Late 16th and early 17th century names from Northern Estonian grave markers.
by Rebecca Lucas (ffride wlffsdotter)
© 2017; all rights reserved
last updated 29 October 2017
Introduction
Of the 73 stones examined by Arnek, only 6 that are mentioned in the article are clearly dated to before 1650. The memorials use a mixture of German, Estonian and Latin, and due to the layout of the stones, it is sometimes unclear what the carver intended to record. The following inscriptions are listed by date.
Inscriptions
ANNE: RATTCEP 1589
This is a feminine name, and an Estonian occupational byname. Anne, or a male relative of hers, was a "rattassepp" (English: wheelwright).
Monument register number: 19944.
159(3) DEN IVNIVS IST ÖNNIS NVR MICK IN GOT INSLAPEN
A mixed German-Estonian name?
Arnek gives two possible interpretations for the name in this inscription, either "õnnis noor Mick" (lucky young Mick, a diminutive of Michael) or "Tõnnis Nurmick" (Tõnnis "hard-of-hearing," where Tõnnis is a diminutive of Anthony).
ANNO 1611 DEN 1 DECEMBER WORT SOSO TONNIS GESCATTEN
[In the year 1611, on December 1st, was Soso Tonnis shot.]
ANNO 1624 DEN 17 NOVEMBRIS IST KASSOMEHS HANS VON LVMMER... (G)ESTORBEN.
DIESEN STEIN HAT (K)ASSOMEHS LAVR SEINEM LIEBE VATER IHM VND SIENEN BRVDEREN IAN VND MATZ VND IHREN ERBEN ZV GEDECHTNVS MACHEN LASSEN ANO 1632 DEN... 4 NO(VEM)BRIS
[In the year 1624, on November 17, is Käsumees Hans from Lummer ... died
This stone has (been) left for rememberance, (by) Käsumees Laur (for) his loved father, and his brothers Ian and Matz and their heirs in the year 1632 on the 4th of November.]
This is an example of an occupational byname (Käsumees, a craftsman), a personal name (Hans) and a locative byname (von Lvmmer), along with the names of his children; Laur, Ian, and Matz.
Monument register number: 16337.
(A)RLA PETER NIGOLAS KULTSARVELT S ANNO 1629
These are two masculine names, Peter and Nigolas.
WASSAMA HANS MOLLER THOMAS WASSAMA MOLLER IST ERSCHLAGEN A 1638
[Wassama Hans Moller Thomas Wassama Moller is battered to death in the year 1638.]
While Hans and Thomas are German masculine names, and they both appear to be millers, the grammar implies only one of them was killed.
References