ВОПРОСЫ ОНОМАСТИКИ | PROBLEMS OF ONOMASTICS

Walter Wenzel
Leipzig University
Leipzig, Germany

On the Atlas of Lower Sorbian Surnames: the Cottbus Area

Voprosy onomastiki (Problems of Onomastics), 2015, Issue 2, pp. 125–140 (in German)
DOI: 10.15826/vopr_onom.2015.2.006

Received 21 December 2014

Abstract: The paper aims to present “The Atlas of Lower Sorbian Surnames” currently being under preparation. The Atlas consists of 70 multi-colored maps and corresponding explanations. After a brief introductory part, the author discusses the project’s purpose and its basic methodological principles, describes the sources of the material, the conception of the Atlas is then illustrated with three new maps and relevant commentaries. In addition to a map with surnames derived from ethnonyms and place names, the author offers two more maps commented upon with regard to the history of the studied area. The first of them — the so called “combined” map — reflects the areal distribution of twelve different surnames, which together form a complex of locally specific surnames related to the surroundings of the city of Cottbus. The second map retains all Slavic place names of the same area and orders them according to whether they belong to the “older” or “younger” type. The comparison of the maps shows that the oldest place names are situated within the area formed by the core of the local surnames and geographically corresponding to the centre of the Cottbus dialect zone. Some archaeological findings dated to the Middle and Late Slavic periods (800–1200 AD) as well as the remains of Slavic fortifications lead to think of a Slavic settlement cluster in this area. The first Lower Sorbians settled here probably around the early 8th century. After the German conquest, there was created in Cottbus a burgrave’s castle which served as the administrative centre of the surrounding region.

Key words: Lower Sorbian language, onomastics, anthroponymy, geographical distribution of surnames, onomastic atlas, regional history

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