Births and Baptisms in Labin from 1861 to 1871

Abstract

Further to the analysis of the records for the period 1861 to 1871 of the entries made in the register of baptisms of the Parish of Labin in the period from 1861 to 1879, this paper brings information on certain demographic indicators, sometimes similar to and sometimes largely different from the information obtained from registers produced in other Istrian parishes. In the studied decade, the Parish of Labin saw the birth of 1412 children, 739 boys and 673 girls. Only 28 twins were born, and 317 new-borns died at birth or prematurely. This data, considering its both urban and rural provenance, were treated statistically, which gave rise to certain regularities or, on the other hand, particularities of the Parish of Labin in the said decade. Finally, the paper provides information on the baptizers, parish priests or their assistants and on the midwives operating in Labin in that time. In addition, the paper also brings data on certain behavioural patterns of various social strata when choosing godparents, as well as information of the professions of the recorded adults.