Priekšvārdi Ilzenes muižā 1826. gada Vidzemes dvēseļu revīzijas materiālos

Abstract

Ilzene is one of the territories in the North-Eastern region of Latvia inhabited by Estonians called leivs. The language spoken in Ilzene and other surrounding parishes is Southern Estonian. The aim of the article is to investigate the first names in 1826 found in the territory inhabited by leivs in Ilzene manor, trying to find out whether the traces of southern Estonians can also be found in personal names. The main source of the research is the 1826 List of Souls of Vidzeme Province, Ilzene Manor (LVVA Fund No. 199, Description 1, Case 159), which includes information on 1013 persons (476 men and 537 women). The most common forenames that occur in more than 5% of Ilzene manor men are Jahn – 84 or 17.6%, Peter – 74 or 15.5%, Jacob – 57 or 12%, Rein – 37 or 7.8%, Jaak – 36 + Jahk – 1 or 7.8%, Jurr – 35 or 7.3%, Simon – 19 + Siemon – 16 or 7.3%, Thom –29 or 6.1%. Only 88 or 18.6% of men have other names. The most common first names found in more than 5% of Ilzene manor women are Anne – 87 or 16.2%, Maije – 71 or 13.2%, Ilse – 70 or 13%, Mahrja – 62 + Mahrje – 1 or 11.7%, Liese – 50 + Leese – 1 + Leeʃe – 1 + Lieʃe – 5 or 10.6%, Greeta – 39 or 7.3%, Maddel – 12 + Maddele – 26 or 7.1%. Only 112 or 20.9% of women have other names. It is known that the Latvian and Estonian anthropological systems have much in common. According to the graphetics and morphological features, the forenames Jahn, Jurr, Ihwan, Dahw, Inda, Fritz, Gust, Indrik, Krisch, Ehrman, Gürgen, Otto, and Retsch can be considered more appropriate for the anthropological system of the Latvian language. The forenames Jaak and Andres are more in line with the Estonian anthropological system. Other male forenames have no features that allow them to be attributed to one or the other anthroponymic system. Forenames Greeta, Dahrte, Barbala, Carline, Gedde, Juhle, Mascha seem to be more in line with the Latvian anthropological system. The forenames Ilse (if with s), Mahrja, Maddele, Ahle, Ohle (with changes characteristic of Ilzene dialect), and Stiene are more in line with the Estonian anthropological system. The other forenames of women have no features that allow them to be attributed to one or another anthroponymic system. In general, the forenames recorded in Ilzene manor in 1826 show the characteristics of both the Estonian and Latvian anthroponymic systems. There are some forenames that are different from those in other manors outside the area inhabited by leivs. In order to be able to use forenames as markers of ethnic identity, extensive research of historical personal names is required in all manors of the area inhabited by leivs, as well as outside the leivs’ area in Vidzeme.