Surnames and Personal Names under Z and Ž in Stična’s 16th-Century Manorial Records
Final Analysis and Overview (A–Ž)
With this final article, we conclude the blog series Surnames and Personal Names from the Stična Manorial Records (Urbars), a journey that has taken us from A to Ž through the naming landscape of 16th-century Slovenia.
Across the series, 20 individual posts were published, each exploring names and surnames recorded in historical sources from the territory of central Slovenia once governed by the Cistercian Abbey of Stična.
In this concluding post, we step back from individual examples and look at the broader picture. What do these names reveal when viewed together? How common were surnames? Which names dominated? And what can these patterns tell us about society in early modern Slovenia?
The Manorial Records: A Window into 16th-Century Life
The analysis is based on six surviving manorial records from the Stična estate, dated: 1505, 1544, 1558, 1572, 1574, and 1575.
These documents list peasants and their obligations to the estate and are among the most valuable sources for understanding rural life, landholding, and identity in the 16th century.
Altogether, they record 5,445 individuals by name, living in approximately 250 villages across central Slovenia.
For genealogists, these records are particularly significant because they capture a transitional moment—when personal names were still the primary form of identification and surnames were only beginning to take root.
A Society in Transition: Life Before Fixed Surnames
One of the most striking findings is how many people did not yet have surnames.
Across all records:
48% of individuals are listed with only a personal name
In 1505, as many as 65% had no surname
Even by 1575, 56% still lacked a surname
This clearly shows that the 16th century was a crucial turning point in the formation of surnames in Slovenia. However, the process was far from complete. Importantly, this transition continued well beyond the 16th century. Even in the 19th century, individuals on the margins of society—such as landless people or wanderers—could still be found without fixed surnames.
Women in the Records: Rare but Meaningful
Women appear only rarely in the manorial records, reflecting the social and legal structure of the time.
Only 1.6% of all recorded personal names belong to women
A total of 90 women are mentioned
In most cases, women appear in relation to a male household head. Only in nine cases is a woman recorded as an independent farm holder—typically as a widow.
Despite their limited presence, the records preserve 18 different female names, including: Amata, Apolonija (Polona), Čerka, Černa (Črna), Gisal, Gera (Jera), Girsula, Helena, Katarina, Katruša, Lucija, Mara, Marina, Marjeta, Maruša, Neža, Špela, and Urša.
These names offer a rare glimpse into female naming patterns in early modern Slovenia and highlight how much of women’s historical presence remains underrepresented in written sources.
The Most Common Personal Names
Male names dominate the records, as expected, and show both variety and strong repetition.
The most common name by far is:
Jurij, carried by 8.6% of all individuals
Other frequently occurring names include:
Miha, Gregor, Jakob, Matija, Janže, Luka, Matevž, Andrej, and Martin.
The Emergence of Surnames
Across the six urbar records, approximately 800 different surnames appear, marking the gradual stabilization of hereditary family names.
The most common surname is:
Kastelic, held by 5.7% of individuals
Other frequently occurring surnames include:
Novak, Namer, Bevk, Gerdin, Hribar, Černe, Koren, Kočar, and Skubic.
What This Means for Genealogy Research
Taken together, these findings highlight the 16th century as a transitional era between a world without surnames and one where they become essential identifiers.
For anyone researching Slovenian ancestry, this has important implications:
individuals may appear under different names in different records
surnames may emerge only in later generations
house names and locations often play a crucial role in identification
context is essential—names alone are rarely sufficient
Understanding this fluid naming system is key to navigating early records and building accurate family histories.
Conclusion
This series has explored the rich and complex world of names recorded in the Stična urbar, offering insights not only into language but also into identity, society, and historical change. More than just statistics, these patterns bring us closer to understanding how our ancestors lived, identified themselves, and were recorded in the written world.
Surnames Starting with Z and Ž:
- Zambleh: Zamblach (1572), Zambloch (1574), Zamlach (1572)
- Zamik: Zamickh (1558)
- Ziga: Ziga(1574)
- Zurik: Zurigkh (1572, 1575)
- Žužek: Zuzekh (1575)