Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31952/amha.18.1.1
NOMEN EST OMEN: MEDICAL AND PHARMACEUTICAL OCCUPATIONS IN SLOVENIAN FAMILY NAMES
Mojca Ramšak
orcid.org/0000-0003-1934-5466
; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Arts, Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology; University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Institute for History of Medicine
Abstract
The heritage of Slovenian house names and surnames reflects, among others, the former
medicine and pharmaceutical occupations, midwifery, and folk medicine practices, and besides that, also health status and illnesses of people. Surnames, which are especially strongly
intertwined with family, local and social history, are closely related to folk medicine and
magic. Unlike house names (vulgo), which are the usual nicknames for physical and mental characteristics and abilities, surnames denote medical occupations and medicinal folk
practice as such. According to the most recent data (as of January 1, 2020) of The Statistical
Office of the Republic of Slovenia, at least 40 surnames reminiscent former medical or pharmaceutical professions. These newly discovered digital data in open access are precious for
the history of medicine because they allow comparing surnames geographically, by frequency, and through the time.
Keywords
surname, house name, folk medicine, medical occupation, pharmacy, Slovenia
Hrčak ID:
240879
URI
Publication date:
1.7.2020.
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