Year: 2017

Prominent Armenians in eastern Anatolia vilayets, 1891 (part 2)

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This blog post is a continuation of an earlier post containing entries for Armenian professionals and tradesmen extracted from a French-language trade directory for the year 1891. Please see the earlier post for background.

The caveat emptor that other Eastern Christians (such as Chaldeans and Syriacs) may have slipped in among the intended Armenians is particularly pertinent for this second post, which covers the vilayet of Diyarbakır. The Google Map shows the location of the places in question.

Thomas Boyadjian, named in the Diyarbakır listing as the British Vice-Consul, died at some date between December 1894 and June 1896, during the Hamidian massacres in Diyarbakır. His widow Eliza Ann née Rogers (1846-1923) and two children Isabella (Zabelle) Catherine (1873-1957) and Henry Samuel Rogers Boyagian (1875-1947) moved to England in 1896. Their Armenian surname was rendered variously as Boyadjian, Boyagian and Boyajian in English.

 

Diarbekir vilayet

Dikranagerd (Diyarbakır)

Abdalian, Nerses, manufacturer
Abidian, Yahcop, builder
Adamian, -, carpenter
Adjamian, Boghos, merchant
Adjamian, O, carpenter
Aludjian, Garabet, coppersmith
Alyanak, Thomas, merchant
Amassian effendi, head of international postal and telegram service
Asadourian, Hah., coppersmith
Ashitchian, Garabet, coppersmith
Asori, Agop, coppersmith
Atarian, B, bootmaker
Baboyan, Iaukhman, coppersmith
Baboyan, Thomas, tailor
Baghdasarian, Mardiros, bootmaker
Bakalian, Hovsep, jeweller
Basmadjian, A, bootmaker
Bedrossian, Garabet, builder
Bedrossian, Ohannes, builder
Berberian, Bedros, glassmaker
Berberian, Thomas, bootmaker
Beuredjian, V, agent of the tobacco board
Boghos effendi, lawyer
Boghossian, Daniel, builder
Boulutian, Thomas, leather manufacturer
Boyadjian, H, merchant
Boyadjian, Melcon, merchant
Boyadjian, Ohannes, merchant
Boyadjian, Thomas, British Vice-Consul for Kurdistan (vilayets of Diarbekir, Erzeroum & Van)
Boyajian, G, dentist
Bundukian, Hovsep, pharmacist
Calustian, Egh., barber
Cazezian, Houssep & Djabour, merchants
Chakalian, Bedros, tailor
Changalian, Boghos, goldsmith
Chekerledmedjian, H, glassmaker
Chirigdjian, D, glassmaker
Chouboukdjian, Bedros effendi, city doctor
Chouldjian, Thomas, carpenter
Chuldjian, Sar., coppersmith
Couyoumdjian, Agop, merchant
Couyoumdjian, Garabet, watchmaker
Couyoumdjian, Mig., watchmaker
Dabaghian, B, bootmaker
Dashtchian, Hovsep, manufacturer
Dashtchian, Ohannes, manufacturer
Delalian, Miguirditch, manufacturer
Derderian, Agop, barber
Derderian, Thomas, bootmaker
Devedjian, Ohannes, tailor
Dicranian, -, glassmaker
Dilberian, Kevork, leather manufacturer
Djerahian, Guiragos, tailor
Djizmedjian, Thomas, tailor
Djkhsetsi, Ohannes, goldsmith
Donjian, Dikran, watchmaker
Doshoyan, Garabet, leather manufacturer
Doujian, Boghos, jeweller
Doujian, M, jeweller
Eeriklian, Ohannes, barber
Faldjian, Kirkor, watchmaker
Ferakian, Oussep, priest of Armenian Catholic Church
Fouroundjian, Giragos , carpenter
Fouroundjian, Ishah, leather manufacturer
Futnian, Hosvep, coppersmith
Garabedian, Agop, builder
Garabedian, D, carpenter
Garabedian, Eva, milliner & dressmaker
Garabedian, S, leather manufacturer
Garge, Agop, carpenter
Guiragos effendi, lawyer
Hagopian, M, tobacco manufacturer
Hakiamian, Giragos & M, carpenters
Hakian, Ohannes, pharmacist
Hakian, T, pharmacist
Hakimian, N, money changer
Halubian, Boghos, bootmaker
Hannayan, Garabed, carpenter
Hanoushian, Y, builder
Hekimian, Hovsep, bootmaker
Helvadjian, G, bootmaker
Helvadjian, Ohannes, coppersmith
Hurmzian, Hanna, glassmaker
Ihrban, Sarkis, carpenter
Ilbanian, Ohannes, merchant
Kahvedjian, Ohannes, watchmaker
Kal, Aroush, tailor
Kalfaian, O, goldsmith
Kalusdian, Erm., coppersmith
Kasabian, B, manufacturer
Kasparian, Agop, watchmaker
Kasparian, Asdvadzadur, builder
Kechichian, Agop, tailor
Kechichian, Mikail & Naoum, merchants
Keshishian, K, money changer
Keshishian, O & B, manufacturers
Khachadourian, Stepan, builder
Khalfa, Agop, carpenter
Khalfaian, Agop, builder
Khandanian, Bedros, merchant
Khdershian, E & G, manufacturers
Khunadjian, G, goldsmith
Kilidjian, Mardiros, pharmacist
Kior Eghoyan, Boghos, grocer
Kiradjian, Kevork, tailor
Kirkorian, Garabet, coppersmith
Kostian, Hovsep, tailor
Kumrahi, Agop, tobacco manufacturer
Kurkdjian, Boulus, money changer
Kurkdjian, Pet. , pharmacist
Kurk-Keseli, Kircor, wine merchant
Lagiagian, B, leather manufacturer
Laglagian, Erm., carpenter
Lalo, Boghos, grocer
Luladjian, Naoum, money changer
Mandaldjian, T, merchant
Mangassarian, B, merchant
Mangoushian, A, goldsmith
Manilian, G, money changer
Manoukian, A, builder
Mildusian, A, goldsmith
Minassian, M, manufacturer
Minassian, Ohannes, merchant
Minassian, Tom., manufacturer
Mouradian, A, pharmacist
Mouradian, David, goldsmith
Mouradian, Sarkis, merchant
Murdjan, Hovsep, tailor
Nakashian, O, bootmaker
Palandjian, G & H, leather manufacturers
Palazian, H, bootmaker
Paluli, Giragos, carpenter
Paluli, Tatos, merchant
Palulian, Ohannes, bootmaker
Papasian, Agop, barber
Papasian, Ohannes, tailor
Papazian, Habib, glassmaker
Papazian, Ohannes, priest of Armenian Apostolic Church
Pardakhdjian, K, leather manufacturer
Parsekian, Agop, carpenter
Paushmanian, Thomas, coppersmith
Pirindjian, Garabed, doctor
Prindjian, E, goldsmith
Puchmanian, Haroutioun, merchant
Rahanian, Kirkor, tailor
Rumian, B, bootmaker
Rusiatsi, Garabed, bootmaker
Saboundjian, Ohannes, glassmaker
Sahaghian, Kaspar, builder
Samoyan, Bedros, money changer
Samoyan, Ohannes, wine merchant
Sarkisian, Mardik, barber
Sasounli, Kirkor, grocer
Sayrakian, Btrus, glassmaker
Shirikdjian, A, merchant
Silivanian, K, coppersmith
Simsarian, Agop, watchmaker
Simsarian, Ghiragos, merchant
Stepanian, M, goldsmith
Tachdjian, Thomas, consular agent for Persia
Tashtchian, Thomas, merchant
Tatarian, T, pharmacist
Tchouldjian, Ohannes, barber
Tehradjian, S, merchant
Terfandjian, Migrditch, merchant
Tokhadjian, Garabed, leather manufacturer
Tomasian, Giragos, builder
Tomasian, H, barber
Tomassian, Hovhanes, leather manufacturer
Topouzian, Egh. , leather manufacturer
Toprahanian, Garabed, manufacturer
Toufangdjian, Rafo, grocer
Uvaz, Ohannes, grocer
Yocoubian, I, leather manufacturer

Mardin

Amborian, Raphael, porcelain & glassmaker
Arguenlian, Krikor, watchmaker
Aroytian, Toros, manufacturer
Der Sahakoglou, Bedros, town pharmacist
Elvanian, Ohannes, draper
Garabetian, Raphael, founder
Garabetian, Sarkis, manufacturer
Karpoutli, Garabet, watchmaker
Kenderian, Elias, porcelain & glassmaker
Konduradjian, Hanna, shoemaker
Mehanadjian, D, wine seller
Melcon, Armenian Catholic Archbishop

Ergani (Arghni)

Aizounberberoglou, Meg., barber
Alexanian, Bedros, copper mine operator
Alexanian, Garabet, pharmacist
Attarian, Kevork, apothecary
Boulboulian, Sarkis, merchant
Der Samuelian, -, tailor
Donabedian, H, copper mine operator
Garabet, Alexan, apothecary
Karpoutli, Capriel, shoemaker
Karpoutli, Mateos, shoemaker
Karpoutli, Meg., shoemaker
Karpoutli, Minas, shoemaker
Kazarossian, A, toolmaker
Keirkan, Boghos, tailor
Madenli, Avedis, barber
Madenli, Kevork, barber
Madenli, Melcon, jeweller
Mouradian, Garabet, copper mine operator
Mouradoglu, Garabet, founder
Santourdjian, A, merchant
Sarragian, M, copper mine operator

 

 

 

Prominent Armenians in eastern Anatolia vilayets, 1891 (part 1)

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The entries for Armenian professionals and tradesmen have been extracted from a French-language trade directory for the year 1891. The sections for eastern Anatolia are arranged by vilayet and, within that, by town. Only certain cities and towns are included in the directory, with a focus especially on those with a pronounced Western commercial interest (as opposed, for example, to market towns with a primarily local or provincial catchment) and therefore on those which are producing or marketing goods for export. This explains, for instance, the inclusion of the relatively modestly sized settlement of Ergani (Arghni): it had a major copper-mining industry.

French orthography may produce renderings of surnames different from those in English (e.g. Ch- and Tch- where English would might use Sh- and Ch- respectively). However, it is quite probable that the spellings of Armenian names adapted to French orthography would be those carried into diaspora by descendants in North America as well as France. The Turkic patronymic suffix -oğlu would, of course, most probably be dropped in diaspora and -ian or -yan used in lieu.

There are some compositorial errors in the original directory. Obvious errors have been corrected silently. However, where the correction is not self-evident, the original text has been retained.

Names in the extracts are ordered A-Z according to the Latin alphabet used in English. In the original text they are arranged by occupation.

Unfortunately, the directory often gives an initial instead of a forename, and of course in those instances the actual forename may be one of two or more commencing with that initial. For example, while the initial O will nearly always be for Ohannes (or a hypocoristic such as Onnik), initials such as A and K could stand for a number of personal names.

Only those names which are clearly Armenian, or very probably Armenian, have been extracted. It is recognised that, for some places, such as Ergani (Arghni) and Dikranagerd (Diyarbakır), a number of other Eastern Christians (such as Chaldeans and Syriacs) may have slipped in to the lists inadvertently. It is also possible that some Persians appear in the lists, although equally it is not inconceivable that some Armenians from Persia might have borne seemingly Persian names.

Occupations are approximate translations from the French originals. Therefore, although the French “orfèvre” is here translated as goldsmith, an individual so described might possibly have been a silversmith or a worker in various precious metals.

Given the length of some of the lists, they will be split over several blogs, by vilayet. This first post covers the two vilayets of Bitlis and Van. The Google Map shows the location of the places in question.

Bitlis vilayet

Baghesh (Bitlis)

Aspadourian, Garabet, money changer
Bacalian, Hatchadur, manufacturer
Bacalian, Simon & brothers, merchants
Basmadjian, Khatchmanoug, merchant
Bechirian, Murad, manufacturer
Checkhoyan, Gh., toolmaker
Choghiguian, Mourad, clothier
Dabaghian, Panos, tanner
Ghuiragossian, Kh., toolmaker
Kaprielian, O, clothier
Kardiguian, Mig., tailor
Kenderian, Krikor & brothers, merchants
Khantcherian, Ohannes, goldsmith
Khatcherian, Ohannes, manufacturer
Khatchmanouguian, Av., banker
Kirmoyan, Aghad., clothier
Kirmoyan, Gaspar, tanner
Kurklian, Mardiros, dyer
Lopoyan, Krikor, tailor
Mateossian, Ohannes, dyer
Mikhtchian, Ga., merchant
Ohannessian, K, tailor
Ozoyan, Krikor & brothers, merchants
Parighian, S, toolmaker
Pariguian, Sefer., clothier
Pegoyian, A, dyer
Sahradian, R Movses, builder
Sarkissian, O, money changer
Soghomonian, Av, coppersmith
Tchoharian, Stepan, director of Armenian Catholic School
Vosghertchian, S, goldsmith

Sgerd (Siirt)

Abrahamian, Mourad, merchant & importer
Gharibian, Boghos, shoemaker
Malkian, Movses, toolmaker
Ohannes, Bishop
Panossian, Movses, grain merchant

Mush (Muş)

Adeyan, Manouk, stove-maker
Aghadjanian, M, banker
Badeyan, Assadour, baker
Badouhassian, Boghos, merchant
Balian, Agop, merchant
Bedrossian, Malk. M, merchant
Bedrossian Makhdessi, S, tailor
Boleyan, Stepan, merchant
Cantarian, Ohannes, bootmaker
Demirdjian, Ohannes, gunsmith
Der Mihitarian, Av., merchant
Djirtyan, Sahag, stove-maker
Donkikian, Boghos, tailor
Eguinian, Artin, watchmaker
Gakhiloukian, Ohannes, merchant
Ghazar, Varbed, gunsmith
Guirintchoyan, Manouk, banker
Hadji, Bedros, gunsmith
Kirounkian, Aghadjan, bootmaker
Loutfian, S, bootmaker
Markarian, Manouk, watchmaker
Midjandjian, B, merchant
Milletbachian, Nigoghos, lawyer
Minassian, Math., tobacco producer
Nalbandian, B, merchant
Poupoyan, M, tailor
Sifreyan, Gaspar, gunsmith
Sudjian, Bedros, lawyer
Varteb, Artine, baker

Van vilayet

Van

Alemian, Aslan, banker
Babiguian, brothers, merchants
Bartevian, Artin, tanner
Chahbinderian, Margos, merchant
Chirvanian, Nishan, dragoman for British Vice-Consul
Der Ohannessian, Kirkor, merchant
Eremian, O, merchant
Fadjian, Var., merchant
Kabrielian, Haroutioun, shoemaker
Kaghaghortian, brothers, merchants
Kaldjian, Artin, banker
Kaldjian, Var., merchant
Kapamadjian, -, bankers
Kapamadjian, brothers, manufacturers
Kapamadjian, brothers, merchants
Khrimian, Mkrtich, Armenian Apostolic Prelate
Levonian, -, stationer & bookseller
Maroutian effendi, merchant
Nalbandian, Garabet, merchant
Ohannes effendi, merchant
Puzantian, -, stationer & bookseller
Tateos, father, Armenian Apostolic vicar
Terzibachian, Haroutioun, merchant
Terlemezian, Manoug & M, merchants
Tokmakian, Markar, manufacturer

 

 

Armenians in British India

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The Google Map shows the major sites associated with the Armenians of British India.

In some cases (such as Calcutta, Madras and Surat), the community was large and stable enough to support a church; in other cases, there may have been a modest chapel, or services, if any, may have taken place in the home of a leading member of the community. Those places shown with Armenian cemeteries (as opposed to burial grounds within general Christian, Protestant or Roman Catholic cemeteries) probably had at least a chapel.

For more information on the Armenians in British India, we recommend Liz Chater’s website http://www.chater-genealogy.com

 

Sites associated with the Sufi saint Sari Saltik Baba

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The C13th Bektashi Sufi saint is venerated in several places in the Balkans, as well as Anatolia.

Both Muslims and Christians come to the sites in the Balkans, where he is sometimes identified with a Christian saint such as St Naum and especially St Nicholas. One feature of the shrines is that non-orthodox acts of devotion take place, such as tying strips of cloth to trees and making votive offerings during prayer.

Tradition holds that Sari Saltik Baba asked that, when he died, his body be washed and seven coffins prepared, in each of which his body would appear. More than seven sites with a claim are shown on the Google Map.

 

Armenians in the Bulgarian Army 1912-1913

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This Google Map shows the birth places, where given, of Bulgarian soldiers of Armenian ethnicity who were killed during the Balkan Wars 1912-1913.

Click on a pin on the map to see Armenian soldiers born in a particular town. All the places are specific bar one, being that for the soldier whose file merely states “Persia” as his birth place.

It will be seen that while, as might be expected, most individuals were born within Bulgaria, two were from Constantinople, five from locations within Armenian parts of the former Ottoman Empire, and two from what was then Persia (the man from “Persia” and the soldier from Tabriz).

The mapping does not purport to be complete: only those soldiers with indisputably or probably Armenian forenames or surnames have been included. The map is likely to omit such Armenians who had assimilated and/or taken completely Bulgarianised names; and, of course, it excludes Armenians who served with the Bulgarian Army but who survived the conflict.

 

Armenians in Abkhazia

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The modern-day Armenian population of Abkhazia dates back to Russian occupation of this formerly Ottoman territory in 1864, and particularly the years following the 1878 Berlin Conference, which facilitated the movement of Christians from within the Ottoman Empire to the Russian Empire. There was a further influx following the 1915 Armenian Genocide within the Ottoman Empire and later movements during the Soviet era and at times of conflict and unrest in the Caucasus.

The Google Map shows the major known Armenian communities in Abkhazia, but does not purport to be complete or comprehensive. According to the 2011 census of the Republic of Abkhazia, there were 41,907 declared Armenians at that date, which is just over 17% of the total population (and makes the Armenians the largest ethnic group after the Abkhazians themselves). The number is declining (compare 44,870 in 2003 and 76,541 in 1989), mostly due to emigration to Armenia and to Russia for employment.

 

Armenian Kayseri, 1872

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The 1872 defter, or taxation schedule, from Kayseri in Turkey (Gesaria or Kesaria in Armenian) is arranged by mahalle and, within that, by street. The taxpaying householders in each street are then listed. There were 8,119 taxpaying households in total in Kayseri in 1872.

At that date, Kayseri had a total of 108 recognised mahalleler or neighbourhoods, comprising between 16 and 352 households each, with the mean being 75 homes. 67 neighbourhoods were exclusively Turkish, 25 were Armenian, two were Kurdish and one was Greek. However, Greeks and Armenians lived together in some Christian quarters and there were seven neighbourhoods with a mixed Armenian/Turkish population.

The original archival material is in Osmanlı Turkish, written using a modified Arabic alphabet, and has been transliterated and transcribed into modern Turkish, which of course uses the Latin alphabet. One needs to understand the pronunciation of certain Turkish letters to be able to match them with the approximately corresponding letters used in English to spell Armenian names in transliteration. For example, the Turkish letter c may be the equivalent of j or dj, and ç and ş represent the sounds ch (or tch) and sh respectively.

Armenian and Greek personal names are rendered in Turkish style, using the suffix -oğlu to indicate “son of”, rather than an Armenian or Greek surname ending. The entries are terse and it is not always clear whether a surname has already been assumed by a family or, contrarily, a simple system of patronymics is still in use – for example, in the case of entries in the format “Manük oğlu Serkis”, it is not certain whether the individual in question is Sarkis Manoukian, or simply a Sarkis son of Manouk with no settled surname (or with a surname not recorded). Contrarily, when the entry is in the format “Demiroğlu Karabet”, it seems clear that the man’s name is Karabet (or Garabed) Demirian.

It is worth noting that the Armenians of Kayseri were native Turkish speakers.

I began by looking for surnames I knew from previous research to be associated with the town and/or sanjak of Kayseri. I was able to find only about one quarter of these. Either the other names were not from Kayseri itself but an outlying town or village, or they had not been taken by 1872 (which seems less likely).

Some of the names in the defter are simple to match to modern Armenian names, for example:

  • Arzuman oğlu Parsıh = Parsegh Arzumanian or Arzoumanian
  • Beyleroğlu Mardiros = Mardiros Beylerian
  • Erkiletlioğlu Karabet = Karabet Erkiletlian
  • Gürünlüoğlu Kesbar ve Avidis = (brothers) Kasbar and Avedis Gurunlian (or Gourounlian)
  • Kalaycıoğlu Mardiros = Mardiros Kalaydjian
  • Keşişoğlu Kalus = Kaloust Keshishian
  • Minasoğlu Hacı Agop = Agop Minasian
  • Odabaşıoğlu Agop = Agop Odabashian
  • Şahinoğlu Karabet = Karabet Shahinian
  • Seferoğlu Parsıh ve Artin = (brothers) Parsegh and Artin Seferian
  • Taşçıoğlu Ohanes = Ohanes Tashjian

Other names are less confident matches:

  • Acemoğlu Karabet = Karabet Ajemian
  • Dökmecioğlu Agop = Agop Deukmejian

The records mainly involve heads of household, as the taxpayers, and these are usually men – however, there are some women, perhaps mostly widows or women who had inherited property or had established a charitable trust (vakif).

Below are details of the Fırıncı mahallesi. Its name means simply “bakers’ neighbourhood” and it was a small, entirely Armenian quarter of the town, comprising just five streets with 23 taxpaying households, of which 21 are named in the defter. These households are shown in the table below.

street householder interpretation
Hamame Sokağı Kırnıkoğlu Hacı Karabet Karabet Kirnikian
Hamame Sokağı Mardinoğlu Karabet Karabet Mardinian
Hamame Sokağı Kazancıoğlu Hacı Agop Agop Kazandjian
Hamame Sokağı Acıroğlu Artın Artin Adjirian
Kazancı Sokağı Kazancıoğlu Murat Murat Kazandjian
Muytab Sokağı Ağlağanoğlu Hacı Agop Agop Aghlaghanian
Muytab Sokağı Keşişin oğlu kızı Meryem Miss Mariam Keshishian
Muytab Sokağı Köseoğlu kuyumcu Hacı Parsıh goldsmith Parsegh Keseian
Muytab Sokağı Külhancıoğlu Bedirus Bedros Kulhandjian
Muytab Sokağı Acıroğlu Keyfuruk Kevork Adjirian
Muytab Sokağı Çoduloğlu Agop Agop Tchodulian
Muytab Sokağı Ohanes oğlu Parsıh Parsegh Ohanesian, or Parsegh son of Ohanes
Muytab Sokağı Sade Agop oğlu Artin simple Artin Agopian, or Artin son of Agop
Gümüşoğlu Sokağı Berber Ohanes Ohanes Berber, or Ohanes the barber
Güllük Sokağı Abacıoğlu zevcesi Ehsabet Mrs Yeghsabet Abadjian
Güllük Sokağı Güllükoğlu Bedirus Bedros Kullukian or Koulloukian
Güllük Sokağı Üskü oğlu Karabet Karabet Ouskouian
Güllük Sokağı Güllükoğlu kızı Meryem Miss Maryam Kullukian or Koulloukian
Güllük Sokağı Çulha Muratoğlu Mığırdıç weaver Mgrdich Muratian
Güllük Sokağı Ağacanoğlu şekerci Artin confectioner Artin Aghadjanian
Güllük Sokağı Hızarcı Manikoğlu Karabet sawyer Karabet Manikian

 

Some thoughts on these householders:

  • Two of the streets appear to be named after the principal family in residence – the Kazandjian household in Kazancı Sokağı and the Kullukian or Koulloukian household in Güllük Sokağı (“roses street”).
  • The occupations of four of the householders are given – goldsmith, weaver, confectioner, sawyer. A fifth man – Ohanes, the sole taxpaying resident in Gümüşoğlu Sokağı – is either a barber or bears the surname Berber or Berberian – the original record does not make it clear. Given the name of this mahalle, one would assume that at least one of the men without a given occupation was a baker.
  • Three out of the 21 are women – two described as daughters (kızı in Turkish) and one as a wife (zevcesi), and presumably are respectively spinsters and a widow.
  • Four of the male householders have their forename prefixed with Hacı (Hadji), which would normally indicate that they had performed the pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

 

The Google Map shows the Armenian settlements in the Kayseri province of the Ottoman Empire before the 1915 Genocide.

 

 

This article and map are versions of originals which were published by bluebirdresearch.com in 2013/2014.

Isniq and Istog, Kosova

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Manchester United is a global brand and, in addition, the least liked team in the English Premier League, the side that everyone enjoys seeing beaten or embarrassed.  

Adnan Januzaj was purchased by Man Utd from the Belgian champions RSC Anderlecht in 2011, aged 16. Although born in Brussels, it is immediately clear from his name that his family is not of traditional Belgian heritage. The surname is Albanian. The forename Adnan, which means “settler” in Arabic, is common in Muslim parts of the Balkans, in Turkey and across the Middle-East. Januzaj’s father Abedin migrated to Belgium from Istog, Kosova in 1992, apparently to avoid the draft into the Yugoslav People’s Army as the state fell apart.  

Istog (or Istok in the Serbian language) is a twin village, in a peculiarly Kosovar Albanian sense. Its twin is Isniq (Istinić in Serbian). In fact, it would be more true to say that, rather than siblings, Isniq is the parent settlement which gave birth to Istog.   

The founding myth is as follows. At a date probably during the latter half of the C17th, three Catholic Albanian brothers from the Shala clan in Albania left their native highlands in Malësi e Madhe, where land was in short supply. They settled in the Rrafshi i Dukagjinit plains (known as Metohija in Serbian) near a modest settlement then known as Istinići, populated by a handful of households of the Orthodox confession (probably ethnic Albanian rather than Serb) of the Bojkaj clan. In due course, both the Orthodox Bojkaj, and the descendants of the incoming Catholic brothers, converted to Islam, and the settlement, being populated by Albanian speakers, generally became known as Isniq.  

During the mid-C19th, Isniq had expanded to the extent that all land was accounted for, and the village’s overflow population settled at Istog, where they were effectively serfs (çifçi) rather than independent peasant agriculturalists or pastoralists. Henceforth, many families had two homes, one in Isniq and one in Istog, under the same head of household (at least until post-WW1 reforms in Yugoslavia).  

To explain this, one must understand the traditional clan structure in this part of Kosova. The word for a clan is fis. Each fis is subdivided into lineages, or lines of descent (patrilineal, as only male lines are considered). There are two local words for these in Albanian, both of which have a geographical meaning coinciding with the genealogical meaning – mëhallë (derived from the Turkish mahalle) and lagje. These translate to lineage but also to neighbourhood or quarter – this is because residence followed kinship lines, and the entire lineage would live in the same part of the village. In turn, each mëhallë or lagje was subdivided into barks, which were the main kinship group for most practical and social purposes. Each bark was also subdivided, into shpies. A shpie was a household (equivalent to a Slavic zadruga) – a usually walled compound in which typically might live an old man, his sons and the sons’ children, or alternatively (following the death of the elder, if the shpie does not divide, the sons as brothers and their children). Finally, within each shpie are the hises. A hise is the equivalent of a nuclear family – i.e. a man, his wife and their children.  

In the case of Isniq and Istog, then, it is the shpie which might have two physical households, one in each village, under the headship of the same head of household.   

As for the Januzaj family or bark, in Isniq this comprised three shpies in 1900, six in 1932 and 13 in 1975. They were relatively well-off and, indeed, it seems that the leader of the Januzaj was a spahi, a hereditary landowner favoured under the Ottomans, responsible for collecting the tithe on behalf of the local bey. In Istog, there is a mëhallë or quarter named Januzaj in which the family lives. It is in this place that the footballer Adnan Januzaj’s father was born.  

The Google Map shows the two Kosovar towns.

This article first appeared on the bluebirdresearch website. Since the original article was written, Adnan has been sold by Man U to the Spanish La Liga club Real Sociedad.

Catholic communities in Kosova

/ bluebirdmaps

The Google Map shows the known Roman Catholic churches in Kosova. Note that in some cases, where the exact location of the church building could not be established on the map, the pin marking the church is simply placed in the centre of the village or town.

Some of the churches are of recent construction (such as the cathedral dedicated to Mother Teresa in the capital, Prishtina) and it is likely that the number of places of worship will continue to increase with religious freedom in Kosova and ongoing Catholic pastoral outreach.

It will be seen that the three main clusters of Catholic settlement are around Gjakova, between Peja and Klina, and in the SE around Stublla.

According to the 2011 census, 38,438 individuals identified themselves as Catholic, approximately 2% of the total population.

 

Armenian communities in Lebanon

/ bluebirdmaps

The Google Map shows the Armenian communities and places of worship in Lebanon. All churches marked are Armenian Apostolic unless stated otherwise.

The Lebanese Armenian community is heavily concentrated in Beirut, and particularly in and around its eastern suburb of Bourj Hammoud. Many of the local Armenians are descendants of 1915 Genocide survivors and refugees. The total Armenian population in Lebanon was estimated to be 156,000 in 2014.

 

 

This map was previously published by bluebirdresearch.com