SWABIAN TURKEY
 COORDINATOR
Henry Fischer

Swabian Turkey
Home of the Danube Swabian for over 200 years.

HOME | ABOUT | VILLAGES | RESEARCH | MAPS | PHOTOS


Donauschwaben
Villages Helping Hands
Remembering Our Danube Swabian Ancestors
 
 
Researching in Tolna County

Helpful Hints by Henry Fischer

Tolna  megye [Hun]
Tolnau Komitat [Ger]
Tolnensis Comitatus [Lat]
 

 

Map: static.valasztas

Districts of Tolna County
Tolna County Seat: Szekszárd

English/Hungarian
Bonyhád District
Bonyhádi járás
Dombóvár District
Dombóvári járás
Paks District
Paksi járás
Szekszárd District
Szekszárdi járás
Tamási District
Tamási járás
Tolna District
Tolnai járás

NEW . . .

HESSIAN EMIGRATION LIST
to
Tolna County, Swabian Turkey
1721-1723

Cikó in Tolna County
Including settlers list
from 1723

Good reads on Tolna

Ortsfamilienbuch Bonyhád

Moragy Marriages

Tolna County - Hungarian Property Tax 1828 Land Census
Hungarian Names of Villages & Cities & LDS / Family History Center Microfilm Numbers

Village Resources & Church Record Transcriptions
Provided by your Swabian Turkey Coordinator Henry Fischer
TOLNA | BARANYA | SOMOGY

Genealogy at DVHH  |  Subscribe to DVHH eMail List 


Researching in Swabian Turkey is often confusing, as the church books were kept at different localities from time to time. Most of those settlements were of Lutheran or Reformed faith, whose churches and pastors were persecuted prior to the Edict of Toleration in 1784. The information below should help the researcher to find out where the church books were kept for individual localities at various times in the County of Tolna. ~Henry Fischer

Alsónána, Tolna County

This community was settled by German Lutherans from Hesse most of whom had settled previously in other communities in Tolna County.  The earliest records associated with the families of this community can be found in the Roman Catholic Church Records in Batászék, Tolna County as early as 1762.  There were also several Reformed families living in the village that are included in those records.  That is also true of the Lutheran Church Records in Alsónána that begin in 1783 following the Edict of Toleration when the Lutherans were no longer under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic priest in Batászék.  The Lutheran birth/baptismal records also include entries related to families in Zsibrik, Szálka, and Batászék.  The marriage register includes inter-marriages with families from Kaposszekcsö, Kismányok, Bonyhád, Majós, Hidás, Mekényes, Bátaapáti, Börzsóny, Mórágy, Nádasd, Glasshüte, Ecsény, Csikostöttös, Györköny, Rác Kozar, Mucsfa, Izmény and Magyar Bóly.


Bátaapáti, Tolna County
(Commonly called:  Apáti)

References to the Lutheran families who settled here prior to 1730 can be found in various other parishes in the vicinity, especially in the Lutheran Church Records in Kismányok prior to the Edict of Toleration.  They were officially placed under the jurisdiction of neighbouring Roman Catholic parishes but many of them sought out the closest Lutheran Churches that were permitted to function at that time.  In 1770 the congregation organized secretly and had their own resident Levite Lehrer who taught in the school and led worship as a lay preacher.  He began the baptismal records in 1770 but was not permitted to marry or bury officially.  The marriage records begin in 1784 and the death register was opened in 1783.  In addition to births/baptisms from the local community there are also entries for Lutheran families in Zsibrik, Alsónána, Balatinc, Mórágy, Domonac, Glasshüte, Cikó, Börzsóny, Szálka, and Ófalu.

The marriage records indicate intermarriages with families in Bonyhád, Kalaznó, Bikal, Hidas, Kismányok, Batászék, Kéty, Kistormás, Kölesd, Tékes, Varsád, Kaposszekcsö, Rác Kozar, Tabód, Mucsfa, Majós, Mekényes, Zsombeck, Nagyszekély, Tófü, Magyar Bóly, Paks, Hájmas, Ivan Darde, Magocs as well as those mentioned above previously.


Batászék, Tolna County

This ethnic German Roman Catholic parish was established in 1722 but it also served some neighbouring communities including the baptisms of some Lutheran and Reformed families in Tabód, Mórágy, Vardomb, Alsónána, Kovácsi, Tevél, Bonyhád, Dalmánd, and Kölesd.

There was also intermarriage with families in Egres, Cikó, Szakadát, Nádasd, Hidas, Tolna, and Baja. 


Bikács, Tolna County

This village was settled as early as 1720 by Heidebauern from Western Hungary in Moson County and were closely related to the Lutheran congregation in Györköny where many of their baptisms and marriages are listed as well as in the Roman Catholic parish records in Paks.  The congregation was placed under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic priest in Kajdács but many sought out the Lutheran pastors in the area.  In 1761 the congregation was allowed to have a Levite Lehrer who began the baptismal/birth records in that year.  When the congregation legal status under the terms of the Edict of Toleration came into effect families in other communities had their children baptized here as well from: Szent Ivan, Vájta, Cece, Kajdács, Szent Miklos, Dorog, Györe, Sárszentlörinc, Györköny and Somodor.

The marriage register begins in 1763 and includes families intermarrying from:  Györköny, Szent Miklos, Harta, Dorog, Felsö Nána, Bogárdi, Kölesd, Pálfa, Izmény, Gyönk, Varsád, Batászék, Szent Ivan, Paks, Kajdács, Tapi, Lajos Komárom, Némedi, Rác Almas, Somogydöröcske, Kér, Kistormás, Rác Kozar, Kisszekély, Pandi, Duna Földvar, Bonyhád, Nagyszekély, Sárszentlörinc, Tengelec and Vajta.


Bonyhád, Tolna County

The community was first settled by Hungarian Reformed settlers, who were followed by ethnic German Roman Catholic families and shortly thereafter by ethnic German Lutherans primarily from Hesse.  A Roman Catholic parish was established in 1729 and all three groups were placed under its jurisdiction although both of the other two groups would often seek to have ministerial services from churches of their own confession in the area whenever possible.  Not all of the Lutheran families in these records are identified as Lutherans until at a later date.  The Lutherans later became a filial congregation of the Mother Lutheran Church in Majós but were not formally allowed to organize until 1816 and would eventually become the largest Lutheran congregation in the Tolna.

In the Roman Catholic birth/baptismal records you will find references to families who also lived in Nádasd, Majós, Cikó, Gyönk, Tabód, Hidás, Mórágy, Kakasd, Izmény, Kismányok, Nagymányok, Bátaapáti, Bikács, Kéty, Zomba, Szálka, Batászék, Grabóc, Szárázd, Vejke, Mocseny, Börzsóny, Mórágy, Zsibrik, Szerdahley, and Ladomany.

In addition in the marriage register there were also intermarriages with families from Simontornya, Kovácsi, Kalaznó, Tófü, Szabádi, Felsö Nána, Bonnya, Mucsfa, Gerényes, Mekényes, Hant, Hájmas, Varsád, Rác Kozar, Kistormás, Murga and Bikal.

As indicated previously the Lutheran Church Records in Bonyhad begin in 1816 and entries for the Lutheran families living there can be found in the Roman Catholic records as noted above or in the neighbouring Lutheran communities of Majós and Kismányok as well as others as will be noted later.  But the Mother Church here also served Lutheran families living in other   communities: Börzsóny, Szerdahely, Tabód and Szeplák.

The families in Bonyhad also intermarried with families in Virágos, Varsád, Ófalu, Hidas, Zsibrik, Bátaapáti, Felsö Nána, Mucsfa, Gerényes, Alsónána, Györe, Mórágy, Kölesd, Rác Kozar, Kéty, Gyönk, Izmény, Udvári, Majós, Kismányok, Bikal, Varalja, Kalaznó, Nagy Ág, Somogyszil, Baja, Tófü, Nagy Hájmas, Gadács, Somogyacsa, Lajos Komárom, Magyar Bóly, Mekényes, Pécs and Ecsény. 


Börzsóny, Tolna County

A group of settlers from the Hessian villages in the neighbourhood established themselves in this Hungarian village and related to the Lutheran congregation in Bonyhád and entries regarding these families can be found there as well as in some others nearby. 


Felsö Nána, Tolna County

This community was established prior to 1730 and from its inception it was filial of the Mother Church in Kistormás and entries related to the families can be found there as early as 1733 because an underground Levite Lehrer was at work in the community and those records can be found in both communities with some entries only appearing in one set of records.  There are also references to baptisms for Lutheran families in Kistormás, Murga, and Rác Kozar.  There was intermarriage with families from Bonyhád, Varsád, Nagyszekély, Györköny, Kistormás, Majós, Kalaznó, Mekényes, Felsö Mocsolád, Gyönk, Hidas, Murga, Szakadát, Szárázd, Kéty, Tabód, Izmény, Bátaapáti, Bikal, Lengyel, Zomba, Kölesd, Keszö Hidegkút, Palota, Kapoly, Mucsfa, Rác Kozar, Ladomany, Paks, Vejke, Harta, Hidas, Gerényes, Káráz, Udvári, Némedi, Gadács, Somogydöröcske, Kismányok, Belecska, Csikostöttös, Hács, Ecsény, Polány and Kötcse. 


Gyönk, Tolna County

This was the earliest Lutheran community established in Tolna County in 1719 consisting of Hungarian Lutherans.  They were joined later by German Lutherans who came from Hesse, with the principle movement beginning in 1725 when families arrived there from Cikó who had left that community to avoid conversion to Roman Catholicism.  Reformed Hungarians and Germans from Hesse were also established in the community quite early through the efforts of the Reformed landlord who was also a “bishop” of the Hungarian Reformed Church.

The earliest Lutheran Church Records begin in 1733 when the congregation became a legal Mother Church.  It also served filial congregations and Lutheran families living in Keszö Hidegkut, Udvári, Szárázd and Kalaznó until the Edict of Toleration. 

They intermarried with families from Keszö Hidegkut, Kalaznó, Nagyszekély, Varsád, Paks, Cikó, Mucsfa, Udvári, Kistormás, Bátaapáti, Szárázd, Kötcse, Mekényes, Tófü, Felsö Nána, Bonyhád, Kajdács, Györköny, Bikal, Somogydöröcske, Kölesd, Murga, Hidas, Sárszentlörinc, Belécska, Rác Kozar, Vejke, Kapoly, Felsö Mocsolád, Szabádi, Izmény, Harta, Kéty, Csikostöttös, Bikács, Polány, Dalmánd, Miszla and Somogyszil.

The Reformed Church Records that were begun in 1739 were a result of a split between the Hungarian and German families and the congregations went their separate ways.  There was some intermarriage between the Reformed and Lutheran families in the community, which meant that in most cases the daughters born to the marriage followed the religion of their mother and the sons that of their father.  But that was not always the case.

There was also intermarriage with other Reformed families living in nearby communities principally Nagyszekély, and also Kalaznó, Tófü, Varsád, Felsö Nána, Kistormás, Mórágy, Murga, Györe, Hidas, Kéty, Szárázd, Kis Berény, Mucsfa, Udvári, Bonyhád, Mekényes, Kapoly, Felsö Mocsolád, Somogydöröcske, Gerényes, Ecsény, Bonnya, Paks and Belecska.  There were Reformed minorities in most of the Lutheran communities that continued in their faith but the vast majority eventually became part of the Lutheran Church.  There were, however, several large totally Reformed communities such as Nagyszekély, Hidas, Mórágy and Felsö Mocsolád. 


Györköny, Tolna County

The first settlers arrived in 1719 and consisted of Hungarians and Heidebauern from Western Hungary.  Both groups were Lutheran.  The Lutheran Church Records begin in 1720.  These original settlers were joined by others from the Heideboden and in the mid 1720s a large-scale new immigration consisting of families from Hesse took place at which time the Hungarian families moved on and established Sárszentlörinc in the vicinity.  In addition to entries for families in the village there are also references to families living in Bikács that was also another Heidebauern community but under the jurisdiction of local Roman Catholic priests, but some of the families maintained a close contact with the Lutheran Church here until they were allowed to organize their own church life after the Edict of Toleration.  The families also intermarried with families from Cikó, Vajta, Varsád, Paks, Kalaznó, Felsö Nána, Kistormás, Lajos Komárom and Szent Miklos. 


Izmény, Tolna County

This is one of the early Hessian settlements in the Tolna with the first colonists arriving in the early 1720s after leaving Mucsi where they first settled among Roman Catholic settlers from the Bishopric of Fulda.  Most of the earliest references to families living and settling here can be found in the Lutheran Church Records in Kismányok as well as in some other neighbouring congregations.  In 1773 the congregation was successful in obtaining permission to have Levite Lehrer in the village, who worked in conjunction with the pastor in Kismányok and at which time he began the baptismal record.  It was only after 1784 when the congregation was legally constituted under the Edict of Toleration that a pastor was called and a marriage and death registry were begun.  In the baptismal registry there are references to families living in Kalaznó, Mucsfa, Bonyhád, Rác Kozar, Györe, Majós, Hidas, Szekszárd, Keszö Hidegkút, Tófü, Máza and Váralja.

There was also intermarriage with families living in Bikal, Zsibrik, Hidas, Murga, Mekényes, Majós, Szárázd, Rác Kozar, Varsád, Bonyhád, Kalaznó, Györe, Bátaapáti, Tófü, Kistormás, Apár, Mucsfa, Kismányok, Kéty, Nagy Ág, Máza, Alsónána, Dalmand, Gerényes, Váralja, Kaposszekcsö, Tarrós, Csikostöttös, Tékes, Nagy Hájmas, Lengyel and Szabádi. 


Kalaznó, Tolna County

This was also one of the earliest villages established on the von Mercy estates and was a filial of Varsád from almost the time of its inception.  It did not become a Mother Church until after the Edict of Toleration.  The baptismal/birth records were kept by an unknown Levite Lehrer that begin in 1724.  These entries are duplicated in the church records of the Lutheran Church in Varsád but on occasion a baptism may be recorded in only one of the two sets of records.  The original families in Kalaznó originated in Upper Hesse in the vicinity of Alsfeld except for some Heidebauern.  There are few entries in the baptismal records from outside of the community except for some families in Högyész, Kappóny, Mucsfa, Ecsény, Berény, Tevel and Szakadát.

They intermarried with families from Kistormás, Keszö Hidegkút, Gyönk, Varsád, Udvári, Felsö Nána, Szárázd, Missla, Ecsény, Bikal, Bátaapáti, Mucsfa, Kéty, Dalmánd, Murga, Somogydöröcske, Bonyhád, Kismányok, Mekényes, Gerényes, Kéty, Tékes, Gadács, Sárszentlörinc, Högyész, Györköny, Rác Kozar, Kapoly, Máza, Belecska, Putenda, Kötcse, Tevel, Tarrós and Nagyszekély.

Large numbers of the families in Kalaznó migrated to Somogydöröcske and Murga. 


Keszö Hidegkút, Tolna County
(Also known as Hidegkut)

This was one of the early von Mercy settlements that from its inception consisted of German Lutheran Hessians who formed a congregation that was a filial of Gyönk but also had close connections with Varsád, and early information with regard to the families who lived here can be found in the church records of those two communities.  The congregation became a Mother Church in 1789 at the time of their approval of their right to organize by the Emperor Joseph.  The baptismal/birth records also include Lutheran families living in Belecska, which became a filial congregation early in the 19th century.

The marriage register indicates intermarriages with families from Belecska, Udvári, Gyönk, Nagyszekély, Bátaapáti, Kalaznó, Felsö Nána, Szárázd, Zsribrik, Varsád, Miszla, Kapoly, Bonyhád, Némedi, Kéty, Kötcse, Varalja, Somogydöröcske, Bikal, Kistormás, Paks, Ecsény, Gadács, Murga, Högyész, Sopron, Kölesd, Bonnya and Szabádi.


Kéty, Tolna County

The majority of the original settlers had first arrived in other communities mostly on the von Mercy estates before coming here in response to an invitation from the nobleman who promised them not to interfere in their religious life as Lutherans.  These Hessians arrived in the mid 1740s and an “underground” Levite Lehrer served them even though they were placed under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic priest in Zomba where all of the earliest information on these families can be found beginning in 1748.  They also went to nearby Lutheran churches whenever possible especially Kistormás and can also be located under some of the other communities already listed.

The baptismal/birth records of the Lutheran Church begin in 1786 and in addition to Lutheran families living in the community other families in the vicinity were also served from Kéty including:  Murga, Tabód, Odan Puszta, Tevel and Dorog.

The families here also intermarried with families from:  Gyönk, Murga, Kistormás, Gerényes, Izmény, Mucsfa, Szárázd, Bátaapáti, Kalaznó, Felsö Nána, Nagyszekély, Dorog, Tófü, Harta, Bonyhád, Bogárd, Börzsóny, Györe, Keszö Hidegkút, Odan Puszta, Tékes, Varalja, Belecska, Majós, Tabód, Kölesd, Györköny, Tevel, Nyoma, Zsibrik, Zomba, Alsónána, Kismányok, Nádasd, Somogydöröcske, Bonnya, Rác Kozar, Csikostöttös, Mórágy, Hidas, Mekényes, Gadács, Paks, Udvári and Nagy Ág. 


Kismányok, Tolna County

This again is one of the oldest Lutheran communities in the Tolna and for some reason no one has ever been able to determine why they were allowed to be a Mother Church even though the limit of two Lutheran congregations in a County was already in place with the establishment of the congregations in Varsád and Gyönk.  The congregation would provide cover for numerous “illegal” Lutheran congregations in the area until the Edict of Toleration was proclaimed.

As a result the baptismal/birth records that begin in 1728 include Lutheran families from Mucsfa, Bonyhád, Majós, Izmény, Hidas, Cikó, Bátaapáti, Rác Kozar, Tófü, Mórágy, Mekényes, Zsibrik, Szazd, Varalja and Nádasd.

In the marriage records there are intermarriages with Lutheran families from Majós, Mucsfa, Hidas, Izmény, Varsád, Bonyhád, Kistormás, Tófü, Zomba, Mórágy, Varkony, Mekényes, Gyönk, Bátaapáti, Nagymányok, Kalaznó, Kéty, Felsö Nána, Zsibrik, Szard, Rác Kozar, Alsónána, Medina, Tabod, Tamasi, Varalja, Sárszentlörinc, Csikostöttös, Magyar Boly, Máza, Vasarosdombo, Szárázd, Nádasd, Nagy Ág, Högyész, Bikal, Györe, Gerényes, Beregalja, Hájmas, Keszö Hidegkút, Szabádi, Cikó, Somogyszil, Lajos Komárom, Tékes, Borjád, Bánfalu, Börzsóny, Kaposszekcsö, Batászék and Nagyhajmás. 


Kistormás, Tolna County

This Lutheran congregation also served as Mother Church due to the influence of Count von Mercy and was established early in the 1720s.  The baptismal/birth records begin in 1724.  In addition to the families in the community Lutheran families in the following communities also had their children baptized here, especially Felsö Nána that was a filial until the Edict of Toleration.  Many of the baptisms are also recorded in their own records by a Levite Lehrer serving there illegally that probably baptized the children.  Other communities included Zomba, Varsád, Kalaznó, Udvári, Gyönk, Kölesd, Kéty, Medina, Ödenburg, Tabód, Kapoly and Kismányok.

They intermarried with Lutheran families from Gyönk, Felsö Nána, Tengelic, Bonyhád, Nagyszekély, Medina, Izmény, Mekényes, Bikal, Mucsfa, Györköny, Kölesd, Kalaznó, Zurndorf, Udvári, Harta, Keszö Hidegkút, Varsád, Paks, Bátaapáti, Kéty, Nagy Dorog, Godre, Högyész, Zomba, Majós, Murga, Rác Kozar, Szárázd, Kötcse, Gige, Siklos, Varalja, Borjád, Tab, Palota, Berény, Vadkert, Tófü, Somogydöröcske, Hidas, Tarrós, Belecska and Bikal. 


Lengyel, Tolna County

This is one of the oldest German Roman Catholic settlements on the Apponyi Domain.  Included in these records are entries dealing with Lutheran families living in Mekényes in Baranya County from early in 1768 until the Edict of Toleration took effect in Mekényes in 1784.  In the baptismal/birth records there is also a single reference to Rác Kozar.  The marriage records also include intermarriages of Lutheran families from Mekényes, Rác Kozar, Zomba, Kalaznó, Kistormás, Izmény, Magocs, Hájmas, Szaras, Felsö Mocsolád, Tófü, Nagy Ág, Tarrós, Mucsfa and Bonyhád. 


Magyar Bóly, Tolna County

Some families from Izmény resettled here among the German Roman Catholic population and formed a filial congregation with Izmény and were related to some other Lutheran congregations in the area.  


Majós, Tolna County

This settlement of German Lutheran colonists began in the early 1720s and found itself in a very volatile situation in terms of their religious life with their pastors and schoolmasters being banished and exiled and re-instated over the years.  Information on the families who lived here are a crazy quilt pattern all over southern Tolna. There are the original baptismal/birth records kept by the first pastor from 1720 to 1726 when he was banished from the County.  During another period a Levite Lehrer managed to serve here and began baptismal/birth records beginning in 1742 that were continued by the new pastor who came after the Edict of Toleration took effect in the community.  In these records you will locate references to other Lutheran families living in the vicinity that belonged to underground congregations and sought the services of the pastor in Majós.  They lived in Hidas, Nagy Manyók, Kismányok, Cikó, Izmény, Mórágy, Nagyszekély, Kistormás, Zsibrik, Bonyhád, Szerdahely, Börzsóny, Varsád, Szeplák, Hant and Györe.  After 1785 Bonyhád became a filial congregation of Majós and countless births can be found here.

In the marriage register using the same time-frame as noted above families intermarried with others from Kismányok, Cikó, Bonyhád, Izmény, Hidas, Mórágy, Vejke, Varsád, Nagy Manyók, Kéty, Zsibrik, Mucsfa, Viragos, Mekényes, Bátaapáti, Kistormás, Rác Kozar, Nagyszekély, Szerdahely, Udvári, Alsónána, Györe, Felsö Nána, Olhau, Pressburg, Grünau, Ragendorf, Hant, Bikács, Murga, Varalja, Gyönk, Börzsóny, Tékes, Palota, Paks, Szas, Tabód, Kalaznó, Hájmas, Nagy Ág, Gerényes, Máza, Kaposszekcsö, Csikostöttös, Baja, Varas Domba, Tófü, Magyarbóly, Györköny, Bikal, Gadács, Ecsény, Keszö Hidegkut and Somogydöröcske. 


Mórágy, Tolna County
(Also known as Moratz)

This was an early Hessian settlement made up both Lutheran and Reformed settlers, the majority of whom were Reformed.  Information on the families from the early settlement period can be found in the Roman Catholic church records in nearby Batászék as well as in other neighbouring Lutheran church records as indicated especially in Kismányok.  The Reformed Church records begin in 1784, the Lutherans in the community did not form a congregation of their own and either assimilated or maintained a relationship with a nearby Lutheran community.  The birth/baptismal records beginning in 1784 include Reformed families from Alsónána and Bátaapáti. Intermarriages between the families here and families in other communities included:  Nagyszekély, Alsónána, Bátaapáti, Bonyhád, Kismányok, Zsibrik, Hidas, Rác Kozar, Tälschenmühl, Szabádi, Gyönk, Börzsóny, Ófalu, Izmény, Szárázd, Harta, Magyarbóly, Szekszárd, Csikostöttös, Vejke, Borjád, Gerényes, Batátaszék, Kapoly, Hant, Varalja and Pécs. 


Mucsfa, Tolna County

The first settlers who arrived here were from the Odenwald and had left their homeland in the spring of 1724.  This was a Lutheran community that was denied legal existence until the Edict of Toleration but formed a filial congregation of Kismányok and the earliest information on the families can be found in the Lutheran church records there.  A Levite Lehrer began to work here in 1742 and began the baptismal/birth records of the congregation.  In addition to the Lutheran families in Mucsfa he also provided services to Lutheran families living in Mekényes, Izmény, Majós, Vejke, Apar, Rác Kozar, Dalmánd and Györe.

The marriage register began in 1784 and there were intermarriages with families living in Izmény, Kalaznó, Rác Kozar, Kismányok, Majós, Gerényes, Bonyhád, Mekényes, Hidas, Bátaapáti, Somogydöröcske, Varalja, Tófü, Mórágy, Vejke, Tabód, Nagy Ág, Varsád, Dalmánd, Kistormás, Gyönk, Györe, Kéty, Csikostöttös, Hájmas, Bikal, Somogyszil, Tékes, Kaposszekcsö, Felsö Nána, Szabádi, Högyész and Tarrós.


Mucsi, Tolna County

 The first settlers arrived in Mucsi in 1720.


Murga, Tolna County

This was a secondary Hessian settlement with Lutheran families coming primarily from Kalaznó and Roman Catholic settlers from various German Roman Catholic communities.  Both groups were placed under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic priest in Zomba and entries with regard to the Lutheran families will be found in those church records up until the time of Edict of Toleration when the Lutherans in Murga became a filial congregation of nearby Kéty that was a Lutheran Mother Church.  There was an illegal schoolmaster at work in Murga by 1778 who began the baptismal/birth records of the congregation.  There are also entries for families living in Zomba, Kéty and Kistormás.  All of the marriages for families in Murga can be found in Kéty Lutheran records for the period after 1784.  There were however some families during the early period who sought out pastors in nearby Lutheran congregations for marriages and baptisms and can be found in the records identified previously above. 


Nagyszekély, Tolna County
(Also known as Gross Säckel)

This is the first and largest of the German Reformed congregations in Swabian Turkey and was established by Hessian Lutherans in 1719 who were soon vastly outnumbered by new arriving Reformed Hessians.  The Reformed Church here became one of the two Articular (legal) Reformed churches in the County.  The birth/baptismal records begin in 1722 and Lutheran families are also included and identified as well as Reformed families from Simontornya, Gyönk, Udvári, Némedi, Alsó Pel and Kisszekély.  There is one major difficulty in that only the father’s name is usually given and there are often numerous individuals with the same name especially Johann in every generation in every family.

The marriage records also begin in 1722 and in addition to local families they intermarried with families from:  Simontornya, Varsád, Kistormás, Kalaznó, Udvári, Gyönk, Vadkert, Kéty, Felsö Mocsolád, Mórágy, Csikostöttös, Kötcse, Felsö Nána, Hidas, Keszö Hidegkút, Zomba, Rác Kozar, Szárázd, Harta, Düzs, Ecsény, Hidas, Mucsi, Misla, Paks, Belecska, Nikla, Kapoly, Bonyhád, Somogydöröcske and Bonnya. 


Paks-on-the-Danube, Tolna County

This community served as a river port on the Danube where agents from the local landlords and nobles of Tolna County tried to recruit emigrants from the Imperial transports heading for the Banat and sent them inland.  Most of the emigrants from the German principalities passed through here, although some of them remained there on a short term basis or settled there permanently, especially those from Württemberg and the Heidebauren from Western Hungary.  The Roman Catholic Church records also include numerous Lutheran and Reformed families beginning in 1721 both in terms of baptisms and marriages.

The baptismal records include families from neighbouring communities many of whom were Lutherans:  Bikács, Duna Komlod, Vadkert, Nádasd and Kis Harta.  The Lutherans and Reformed are not always identified as such, but many of the families have familiar names associated with other Lutheran and Reformed settlements in the area.

There was also intermarriage with families living in:  Györköny, Bikács, Dunaföldvár, Simontornya, Kis Harta, Duna Komlod, Tófü, Uzd, Dorog and Kér.

The Lutherans in Paks were allowed to form a congregation in 1786 following the Edict of Toleration and the baptismal records begin in 1786 as well as the marriage register.

Families from Paks also intermarried with families from:  Duna Pata, Kis Harta, Felsö Nána, Duna Szent Gyorgy, Györköny, Pinkafeld, Lajos Komárom, Pincehely, Kalaznó, Kötcse, Bikács, Bonyhád and Szent Miklos. 


Szakadát, Tolna County

This Roman Catholic parish served a large constituency of German communities including several Lutheran villages that were placed under the jurisdiction of the priest in this parish primarily Szárázd and Udvári and several others.

The birth/baptismal records begin in 1737 and include Lutheran families and others in the nearby communities of:  Szárázd, Berény, Kölesd, Högyész, Udvári, Varsád, Kistormás, Batászék, Kalaznó, Gyönk and Gerényes.

The marriage register includes families from:  Varsád, Szárázd, Berény, Udvári, Högyész, Kistormás, Györköny, Nagyszekély, Düzs, Gyönk, Keszö Hidegkút, Závod, Felsö Nána, Kis Vejke, Kalaznó, Tevel, Zsibrik, Simontornya, Tékes, Zomba, Kölesd, Kakasd, Hant, Kötcse, Szárázd, Murga, Kis Székely, Nagocs, Izmény, Mekényes, Mucsi, Tolna, Somogydöröcske, Gerényes, Bonyhád, Rác Kozar, Bely, Hájmas, Mórágy, Dorog and Bátaapáti. 


Sárszentlörinc, Tolna County

This was a major Hungarian Lutheran community found by Pastor George Bárány and some Hungarian families from nearby Györköny in the mid 1720s that also served some scattered German Lutheran families in the vicinity especially Heidebauern.  The baptismal and birth records begin in 1725 and include Lutheran families in Palfa, Kis Peter, Nagyszekély, Némedi, Kis Székely, Borjád, Simontornya, Uzd, Rác Egres, Szarda Puszta and Budapest.

They intermarried with Lutheran families from:  Kölesd, Varsád, Bikács, Pálfa, Kis Székely, Kajdács, Paks, Nagyszekély, Bátaapáti, Kis Dorog, Bonyhád, Kalaznó, Gyönk, Némedi, Udvári, Bonnya, Uzd, Somogydöröcske, Felsö Nána, Rác Kozar, Medina, Cece, Simontornya, Kistormás, Györköny, Izmény, Keszö Hidegkút, Belecska, Kis Harta, Tamasi and Paks. 

Tevel, Tolna County

The first German settles to Tolna county arrived in Tevel in 1712. Even in 1715 they are the only Germans mentioned in the tax records. The first Tevel records  1712-1715 can be found in the SZEKSZÁRD archives. Tevel's first priest was Johann Heinrich Mack, who arrived in 1713 with a group of settlers. He served in Tevel until 1718, then he moved to NADASCH. His name as the baptizing pries appears in the SZEKSZÁRD birth registries from Feb 2, 1714 until 1715. As of 1715 the records in Tevel itself. In the first few years the priest changed frequently and the records were not kept consistently and are missing until 1742. 


Udvari, Tolna County

Some Lutheran families of Hessian origin who left Nagyszekély in the 1730’s came and joined German Roman Catholic settlers already living there.  Later, Reformed Germans also moved into the community and associated with the Nagyszekély congregation.  The Lutherans and Reformed were placed under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic parish of Szakadát and early entries with regard to these families can be found there in addition to some entries in the nearby Lutheran congregations of Gyönk and Varsád and the Reformed congregation in Nagyszekély and some others on occasion.  The Lutheran congregation received official legal status by the Emperor in 1789 as a filial of Varsád but the birth and baptismal records in Udvári begin in 1796 and are duplicated in Varsád but some are missing.  Those in Varsád begin in 1789.  These records also contain some references to families from Pel and Bikács.

The marriage records begin in 1791 and families from the following communities intermarried with those in Udvári:  Bikács, Kölesd, Kistormás, Ecsény, Pel, Szárázd, Kalaznó, Gyönk, Nagyszekély, Belecska, Vadkert, Miszla, Keszö Hidegkút and Varsád.  After 1839 the marriages can be found in the Varsád marriage register when the two congregations formed a joint parish severed by a single pastor. 


Varsad, Tolna County

This is the oldest continuing Lutheran Danube Swabian community in the Habsburg Empire established in 1718 by German settlers from Hesse and Württemberg, but the vast majority were Hessians.  It was a Mother Church from its inception and included Kalaznó as a filial early in its history.

The baptismal/birth records begin in 1722 and also include families living in Kalaznó, Högyész, Keszö Hidegkút, Felsö Nána, Zomba, Nagyszekély, Szakadát, Gyönk, Udvári, Kistormás, Simontornya, Kölesd, Kéty, Szabádi and Szárázd.

The marriage register indicates that Families from nearby communities intermarried or married here:  Kalaznó, Udvári, Högyész, Nagyszekély, Keszö Hidegkút, Kistormás, Zips, Majós, Gyönk, Harta, Izmény, Szakadát, Hidas, Peterwardein, Felsö Nána, Mekényes, Diósberény, Kéty, Kötcse, Bonyhád, Bikács, Miszla, Kismányok, Felsö Mocsolád, Berény, Györköny, Bátaapáti, Kölesd, Somogydöröcske, Szár Szentlörinc, Szabádi, Szárázd, Mucsfa, Medina, Murga, Ecsény, Belecska, Zomba, Dalmand, Gerényes and Tab.


Zomba, Tolna County

The Roman Catholic parish records begin in 1746 and include entries related to Lutheran and Reformed families in the baptismal/birth records from nearby settlements including:  Kéty, Murga, Kistormás and Felsö Nána.

The marriage register that begins in 1748 includes Lutheran and Reformed families living in: Kéty, Murga, Kalaznó, Felsö Nána, Bonyhád, Mekényes, Varsád, Nagyszekély, Kistormás, Hidas, Zsibrik, Tevel, Keszö Hidegkút, Mórágy, Izmény, Udvári, Majós, Kölesd, Kahasd, Tófü, Gyönk, Högyész, Mucsi, Rác Kozar, Pincehely, Medina, Hant and Kis Vejke.


Zsibrick, Tolna County

The Lutherans in this community came from the other various Hessian villages in the County but were most closely associated with Bátaapáti and references to families can be found in those records.  The marriage register in Zsibrik begins in 1793 and includes families marrying into the community from:  Hidas, Ófalu, Bátaapáti, Börzsóny, Bonyhád, Alsónána, Kismányok, Szerdahely, Nagy Ág, Mórágy and Felsö Nána.


 

DVHH.org ©2003 Donauschwaben Villages Helping Hands, a Nonprofit Corporation.
Webmaster: Jody McKim Pharr
Keeping the Danube Swabian legacy alive!
Last Updated: 18 Oct 2020