The Impact of the Transylvanian Saxons on Current Place Names in the Romanian Carpathians

Sageata, Radu Danut; Buza, Mircea; Persu, Mihaela

The Impact of the Transylvanian Saxons on Current Place Names in the Romanian Carpathians

Miscellanea Geographica

Volume 29 (2025): Issue 3 (July 2025)

By:

Radu Danut Sageata

, Mircea Buza and Mihaela Persu

Open Access

|Jul 2024

Figures & Tables

The demographic evolution of the German minority in Romania (1930–2021). Census dataSource: own study

Departures of ethnic Germans from Romania (1983–1997)Source: own study

The demographic evolution of the Saxon community in Sibiu, against the background of the overall demographiv evolution of the city (1850–2021)Source: own study

Saxon population colonized in Transylvania. A. = Saxon in Southern Transylvania; B. = Saxon in Northen TransylvaniaSource: Nägler (1981)

The Saxon place names of the settlements established by the Saxon settlers in Transylvania. A. = Saxon in Southern Transylvania; B. = Saxon in Northen TransylvaniaSource: own study

The German place names of the settlements established by the Saxon settlers in Transylvania.A. = Saxon in Southern Transylvania; B. = Saxon in Northen TransylvaniaSource: own study

The Romanian/official place names of the settlements established by the Saxon settlers in Transylvania. A. = Saxon in Southern Transylvania; B. = Saxon in Northen TransylvaniaSource: own study

Oiconyms stemming from anthroponyms in the areas settled by Saxons in Transylvania

Name in Saxon dialect	Name in standard German	Place-name meaning	Name in Romanian
Hältsdref, Haljtsdref	Heldsdorf, Heldesdorf, Heltesdorf	Held’s village	Hălchiu
Wulkendref	Wolkendorf	Wolbrecht’s village	Vulcan
Bronjderf, Brännderf	Brenndorf	Brenning’s village	Bod
Braller	Braller, Brunnweiler	Brunn’s hamlet	Bruiu
Händerf, Hendref	Henndorf, Hegendorf	Hagino’s village	Brădeni^*
Jacosdref, Jôkestref, Giukestref, Giukesdrêf	Jacobsdorf, Jakeschdorf	Jacob’s village	Iacobeni
Hätselderf, Hâtseldref	Hetzeldorf	Hetzilo’s village	Ațel
Birthälm, Bierthalmen, Bierthalm	Birthälm, Birthalmen	Berath’s village	Biertan
Toppesterf	Tobsdorf, Tobesdorf, Toppesdorf, Tobiasdorf, Toblasdorf, Dupesdorf	Tobias’s village	Dupuș
Eibesterf	Sächsisch-Eibesdorf, Eibesdorf, Abesdorf, Iwesdorf	Iven’s village	Ighișu Nou
Mättersdorf, Metesdorf	Martinsdorf	Martin’s village	Metiș
Mortesderf, Motesdref	Mortesdorf, Märtesdorf, Mertesdorf	Morte’s village	Motiș
Nimesch, Nimeš	Nimesch, Niemesch, Nimisch, Nimschdorf	Niemisch’s village	Nemșa
Rittersdorf, Reteschdorf	Retersdorf	Rather’s village	Retiș
Bondorf, Bondref, Bodndref	Bodendorf, Budendorf	Bodo’s village	Bunești
Schweischer	Schweischer, Schweisser	Schweischer’s village	Fișer
Meschenderf, Mešndref	Meschendorf, Meschdorff, Mesche	Maskilin’s village	Meșendorf
Marembrich	Marienburg bei Schäβburg, Meremberg	Mary’s village	Hetiur
Wulkenderf, Vulkendref, Vulkndref	Wolkendorf bei Schäβburg	Wolo’s village	Vulcan
Bűlkeš	Bulkesch, Bolkatsch, Bulgatsch, Bolgatsch, Bulgesch	Balcu’s village	Bălcaciu
Bogeschterf, Bôzeštref	Bogeschdorf, Bogistorf	Bogo’s village	Băgaciu
Sejdn	Seiden, Skyden	Sigi’s village	Jidvei
Huinderf, Huindorf	Hohndorf, Hohendorf, Hahnendorf	Hahnen’s village	Viișoara/Hundorf^**
Belleschterf	Belleschdorf, Bellesdorf Bolleschdorf, Belisdorf Billesdorf, Bollesdorf	Bellesch’s village	Idiciu
Irmesch	Irmesch	Ermen’s village	Ormeniș
Prudn	Pruden, Prüden, Proden	Prod’s village	Prod
Gergestref, Gärjštref	Gergeschdorf, Gergesdorf	Grigore’s village	Ungurei
Mächelsbärch	Michelsdorf, Michelsberg, Michaelsberg	Michael’s village	Cisnădioara
Hameršterf	Hammersdorf	Humbert’s village	Gușterița
Neppenderf, Nâpndref, Naepmdref	Neppendorf, Steppendorf, Nebendorf	Neppen’s village	Satul lui Neppen
Blatrit	Blutroth	Berowin’s village	Berghin
Attelsdref	Bilak, Attelsdorf, Adelsdorf, Zelt	Attel’s village	Domnești
Bonnesdref	Bonnesdorf, Bonisdorf, Bunnesdorf, Unter-Bassen, Boneschdorf	Bonn’s village	Boian
Frek, Fraek	Freck, Fryk	Freck’s village	Avrig
Härmeschtat, Hermestatt	Hermannstadt	Hermann’s town	Sibiu
Jokeschderf	Jakobsdorf, Jachesdorf	Jacob’s village	Sâniacob
Piterschterf	Petersdorf, Petisdorf	Peter’s village	Petiș
Mächelsdref	Michelsdorf an der Kokel, Michelsdorf	Michael’s village	Veseuș

The official written name, in both Romanian and German, of Romanian settlements that are home to ethnic communities of German origin (according to Annex 1/1 of the Decision of the Government of Romania 1 206/2001)

County	Name in Romanian	Name in German
Alba	Berghin	Blutrot
Alba	Vingard	Weingartskirchen
Brașov	Meșendorf	Meschendorf
	Lovnic	Leblang
	Măieruș	Nussbach
	Ticușu Vechi	Deutsch-Tekes
Mureș	Cund	Reussdorf
Sibiu	Cisnădioara	Michelsberg
	Gherdeal	Gürteln
	Șomartin	Martinsberg
	Chirpăl	Kirchberg
	Veseud	Zied
	Mălâncrav	Malmkrog
	Nou Săsesc	Neudorf
	Roandola	Rauthal
	Dealu Frumos	Schönberg
	Apoldu de Sus	Grosspold
	Amnaș	Hamlesch
	Mighindoala	Engelthal
	Petiș	Petersdorf

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mgrsd-2023-0037 | Journal eISSN: 2084-6118 | Journal ISSN: 0867-6046

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Language: English

Page range: 165 - 178

Submitted on: Feb 5, 2024

Accepted on: May 31, 2024

Published on: Jul 31, 2024

Published by: University of Warsaw

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

Keywords:

Saxons,

Germans,

Related subjects:

© 2024 Radu Danut Sageata, Mircea Buza, Mihaela Persu, published by University of Warsaw
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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The Impact of the Transylvanian Saxons on Current Place Names in the Romanian Carpathians

Figures & Tables

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Oiconyms stemming from anthroponyms in the areas settled by Saxons in Transylvania

The official written name, in both Romanian and German, of Romanian settlements that are home to ethnic communities of German origin (according to Annex 1/1 of the Decision of the Government of Romania 1 206/2001)

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