Surnames and Personal Names under G in Stična’s 16th-Century Manorial Records
Lost in Translation? The Evolution of Slovenian Surnames in the 1500s
When officials had to record difficult-to-understand surnames, they often produced a wide range of variations for the same name. In historical records, particularly in 16th-century urbarial books, we can clearly observe the evolution of certain surnames. A surname recorded at the beginning of the century might appear significantly different by its end. Since clerks aimed to transcribe names into a Germanic form, they often improvised, resulting in various spellings over time.
Take, for example, the surname Gerčar. If we only had access to the 1544 urbar, we might mistakenly assume that Gortsher referred to a lost surname, Gorčer. However, by examining records throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, we gain a broader perspective. In the 1575 urbar, we find the same family recorded as Gertschär, which confirms its connection to the modern surname Gerčar. Similar cases abound, with some surnames branching into multiple variations while maintaining a common origin. A good example is Galluff, recorded in 1505. By 1575, the same descendant’s surname appears as Golluff, which might correspond to today’s surnames Galuf or even Goljuf.
It is essential to understand that most peasants of the time were illiterate and had no control over how their surname was recorded. The spelling depended entirely on the clerk’s ability to interpret and transcribe what he heard into the German linguistic structure. As a result, surname evolution was shaped by phonetic perception rather than standardized rules, leading to the rich variety of spellings we encounter in historical records today.
Surnames Starting with G:
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- Gabrijel: Mathia Gabriel (1505)
- Gallenberg: Gallenberg (1558, 1574)
- Galuf, Goljuf: Galluff (1505), Galluf (1544, 1558), Galuff (1572), Golluff (1574)
- Gandin: Gandin (1558, 1572)
- Garbas: Garboß (1572), Garbaß (1574, 1575)
- Garib: Garieb (1558)
- Gartner: Gartner (1505)
- Gardoša: Gardoscha (1574)
- Gearig: Geärig (1572)
- Gerdin, Gardin, Grdin, Grdina: Gardin (1558, 1574, 1575), Gerdin (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572), Gerdinn (1572), Gärdin (1574), Wärdin (1574)
- Geist: Geist (1558)
- Genaj: Genay (1505)
- Gerbec: Gerbetz (1544, 1558), Gerbez (1572)
- Gerčar: Gortsher (1544), Gortscher (1558), Gertsher (1572), Gertschare (1574), Gertschär (1575)
- Geršič: Garschitz (1544), Garshitz (1558)
- Glavan: Glauan (1544)
- Glavič: Glawitsch (1505, 1558, 1572), Glawitschin (1558, 1572), Glawitsh (1572), Glävitsch (1574)
- Gliha: Glicha (1558, 1572)
- Goli: Galli (1572), Golli (1574), Goli (1558)
- Golob: Gollob (1574)
- Golobič: Gollobwitz (1505), Golobez (1544), Gollobetz (1544, 1574), Golobetz (1544)
- Gorenčič, Gorjančič: Gorianitsch (1558), Goreannschiz (1572), Goriantschitz (1574)
- Gorše: Gorshe (1558), Gertsche (1572)
- Gortnar: Gortner (1574)
- Gošenad: Goshenad (1544)
- Grabljevec: Groblewitz (1558), Grablowiz (1572), Gräblewitz (1574), Gräblowitz (1575), Grablawitz (1558), Grablowz (1572), Grablowitz (1574)
- Grčman: Gertschman (1558), Gertshman (1572)
- Grden, Grdin: Garden (1544), Gardin (1558, 1572), Gerdin (1572), Gärdin (1574)
- Grejser: Greysser (1505)
- Gričar: Gritsher (1558), Gritsherr (1572), Grittscharr (1574)
- Gril: Gryl (1575)
- Grisav: Grisaw (1505)
- Groznik: Grasnikch (1505), Großnigk (1544), Graßnickh (1558), Großnigkh (1572), Grosnickh (1574)
- Grišek: Grishegkh (1572), Grischeckh (1574), Grischekh (1575)
- Gruc: Gruz (1572)
- Gruden: Gruden (1505, 1544)
- Gvas: Guass (1558)
Personal Names Starting with G:
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- Gašper: Gasper (1505), Casper (1544, 1574), Caspar (1558)
- Gorše: Gorsche Pusar (1505)
- Gregor: Gregor (1505, 1544, 1572, 1574, 1575), Greg (1558, 1572), Gregorius (1558)
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- Gisal: Gisall (1505)
- Gera, Jera: Gera (1558)
- Girsula: Girsula (1505)