Surnames and Personal Names under M in Stična’s 16th-Century Manorial Records
What do Mihael, a cementarius from Morimond, the Church of St. Martin in Zgornja Draga, and the surname Maver have in common?
When the Cistercians arrived in the valley near Stična in 1135 from the French abbey of Morimond, they brought with them not only a new monastic order, but also technical knowledge, religious culture, and master builders. Among them stood out Mihael, who is described in a contemporary source with the words: “Mihael homo Latinus arte vero cementarius” – Mihael, a Latin man, by craft a mason.
Mihael led the construction of the Stična monastery, but after the work was completed, he did not return to his homeland. Love for a woman (and the place) bound him to Slovenia for life. He settled in Zgornja Draga and built the Church of St. Martin. Thus, with him also arrived the cult of Saint Martin, which was particularly popular in the region of present-day France. This cult took deep root in the area around Stična, as evidenced by personal names that appear in later records.
Mihael married Matilda, who was a serf of the Counts of Višnja Gora. He paid a redemption fee to the counts so that Matilda could become a free woman. Together, they built a life on the land that was granted to Mihael for his contribution to the construction of the monastery.
The Latin term “cementarius”, meaning master mason, would centuries later echo in the surname Maver, derived from the German word “Maurer” – mason. In the land registers (urbaria) of the Stična monastery, the surname Maver appears as early as 1505, and again in the years 1572, 1574, and 1575, in the variants Mauer, Maurer, and Mawrer. It likely began as a professional designation and eventually became a family name.
Alongside the surname Maver, the given names Mihael and Martin are also frequently mentioned in the 16th-century land registers. Mihael appears in various forms such as Michael, Michaw, Michel, Mihel, and Michell, while Martin is recorded as Martin, Marttin, Merten, Merth, and similar variants. The presence of these names confirms the deep-rooted veneration of both saints in the community shaped by the Stična monastery and its founders.
In this way, the stories of people, saints, and master builders intersect in the same geographic space and across different layers of time. Mihael, the builder from Morimond, the Church of St. Martin in Zgornja Draga, and the later tenants bearing the surname Maver form a historical whole—one that can still be read from the quiet language of the land registers.
Surnames Starting with M:
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- Maher: Machar (1572)
- Machenia: Machenia (1575)
- Mahor: Machor (1505, 1544, 1558, 1574), Mahor (1572)
- Mahorič: Machoritsch (1574)
- Mahorišič: Machoritschitsh (1575)
- Majcen: Maitzen (1575), Maÿtzen (1558), Maÿzen (1544, 1572), Meÿchen (1505), Meÿtzen (1505)
- Malik: Malickh (1558), Maligkh (1572), Mallickh (1574)
- Malec: Malletz (1558), Mallez (1544)
- Malnar: Mallner (1505)
- Markelj: Marckl (1544), Markl (1505)
- Marn: Marein (1558)
- Marinič: Marinnitz (1575), Märinnitz (1574)
- Marin: Marin (1505)
- Marinšek: Märinshekh (1575)
- Marinc: Marintz (1558), Marinz (1572)
- Marincen: Marinzen (1558, 1572)
- Marič: Mariz (1572), Märitz (1574)
- Marnič: Marniz (1572)
- Martinc: Martintz (1505)
- Matkovšen: Matcouitschen (1572)
- Matšič: Mathschickh (1558)
- Maček: Mathschögkh (1572), Matscheg (1572), Matschickh (1574), Matschinckh (1574), Matschögkh (1572), Matsthekch (1505), Matsthikh (1544), Mattscheckh (1575), Mätschegkh (1575)
- Matož: Mathÿusch (1572)
- Matkabič: Matkabÿz (1558)
- Matko: Matkho (1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Matko (1544, 1575), Mattco (1572), Mätkho (1575)
- Matkovič: Matkhouitsh (1575)
- Maver: Mauer (1572, 1575), Maur (1558), Maurer (1505, 1572, 1574, 1575), Mawrer (1505, 1544)
- Mavrič: Mawritz (1505)
- Medič: Meditsch (1505)
- Medved: Madvidt (1572), Medtuedt (1575), Medtwedt (1574), Medtwidt (1544), Medueidt (1544), Medved (1505), Medwedt (1558)
- Merdlič: Merdlitsch (1575), Merdtlitsch (1574)
- Mert: Merdt (1574)
- Merec: Meretz (1544)
- Mergelj: Mergl (1572)
- Merhof: Merhoff (1505)
- Merlič: Merlitsh (1558)
- Mertiš: Mertlish (1572)
- Mežnar: Meshner (1558)
- Mestnik: Meshnik (1575)
- Mesner: Meßner (1558)
- Mole: Mholle (1505)
- Mihacen: Michacen (1575)
- Mihalc: Michaltz (1558)
- Mihelič: Michelitz (1544, 1558), Micheliz (1572)
- Mihel: Micheln (1544, 1572, 1574), Michel (1572)
- Mihelc: Micheltz (1544)
- Mikec: Mickatz (1575), Mickhatz (1544, 1574), Mickhetz (1574), Mickhätz (1574, 1575)
- Miklavčič: Miclautshitz (1544)
- Mikle: Micle (1544)
- Miklič: Miclitsch (1505), Miclitsh (1544), Migkhiz (1572), Mihlitsch (1572)
- Miklavž: Migkhlawsh (1575)
- Miglič: Miglitch (1558), Miglitsch (1574)
- Mikec: Mikatz (1505, 1558), Mikhatz (1558), Mikhez (1572)
- Mikel: Mikel (1505)
- Miklavšič: Miklaushitz (1558), Miklushitz (1558)
- Miklav: Miklaw (1544)
- Mlakar: Mlackher (1544, 1558, 1572), Mlagkher (1572), Mlaker (1505), Mlakher (1544), Mläckher (1574, 1575)
- Mohor: Mocho (1558), Mochor (1544)
- Modirekt: Modiregt (1558)
- Mokruta: Mogkhrutta (1572), Mokhrutha (1544), Mokhrutta (1572), Mokruta (1544, 1558), Mokrutha (1544), Mükhrütta (1574)
- Mohorič: Mohoritsh (1572)
- Molenič: Molenich (1572)
- Molec: Moletz (1544)
- Molik: Moligk (1544), Molligk (1544), Mollikck (1505)
- Muha: Mucha (1505)
- Muhič: Muchich (1575)
- Mušič: Muchitsch (1505), Muchwitsch (1558)
- Mugel: Mugl (1505, 1572)
- Murgel: Murgel (1575), Murgl (1572)
- Mučar: Muschar (1575)
- Murgelj: Mürgl (1574, 1575)
Personal Names Starting with M:
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- Marko: Marcko (1544), Marco (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Marcus (1575), Marckho (1544), Marhkho (1544), Markho (1544, 1572)
- Marin: Marin (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574)
- Martin: Marthin (1572, 1574, 1575), Martin (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Martinn (1572), Marttin (1572, 1575), Marttinn (1572), Merten (1558), Merth (1572), Mertt (1575)
- Matej: Mathe (1505, 1544, 1558), Mateus (1505, 1544), Matheus (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Matheo (1505), Mathey (1544)
- Matevž: Matheusch (1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Matheush (1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Matheuß (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572), Matheußch (1572), Matheüsch (1574)
- Matko: Mathco (1505, 1572), Mathko (1544, 1558), Matkho (1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Matko (1544, 1575)
- Matija: Mathia (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Mathian (1575), Mathie (1572), Mathins (1574)
- Matjaž: Mathias (1544, 1558), Mathiasch (1572, 1574, 1575), Mathiash (1544, 1558, 1572), Mathiaß (1544, 1572), Mathua (1575)
- Melhior: Melichior (1558, 1572), Melichor (1572)
- Miha, Mihael: Michael (1558, 1574), Michaeln (1574), Michal (1544), Michaw (1572), Michel (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, 1575), Michell (1505, 1544, 1572, 1575), Michelle (1505), Michl (1505, 1558, 1572), Michln (1558), Mihel (1558, 1572, 1575), Mihl (1572), Mitchel (1544)
- Miklavž, Nikolaj: Michklawß (1505), Michlawß (1505), Micklaus (1558), Micklaw (1544), Miclau (1572), Miclaus (1544, 1558), Miclausch (1572, 1574, 1575), Miclauß (1505, 1558), Miclaw (1505, 1544, 1558, 1572), Miclaws (1505, 1544), Miclawsh (1558), Miclawß (1505), Miclaüsch (1574), Miklaus (1544), Miklauß (1544), Mÿcleusch (1572)
- Mislav: Mislaw (1558)
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- Mara: Maro (1558, 1572)
- Marina: Marina (1572), Marinna (1574, 1575)
- Marjeta: Margaretha (1572), Margetha (1544)
- Maruša: Marusch (1572)