corresponded with the Hungarian intellectuals of his time, such as Ferenc Móra, Andor Leszih, Lajos Kiss, Zsigmond Móricz, János Melich, Bálint Hóman, Bethlen, Gyula Illés, Gyula Germanus, István Győrffy, Viski and László Bendefi.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Árpád was the leader of the seven Hungarian branches that returned to Hungary in the 9th century

2. Oláh is the historical name of the people we call Rumanian today. The latter name came into use in the 19th century when the Oláh citizens living in Transylvania petitioned the Hungarian Congress for this change of name, which was granted at this time.

3. Anonymus, or the mysterious Master P. was notary to King Endre in the 13th c. His work the Gesta Hungarorum, a 24-page codex, is in the archives of the Széchenyi Library’s manuscript section in Budapest, catalogued as Cod.Lat.Medii Aevi 403. Its facsimile edition was published by the Magyar Helikon in Budapest, in 1977, translation by Dezső Pais.