23rd of April 1835 Estonian peasant surnames of English origin Fred Puss University of Tartu [email protected] 1 2 23rd of April 1835 Estonia until the 19th century • Tõnis First • Estonia conquered by crusaders 1227 • Jaan Sekkend – The Teutonic Order in the South (Livonia ~ Livland) • Madli Pig – Danish kingdom in the North (until 1346) • Triinu Little • Reformation 1520s ->Lutheran faith • Mart Bastard • Livonian War 1558-1583 – South Estonia under Poland (until 1629) • Leenu Skott – North Estonia Under Sweden • Great Northern War 1700-1721 – Estonia conquered by Russia in 1710 – German special regime (Lutheran church, German language) 3 4 18th Century Europe Estonia in the 19th century • German higher class (nobility, Estonia merchants, clergymen) • Estonian lower class (peasants, servants, factory workers) • Serfdom abolished in 1816 (North)-1819 (South) – Peasants became personally free – Land still owned by German landlords and state 5 6 © Fred Puss, [email protected]. UoN, 27.04.2019 1 Before general giving of Estonian peasants surnames • University of Tartu 1632 • Bynames (farm names), ancestral – Mostly Germans, a few Estonians names until 1860s (later Germanized) – Männiku Märt (Märt of Pine-forest- • National awakening since 1860s farm) • Farms bought, children educated – Juhani Jaani Madi (Juhan’s Jaan’s • Literacy rate one of the highest in Madi = Madi, son of Jaan, grandson Europe of Juhan) – 1840 – ca 64% (England ca 65%) • Few peasants freed from serfdom – 1897 – 95% (same in England; Italy with surname 48%, Russia 22%) – Germanized 7 8 Giving surnames to peasants Most common surnames given • South Estonia 1822-1826 • Saar ‘island; aspen tree; grove’ • North Estonia 1834-1835 • Tamm ‘oak; dam’, < Adam • 70,000 families/groups • Juhanson = Johnson • 31,000 different surnames • Lepik ‘alder grove’ – 7,000 in several places – 24,000 in one place (to one family) • Sepp ‘smith’ • In average 5-10 peasants per surname • Karu ‘bear’ • England and Wales 1853 – 35,000- • Mägi ‘hill’ 40,000 names (400 persons per name) • Peterson 9 10 North and South Estonian Naming systems language (capercaillie as surname) • In Uudeküla manor: Udeberg, Udeküll, Udelep, Udelink, Udemann, Udemetz, … • In Ahula (German: Affell) manor: Barkwell, Baumwell, Bierwell, Brakwell, Breiwell, Burgwell, Eichwell, … • In Maasi manor: Esmon, Jarmuth, Samir, Sema, Silim, Telem (Joshua 15:24-48) 11 12 © Fred Puss, [email protected]. UoN, 27.04.2019 2 Peculiar surnames English surnames? • Arst-Rebane ‘Doctor-Fox’ • Durakmees ‘Stupidman’ • Killing ‘shilling’ • Eitea ‘Dontknow’ • Login < Λογγῖνος • Kanasilm ‘Chickeneye’ • Kartohvelleht ‘Potatoleave’ • Pork ‘(pine)cone; stick’ • Karuauk ‘Bearhole’ • Must ‘black’ • Kõvatoomas ‘Toughthomas’ • Mäeumbaed ‘field on hill, surrounded by fence’ • Hall ‘gray’ • Pudrunahk ‘Porridgeskin’ • Valmispilt ‘Finishedpicture’ • Zoom < Zoa farm ‘currycomb’ • Väravataga ‘Behindthegate’ • Tall ‘horse stable’ • Ülemaantee ‘Acrosstheroad’ • Apart < Apardi farm ‘wide open’ • Puss < Busse < Burghard 13 14 Hõreda, Rapla-Alu, Valtu-Hertu Hõreda, Rapla-Alu, Valtu-Hertu manors (1) manors (2) • Rapla and Alu manors and Valtu and Hertu manors belonged to count Paul von Tiesenhausen > sold 1828 to the Czar, rented until 1834 • In 1835 rented by Hõreda manor owner Justine von Rosen’s husband Robert von Rosen • April 1835 surnames were given 15 16 38 surnames in English in Rapla The Rigby family (1) etc manors (14%, Hõreda 41%) Bastard Fitt Pig • Edward Rigby, MD in Bief (in same farm Gatterer Sekkend Coltishall, Norwich, Drink) Norfolk (1747-1821) Bläck Gilbert Skippon Brass Grand Skott • Mother Sarah Taylor Braun Horn Smitt • Married twice, 2+12 Brick Karpenter (in same Stiel children (quadruplets) farm Potter) Buller (manor herd) Koller Stoon • 2nd wife Anne née Dixson Littel Strips Palgrave (1777-1872) Don (room servant) Long Taylor Duff (in neighbor Muddy Uster <? Ulster farm Flaur) First Old Willard 17 18 © Fred Puss, [email protected]. UoN, 27.04.2019 3 The Rigby family (2) The Rigby family (3) • Maria Justina Rigby (1808-1889) married Baron Robert von Rosen (1806-1887), divorced 1848 • Gertrude • Owners of Hõreda manor, tenants or Rapla-Alu, Rigby (1813- Valtu-Hertu manors (1835-1844(?)) 1859) married • Later Robert sued of misuse of managing the 1831 Baron manors Gottlieb von • Wife escaped to England Rosen (1808- 1893), owner of six manors, no obviously English names given 19 20 The Rigby family (4) Lady Eastlake • Anne Rigby (1804-1869) • Elisabeth Rigby (1809- married 1830 with Karl 1893) Georg von Wahl (1806- • Author, art critic, art 1876), owner of two historian manors, no obviously • Husband Sir Charles English names given Eastlake, director of • Wife escaped to England the National Gallery • Son Eduard von Wahl • Close friend of nephew (1833-1890), professor of botanist Joseph Dalton medicine, rector of the Hooker (OM) University of Tartu, owner • Trips to Estonia 1838- of two manors 1841, 1844 21 22 Lady Eastlake Lady Eastlake 23 24 © Fred Puss, [email protected]. UoN, 27.04.2019 4 Järvakandi, Vahakõnnu, Järvakandi, Vahakõnnu, Lellapere manors Lellapere manors • Owned by Baron Otto von Taube (1800- 1873) 25 26 Surnames in Järvakandi etc Home of Otto von Taube manors • Hamburg • Baldisport • Great uncle Karl Friedrich von Staal (1721-1789), teacher • Lübeck • Reval and travel companion of • Rostok • Riga Holstein-Gottorp princes, owner of major art and book • Bristol • Walk collection • London • Werro • Sixth cousin twice removed was king George V • Lieverpohl • Wesenberg • Aunt’s husband Adam Johann +1946 • Wolmer von Krusenstern (1770-1846), • Portsmuth • etc. admiral, first Russian circumnavigator • Poltava 27 28 Prosopographical-territorial research method • Who were the persons owning, renting, managing, visiting the manor; their background • Which (neighboring) manors were owned, rented, managed by same persons • Enables to better explain the etymology of given surnames and to often find out who gave which names to whom 29 30 © Fred Puss, [email protected]. UoN, 27.04.2019 5.