Notes on the antroponymy of the 16th century based on historical documents of the Zhytomyr region

Abstract

A fragment of the 16th-century anthroponymicon of the Zhytomyr region is described. Based on the historical sources utilized, the process of the formation of Ukrainian anthroponyms in one of the oldest ethnically stable areas of the Eastern Slavs is examined. Through the documented names of settlements whose origins are associated with anthroponyms (clarified each time using historical-etymological analysis), particularly those that preserve traces of pre-Christian naming and point to archaic linguistic features of local traditions, it was possible to reconstruct a series of anthroponyms: Radamysl, Khoten, Yarun, and others. Despite the predominance of patronymic forms with the suffixes -ych, -evych/-ovych in the names of settlements of the region, it was possible to find a continuation of the earlier tradition which was based on name-derived settlement names. There are not many of them, but they are of particular interest due to the names they present, their word formation structure, especially with the suffix *-ęt-. Despite the fact that the anthroponyms fixed in the bases of local oikonyms are structurally poorer (due to their one-component nature) than the two and three-part anthroponyms already in use at that time, their informative value in terms of restoring the Old Ukrainian noun is invaluable. The coexistence of old and new anthroponymic formulas in new historical conditions is evidenced by the sources we used. The number of anthroponyms examined is sufficient to draw conclusions about the common anthroponymic formulas used among both commoners and the elite representatives. While there is a significant number of anthroponymic formulas with the suffixes -ych, -evych, -ovych, the absence of patronymic expressions with the suffix -enko, characteristic of other parts of Ukraine in the 16th century, is notable, particularly in the anthroponymy of Zhytomyr Castle. The anthroponymic formulas of the studied region in the 16th century undoubtedly underwent stabilization. Compared to the previous period, there is a noticeable increase in the number of two- and three-membered anthroponyms. It is too early, however, to talk about cardinal changes at this time.