Gypsies are an ethnic group of the population of Indian origin. They live in many countries of Europe and America, have their own language, culture, and also dynastic surnames. But they were formed taking into account the characteristic national features of the region in which a certain gypsy community initially settled.
How did the gypsies appear
Linguists and geneticists who have studied the origin of the Gypsies have established that the so-called "proto-Gypsy" groups left India in periodic waves over several centuries, from the 6th to the 15th century. The first group of ancestors of modern Gypsies in the amount of about a thousand people was presented to the Persian Shah as a token of gratitude from the North Indian padishah. According to the analysis of borrowed words in the languages of modern European Gypsies, their "gifted" ancestors spent about four hundred years in Persia and then left Central Asia, but not all of them. Most of these people settled in Byzantium, another group went through Palestine to Egypt.
In Byzantium, the gypsies quickly integrated into society and were engaged in blacksmithing and divination. However, the rich empire was constantly at war, and even then population migrations began.
One of the first written sources in which the gypsies are mentioned is called the Life of St. George of Athos, dated 1100. In the events described in it of the middle of the 11th century, certain “atzingans” are mentioned, which is translated from Greek as “untouchables”.
Well, after the collapse of Byzantium, the gypsies began to move en masse to Europe. In search of a better life, their camps wandered around all countries, and where they settled at least for a while, gypsy villages arose. All this happened already in the 15th century, when the European peasantry began to acquire surnames.
Gypsies from the outskirts of the Russian Empire
Just like other peoples, initially the gypsies had only names and nicknames. And if the name was official, it was given at baptism (almost all European gypsies, unlike Asian ones, are Christians), then nicknames were associated with occupation, character or appearance.
Basically, the Gypsies entered Russia through the southwestern lands and the Baltic countries. Accordingly, living for some time in a certain territory, they began to receive local surnames there.
For example, Russian gypsies, who for some time lived in the villages and cities of present-day Belarus, have surnames formed from nicknames or names of their ancestors using the Belarusian suffix -onk. For example: Foxes, Pisaronki, Alexandronki.
Gypsy surnames formed on Ukrainian soil have the suffix -ak - Voronchaks, Mikhaychaks, Volyanchaks, or end in the traditional Little Russian -onko - Slichenko, Kravchenko, Panchenko.
Gypsy families who received their first documents in Poland have surnames ending in -sky. These are the Ostrovsky, Kozlovsky, Tsibulsky, Kosansky.
Those gypsies who ended up in Crimea at the time of passportization may have surnames formed from the Muslim name of their ancestor, such as Kemalov, Ibragimov, Shekerov, Khasan, and therefore they are often mistaken for Crimean Tatars.
Russian gypsies
Large groups of gypsies during the periods of formation of surnames lived and roamed the Russian land. In their received family names, one can trace the topographic settlement, the characteristic features of the people or their professional skills. Among the Russian gypsy surnames prevail: Sloboda, Likhovidov, Shizhir, Volkov, Shabashov, Vishnyakov, Shishkov.
There were periods when the gypsies themselves took beautiful sonorous surnames. This was done by settled gypsy families who, before the Revolution of 1917, had a good income, thanks to trade or artistic pursuits. Gypsy families of Zhemchuzhny, Kamensky, White, Silver, Zolotarev, Orlov are still known.
All the gypsies of the world are the same residents of their countries, have local names and surnames, but manage to preserve their language and culture. They left a noticeable mark in the art and culture of their homeland, which they love and honor, despite the fact that they are well aware of their common ancient Indian origin.
It happened in those days when in Russia for the first time they began to start books of registration of acts of civil status. The workers of the village councils went from house to house and registered all the inhabitants of villages and villages. Once they came to our camp. We started registration from the last tent, in which Vasya-Patya, wise in life, lived.
What is your last name?
For centuries, the gypsies did not have surnames. The name was. Nicknames too. The gypsy answered them, as if in spirit:
Don't know. For example, my name is Vasily, but they call me Patya.
This cannot be! - the worker of the village council was puzzled. - Every person living on the territory of our state must have a surname, name and patronymic.
Of course, there is a fatherland: since my father's name was Ivan, my ir and patronymic are Ivanovich. But the surnames of our gypsies, and not only ours, but also the Roma from other camps, Mr. Chief, do not.
"And what am I to do with you?" - the representative of the authorities spread his hands in embarrassment.
- And then do it 6 invent and write it down. For example, it doesn't matter to me what surname will appear on your list.
You are interesting people, gypsies! You may not care, but I do! After all, I will have to write out a metric for you, your civil document, a birth certificate. When was born and where?
You can’t tell right away! - the gypsy thought. Lizka, his wife, came to the aid of her husband:
My Patya was born on Assumption under a willow bush near the Ugra River.
Well, in what year, near what village?
This is also not a task! - Vasya-Patya cheered up and, looking importantly at the gypsies who approached his tent, he explained:
Just like that, comrade chief, near the village of Petino, he was born. His mother, my mother-in-law, went from caroling and was born under a willow.
So!” said the worker of the village soviet significantly, looking up from his paper, and yet, what are we to do with the surname? Do all gypsies really not have last names?
The real truth, boss! the gypsies spoke up.
And what do you want me to do? - the representative of the authorities was perplexed.
And then we'll say, write any name and let's go drink tea.
Again, Lizka, who was busy at the pot-bellied samovar, came to the rescue of everyone:
Tea is good, but not the main thing. And what, chief, if you write down the name Murashkin?
Why is it Murashkin? asked the representative of the Village Council.
- But because we, the gypsies, are friendly people, we always live together, like ants, well, ants in your opinion.
Well, okay, there will be one, two, three Murashkins, and what about the rest?
And let the rest become Goloveshkins. Gypsies, they are not only friendly people, but also hot as coals, smut.
That's when it was decided!
Since then, our gypsies began to wear the names of Goloveshkin, Murashkin, and since there were more Murashkins in it, the camp began to be called "Goosebumps". People from other camps chose the names Zolotarev, Zhemchuzhny, Tumansky, Shatrov, Telegin, Bogdanov, Stepnoy ...
Gypsies (self-name Roma, units Ch. — rum)- a people related by origin to the nomadic peoples of India. The departure of the gypsies from their homeland lasted for many centuries; the beginning of this process dates back to the 9th century, and the last groups of gypsies left India during the invasion of Tamerlane (15th century). For a long time, the gypsies lived in Egypt and the Balkan Peninsula, as evidenced by the influence of the Greek language on all dialects of the gypsy language. XV - XVII centuries. - the period of the settlement of gypsies throughout Europe. The total number of gypsies is 1 million 230 thousand people. In the former USSR, according to the 1979 census, there were 209,000 of them. The Gypsy language belongs to the New Indian group of the Indo-European family of languages.
In Europe, the Romani language is divided into several dialect groups.
1) Baltic group. This dialect group includes the dialects of those gypsy ethnolinguistic groups that at different times arrived at the places of modern settlement from Poland.
a) Northern Russian Gypsies are settled in the RSFSR, Northern Kazakhstan and the eastern part of Belarus. Their names, as a rule, are taken from the Russian name book (Alexander, Alexey). These gypsies are divided into local groups, named after the locality, for example: Smolensk Roma, Pskov Roma. Local groups are divided into genera (gyg. rodo), whose names are formed from the personal name or nickname of the ancestor with the help of a Belarusian suffix by origin -He to(For example, Alexandronki on behalf of Alexander; cf. Belarusian surnames like Makayonok, Zemenchonok etc.), as well as the Ukrainian and Polish suffix -ak(For example, Funnels) and the actual gypsy suffix with the meaning of possessiveness -gire(For example, Potatoshkengire). The surnames of the gypsies are mostly Polish (Tsibulsky, Kozlovsky etc.) or Russian (Ivanov, Shishkov), models.
b) Belarusian-Lithuanian gypsies are settled in the northwestern part of Belarus, throughout the territory of Lithuania and the eastern part of Latvia (in Latgale). This ethnolinguistic group is also divided into a number of clans, whose names are formed from the names or nicknames of ancestors using the Belarusian suffix -He to(For example, Foxes, Pisaronki etc). Surnames of Belarusian and Polish origin (Kasperovich, Ostrovsky); in Lithuania, surnames are often decorated with Lithuanian suffixes (Kasperavi-chus, Astrauskas) or taken from Russian anthroponymy (Ivanov, Petrov).
a) Ursari gypsies live only on the territory of Moldova. In the village of Ursari there are two clans - Zahariyesti and Gancheshti 2 . Surnames are of Moldovan origin (Bogdan, Arapu, Arzhint, Kantya).
b) Crimean gypsies live in the northern regions of the Crimean region, in the regions of the Kherson region adjacent to the Crimea, in the Odessa, Zaporozhye regions of Ukraine, in the Rostov and Volgograd regions, in the Stavropol and Krasnodar regions, in Siberia, in the Far East, in Kyiv, Moscow, St. Petersburg. Along with Muslim names, they also have Christian names, as well as gypsy names of unknown origin. (Manchi, Hohan, Kukuna, Lanchai, Dyultai, Monty, Loludi, Ivory). Surnames are all of Crimean Tatar origin (Ibragimov, Kemalov, Shekerov, Melemerov, Dzhumas-san, Dzhelakaev, Kazibeev). There is also a surname Oglu, arising from the isafet form of the Crimean Tatar word ochul'son'.
4) Ukrainian dialect group. This dialect group includes the dialects of those gypsies who lived for a long time in the territory of the spread of the Ukrainian language (from the 16th - 17th centuries).
a) Gypsies of the southern regions of the RSFSR and the left-bank Ukraine live in the Kursk, Lipetsk, Belogorod, Voronezh, Volgograd, and Rostov regions of the RSFSR.
b) The gypsies of the right-bank Ukraine mainly live in the Kiev, Cherkasy, Kirovograd, Kherson and Nikolaev regions. The surnames of the Gypsies belonging to this group are of Ukrainian origin (Kopylenko, Ivashchenko, Danchenko, Slichenko, Kondenko, etc.), less often perceived from the Russian language (Musatov, Bizev).
5) Vlach group. This group of dialects is one of the most dispersed in the former USSR. The speakers of these dialects include the Kalderari and Lovari gypsies, who lived until the middle of the 19th century. on the Romanian-Hungarian language border in Austria-Hungary. Currently, the Kalderari live in the Russian Federation, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Female and male proper names and surnames - Romanian, Hungarian, Polish and Gypsy origin: names - Anelka, Bina, Volyan, Gafitsa, Dana, Diamanta, Zhuzha, Zemfira, Loludi, Margayka, Mileva, Mytsa, Papush, Ruzha, Yana, Badya, Zurka, Istvan, Latsy, Janos; surnames - Angel, Roman, Demeter, Kaldaras, Mihai, Rado, Christo, Churon and etc.
In addition to the names in the communication of gypsies - carriers of this dialect, addresses are used related to age differences, for example, Nike- respectful address of a woman to an older man or peer, doike- respectful address of a woman to an older woman, mike- affectionate address to the younger.
Among the Gypsies, the name or nickname and belonging to any kind played and still play a more important role than the surname.
1 Obviously derived from a Latvian surname Crouch.
2 The names of the genera are formed according to the norms of the Moldavian language.
Gypsies are a people who are related by origin to the nomadic Indian peoples. Gypsies left their homeland for many centuries; the beginning of this long process dates back to the 9th century, and the last representatives of the gypsies left India already during the invasion of Tamerlane (15th century). For a long time, the gypsies lived on the Balkan Peninsula and in Egypt, as evidenced by the influence of the Greek language on all dialects of the gypsy language. XV - XVII centuries - the period in which the gypsies settled throughout Europe. The total number of gypsies was 1 million 230 thousand people. And in the former USSR, according to the 1979 census, there were 209 thousand representatives of this people. The Romani language belongs to the Indo-European family of languages, the New Indian group.
In Europe, this language is divided into several dialect groups.
1) 1st group - Baltic. This dialect group includes dialects of those ethnolinguistic groups that at different times reached the place of modern settlement from Poland.
a) Gypsies from the northern regions of Russia settled in Northern Kazakhstan, the RSFSR and the eastern part of Belarus. Their names are taken from the Russian name book (Aleksey, Alexander). These gypsies are divided into some groups, which are called by the names of the area, for example: Pskov Roma, Smolensk Roma. Local groups, in turn, are divided into genera (genus, gyg.), The names of which are formed from a personal nickname or the name of an ancestor with the help of a Belarusian suffix -onk in origin (cf. Belarusian surnames such as Makayonok, Dzemenchonok; Aleksandronki from the personal name Alexander, etc.). etc.), as well as the Polish-Ukrainian and the suffix -ak (Voronchaki) and the gypsy suffix with the meaning of possessiveness -gire (Kartoshkengire). Gypsy surnames are mainly Polish (Kozlovsky, Cybulsky, etc.) or Russian (Shishkov, Ivanov), models.
b) Lithuanian-Belarusian gypsies are settled in Belarus in its northwestern part, throughout the entire territory of the eastern part of Latvia and Lithuania. This ethnolinguistic group is also divided into a number of clans, whose names are formed from nicknames or names of ancestors using the Belarusian suffix -onk (Pisaronki, Lisyonki, etc.). Surnames of Polish and Belarusian origin (Ostrovsky, Kasperovich); in Lithuania, gypsy surnames are often decorated with Lithuanian suffixes (Astrauskas, Kaspyaravichus) or were taken from Russian anthroponymy (Petrov, Ivanov).
c) Latvian gypsies who live in the territory of Latvia, in some cities of the northern part of Lithuania, and throughout Estonia, separate families - in Moscow. Such an ethnolinguistic group is still poorly studied. Surnames of Polish (Kozlovsky, Burkevich, Mitrovsky), German (Eberhardt, Klein), Latvian (Sunitis, Upits) and - less often - Russian (Ivanov) and Lithuanian (Didzhnos) origin. There is even a Ukrainian surname Kravchenko.
2) Gypsy dialects are assigned to the German dialect group, which long time(from the middle of the 15th century) lived and live in the territory where the German language is spoken. Most of these gypsies live outside the former USSR: Austria, Germany, and also in France, separate groups in Poland, Northern Italy, Czechoslovakia, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia. In the former USSR, there are only 5-10 families of German gypsies. Gypsy surnames - German (Weinrich, Reinhardt), less often - Polish origin.
3) The Balkan dialect group includes some Romani dialects that have been in contact with the languages of the Balkan linguistic union for a long time. Most of the speakers of these dialects are located in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula: in Greece, in the south of Yugoslavia, in Bulgaria.
a) Ursari are gypsies who live only on the territory of Moldova. There are two kinds of Ursarians - Gancheshti and Zaharieshti. Gypsy surnames are of Moldovan origin (Arapu, Bogdan, Kantya, Arzhint).
b) Crimean gypsies live in the northern regions of Crimea, in the regions adjacent to Crimea in the Odessa, Kherson regions, Zaporozhye regions of Ukraine, in the Volgograd and Rostov regions, in the Krasnodar Territories and Stavropol, in the Far East, in Siberia, in Kyiv, St. Petersburg , Moscow. Along with Muslim names, gypsies also have Christian names, as well as their names of unknown origin (Khohan, Manchi, Kukuna, Dyultai, Lanchay, Monty, Ivori, Loludi). Gypsy surnames are all of Crimean Tatar origin (Kemalov, Ibragimov, Shekerov, Dzhumas-san, Melemerov, Kazibeev, Dzhelakaev). there is also the surname Oglu, which arose from the isafet form of the Crimean Tatar word ochul 'son'.
4) The Ukrainian dialect group includes gypsy dialects, people who lived for a long time in the territory where the Ukrainian language was spread (from the 16th - 17th centuries).
a) Gypsies of the left-bank Ukraine and the southern regions of the RSFSR live in the Lipetsk, Kursk, Belogorod, Volgograd, Voronezh, and Rostov regions of the RSFSR.
b) On the right-bank Ukraine, gypsies mainly live in the Cherkasy, Kiev, Kirovograd, Nikolaev and Kherson regions. Gypsy surnames belonging to this group are of Ukrainian origin (Ivashchenko, Kopylenko, Danchenko, Kondenko, Slichenko, etc.), sometimes taken from the Russian language (Bizev, Musatov).
5) The Vlach group of dialects is the most dispersed in the former USSR. The speakers of these dialects are the Lovari and Kalderari gypsies, who lived until the middle of the 19th century. in Austria-Hungary on the Romanian-Hungarian language border. At present, the Kalderari live in Poland, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Bulgaria, France, Germany, England, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Canada, USA, Argentina, and Mexico. Lovari live in Poland, Russia, Hungary, France, Germany, Belgium, USA, England.
The Kalderari are divided into so-called clans. The genus takes its name from the nickname or name of its ancestor. In general, there are about 20 genera: Bidoni, Badoni, Busoni, Burikani, Bambuleshti, Butsuloni, Grecurya, Vovoni, Girtsoni, Ditsoni, Dilinkoni, Dukoni, Durkoni, Demoni, Krestevetskoni, Eneshti, etc. The Lovar dialect is represented by the Bundash and Chokesti groups (the division is based on occupation).
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Gypsies are a proud and independent people, but a believer, with bright traditions. Even the names reflect the originality and piety of these people. This people owes its origin to India.
In ancient times, gypsy names were given to children the same as those of godfathers. Surnames began to ennoble, give significance (Pearl, Zolotarev, and so on). Then this tradition passed to names. But they always had some meaning. Not the official name and surname, but the nickname of the gypsies is still in the first place.
Features of gypsy names
Currently, this people uses three types of names:
Actually gypsy samples - the official name, which appears in the documents. It is chosen by sound. Nowadays, they are rarely seen, because they look more like nicknames than beautiful gypsy names: Duda, Geda, Nana, Buza, Lacho, Metya, Gozho, Gili, Sonakai, Bar.
Borrowed samples - names that are used in life, in communication. They are called at baptism. This group of names reflects the meaning of some positive quality (luck, wealth, happiness, fun, beauty). These include the following: Bakhtalo (happy, lucky), Kuch (precious), Rupa, Rupe (ruble). And gypsy names (female) are Rosa, Margot, Viola, Rubina, Jacqueline, Gyuli. Often the secular option for naming a child is an abbreviated official name (Alexander - Sasha). And it does not change even with age and status.
Simple borrowed names - a nickname given to a gypsy that characterizes an act or event. Among this people, they are very common. They are borrowed from Europeans living in the neighborhood: Romanians, Greeks, Italians, Russians.
It happens that a nickname is added to the names. As a rule, the secular option is enough for gypsies. Any adult man or woman has the right to change their first and last name.
Origin
There are gypsy names for men and women of Hungarian, Polish, Romanian origin (Anelka, Voliana, Bina, Gafitsa, Diamanta, Dana, Zhuzha, Loludi, Zemfira, Margayka, Mytsa, Mileva, Ruzha, Papush, Yana, Zurka, Badya, Latsy, Istvan , Janos). As you can see, this people really have a craving for everything beautiful. Gypsies use words added to their official name or nickname. Naike - this is how a woman refers to a man who is older or the same age. By this, she emphasizes respect for the interlocutor. Doike - this is how a gypsy refers to a woman older than herself. Age has always been an occasion for showing respect for this people. Maike - so affectionately addressed to the younger ones.
It is customary to give children names that are associated with a happy fate. Representatives of this people give newborns, as a rule, Muslim and Christian naming options. But there are also gypsy names, the origin of which is unknown (Manchi, Kukuna, Hohan, Dyultai, Lanchay, Monty, Ivory, Loludi).
List of names for boys
It will be interesting to know how children are named in this nation. Here are the main gypsy names and their meanings:
Andrzej (warrior, man).
Boiko (resident of Ukraine).
Besnik (devotee).
Boldo (protector of the king).
Guaril (winner, champion).
Gudada (superiority).
Gunari (warrior).
Georgie (peasant).
Zindelo (son, son).
Iosca (he will multiply).
Ion (good god is).
Lukaa (from Lucania).
Loisa (famous warrior).
Milos (glory of favor).
Marco, Mericano (warlike).
Mihai (who is like a god).
Mirkea (peace).
Nicola, Nicu (victory of the people).
Panka, Pitivo, Pitti (stone, rock).
Petsha (free).
Plaimn (fire, flame).
Pali, Pesha (small).
Stevo (crowned).
Simions (listener).
Tobar (from the Tiber River).
Tamas (twin).
Walter (ruler of the army).
Fonso (noble).
Ferka (free).
Harman and hardy).
Hanzi (God is good).
Stefan (crown).
SANDOR (proud).
Emilian (competitor).
Yanoro (January).
Janko (God is kind).
As can be seen from the interpretation of all the listed names, they were clearly intended to emphasize some feature of the child. Choosing an option for criticism, the parents believed that he was able to influence the fate of the future man.
List of names for girls
Unlike male options, patterns for chastising girls have more sophisticated meanings. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the famous gypsy names:
Bogdan (given by the Lord).
Bakht (happiness).
Baval (breeze).
Bombana (candy).
Vita (willow).
Gili (song).
Godyavir (clever).
Jofranca (free).
Donka (invaluable).
Dika (from Magdala).
Drina (from Hadria).
Many names are created precisely in order to emphasize the best qualities that characterize girls:
Dea (mysterious).
Donka (an invaluable girl).
Zlata (gold);
Zara (sugar).
Zora (dawn).
Kizzy (cinnamon tree).
Laura (invisible).
Luladja (flower of life).
Lala (tulip).
Lyuba, Lyubitshka (love).
Lyalya (beautiful).
Luminitsa (light).
Mirela (admiring).
Mala (necklace).
Nadia (hope).
Persuda (reasonable).
Daddy (doll).
Rada (joy).
Probably, even the gypsies themselves will not be able to list all the names. There are many more examples for girls to complain about.
Ratri (night).
Ruzanna (beautiful girl).
Rouge (red-haired).
Simza (joy).
Sarah (morning).
Stanka (superbly ruling).
Slavutna (wonderful, glorious).
Taleita (little girl).
Tshilaba (seeker of knowledge).
Tsera, Tseritsa (light, ray of dawn).
Florica (flower).
Fifika (she will multiply).
Chirikli (bird).
Chergay, Chergen (star).
Shofranca (free).
Esmeralda (emerald).
Ash (live)
The most common gypsy names
As elsewhere, due to natural selection, some specimens become loved, while others are gradually forgotten. Often there are gypsy (male) names, which are given below. They fully reflect the proud disposition of the representatives of this people:
Kahlo (black).
Baro (main).
Gojo (handsome).
Bakhti (lucky).
Tagar (king).
Shuko (beautiful).
Popular female gypsy names that have not been forgotten to this day:
Mucha (cat).
Patrina (picture).
Gita (song).
Shanta (calm).
Raji (princess).
Lachi (glorious).
Conclusion
I would like to note that the naming option shapes the fate of a person, influences the development of certain traits. And gypsy names are chosen carefully, rewarding the child with such qualities that they would like to see in him.
