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 also must 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 the peasants spoke a different language than the Árpáds. When for example 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 else but Hungarians.

None of the river names mentioned in Anonymus's 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, 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Not all of the historical documents of the Árpád era have been published as of yet.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 easily can 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 would have 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 of 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 Scythan names. (Ed.)

Hungarian geographic names and as they appear in the Anonymus Gesta

Names of bodies of water

Abád rév 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.:

Fertõ mocsár stagnum Ferteu

Hejõ 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

Tekerõ 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

Emõd falu Emeud

Erdély országrész Erdeuleu

Esküllõ falu Exculeti

Gömör vár Gumur

Gyõr (gyürü) vár Geuru

Gyümölcsény erdõ silva Gemelsen

Havas erdõ silva Houos

Himes udvar (Tokaj) Hymes uduor

Other geogr.names cont.:

Keve vára castrum Keue

Komárom vára Camarum

Meszes kapu in porta mezesina

Nyir erdõ a silvis Nyir

Pákozd hegy montem Pacoztu

Sárvár (Ecsedi-lápon) Saruuar infra paludes

Sátorhalom (Sátorhegy) Saturholmu

Szeghalom falu Zeguholmu

Szekcsõ falu Zecuseu

Székelyek Siculi

Szepes erdõ siléve Zepus

Szerencs hegy Zeremsu

Szerep mocsár Iutum Zerep

Szer locum Scerij

Szihalom montem Zenuholmu

Tarras falu Torhus

Tetõtlen halom Teteuetlen

Torbágy erdõ silva Turobag

Tursok (törzsök)erdõ silva tursoc

Ungvár Hunguar

Várad (Bars)vár castellum Uarod

Vértes erdõ 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.Tófõ

Bozyas foka 1173 Bodzás foka

Boyzastou 1173 Bodzás tó

Chergou 1218

Churgó 1219 Csurgó

Chuespotok 1212 Kövespatak

Copos,Copus 1231 Kapos

Cuher 1232 Kûér

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 Elõ 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 Fertõ

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

Homorou potok 1210

Keurs, Keurus 1171 Kõrös

Kyris 1086

Koaspotok 1231 Kováspatak

Kuken-egur-

pothok 1206 Kökény éger

Kuyar 1135 Kõárok

Lapus 1231 Lápos

Lapus feu 1224 Láposfõ

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 Kõrös

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 Sártõ

Sarus 1231 Sáros

Seeg 1239 Szeg, v. Szék

Water Year Meaning

Seilvas feu 1231 Szilvásfõ

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 = Kõrös, 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).

*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, Tekerõ 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: Kõrös, Sáros, Hölgyes (arch. form of wiesel), Hodos, Ér, Fok, Kengyel víz

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

Brassó county: Tömös, Barca, Olt

Fogaras county: Árpás, Eger

Hunyad county: Nádos-patak, Feredû gyógy

Kis and Nagyküküllõ county: Hévíz, Küküllõ

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, Erõság, Fõzes, Hodos, Kékes, Kovás, Lápos, Berkesd, Berekszó, today Burszó, next to the Fentõs erdõ that was mentioned in 1236 AD, Bika patak, Fertõ, 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 renown 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 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 Gyõrffy, 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 Dezsõ Pais.