further village records, a companion to the Osturna and Udol collections in this room

Three shorter pieces that did not fit the existing Osturna and Udol
collections in this room: a 1935 article on Osturnja (Osturna) first
published in the Krakow journal Wierchy*, reprinted twice more before
being translated into English by Andrew Huzinec; a group discussion
recorded during an Osturna reunion trip on the meanings of Osturna
family surnames; and the 1858 surname and house-number records of
Malý Lipník, a neighboring village, extracted from Greek Catholic
parish records by Steven Osifchin.*

Osturnja — 1935

This article was first published in the Krakow journal** Wierchy**
in 1935. It was reprinted in Narodny novynky on January 26, 1994,
and again in the September/October 1995 issue of The New Rusyn Times.
This last version was translated into English byAndrew Huzinec.
Most recently, Brother Mark Zavatskyincluded it in his Christmas
greetings!

Although the article is 60 years old, it is said that much of what was
written is still holds true.

Osturnja is a large village which lies between two peaks of the Spisska
Magura. There are only a few woods and the fields for pasture are on high
slopes. People in Osturnja are not wealthy, who work in agriculture mainly
raising cattle. The homes are built on both sides of the road. Rye, oats,
and potatoes are cultivated in the fields of the Osturnja landlord, and
sheep and cattle are also raised. According to local tradition, the name
of the village comes from the word turnja (tower) of the old wooden church.
In Osturnja there is a Greek Catholic church, which like in other Rusyn
villages stands beyond the stream.

Entering the church one can read the plaque from which it was blessed
which is printed in Old Church Slavonic. The people of Osturnja speak a
mixed Goral and Rusyn dialect. Just like their language, the mixed influence
shows in their way of dress. On Sundays the men and women are dressed in
beautiful fashions. Their coats are made from white cloth with rich embroidery,
and the dresses are also wearing embroidered shirts. Even more beautiful
are the fashions of the dressed-up young brides.

People are open, honest, free, generous of nature, accustomed to hard
work. Many traditions are entrenched here; the people believe in witchcraft.
Osturnja's houses make for beautiful architecture. The natural setting
of the Osturnja area is made more beautiful by Lake Magura. The people
of Osturnja call it Jarus Pool or Jarus Lake. Of more interest is Danko
Pool or Talarcik Loch, or by another name, the Lake on Kopersak.

Below is a poem written by Ivan Iv. Vavrinchik, who is believed to have
been a teacher who worked for a while in Osturna in the 1930s. It is taken
from the Kalendar A. R. S. Sojedinenija (Sokol Kalendar) of 1934. The translation
is not exact, but the reader will understand the idea of what is being
said.

Near Tatry

There exists a beautiful world near Tatry

The young ladies grow up here, like flowers

There is no craft between people

There is no cunning

Near Tatry

Under snow-white Tatry Between deep rivers Stretches Osturnya

From Frankova to Turnya

Near Tatry

People live here in poor wood Houses from ancient times, Traditional
in religion

And pure Rusyn in nationality

Near Tatry

Although the background is not so rich And the people are not well educated
Still I am so happy

To teach people here

Near Tatry

The Meaning of Osturna Surnames

During the recent reunion trip, one of the many activities which took
place was a group discussion about the meanings of the surnames common
to Osturna. Some of you may recall from an earlier issue that there were
only slightly more than 50 family names found in Osturna before the turn
of the century. On June 23, 1996, a group of about 8 people — including
Jozef Smolenak and his sister, Zofia Barcakova of Osturna, Jan Smolenak
of Detva, Milan and Jozef Smolenak of Presov, and Dr. Michal Smolenak and
his family of Prague — gathered at the mayor’s house. With grace and good
humor, they tolerated Megan Smolenyak’s questions about each of a long
list of Osturna surnames. Megan recorded this conversation and it is from
this recording that the content of this article is provided. First, though,
a word of warning to the reader might be warranted. During the discussion,
an interesting pattern emerged concerning our names. While some of our
names are derived from occupations, ethnic ties, and other traditional
sources, quite a few of them appear to be essentially nicknames that others
bestowed upon our ancestors. It also seems that our ancestors had a rather
sharp sense of humor and enjoyed poking fun at each other. The end result
of all this is that many of us are now walking around with names that have
less than flattering meanings. Having said all this, it is hoped that everyone
will read this in a lighthearted way with a willingness to chuckle at what
some mischievous people — who probably did not appreciate the importance
and permanence of a surname — did hundreds of years ago when they somehow
arrived at the names that future generations would bear. Finally, it is
necessary to point out that the meanings contained in this article are
simply the best guesses of the casual group assembled in the mayor’s house.
They should not be taken as the final word, but more as a likely conjecture
in each case.

Bassar — probably from "bassa," as in
bass guitar; perhaps one who played an instrument or sang

Bednar — someone who makes trunks, like a carpenter
or joiner

Bizub — without teeth

Drugacs — could be from Russian expression for
"friend," or from local expressions having to do with someone
who is slow to make up his mind or who enjoys his drink

Figlyar — one who is tricky, town joker

Gazdik — small farmer

Glevanyak — probably from "gleva," a
special type of mushroom; perhaps one who picked them

Gorely — mountain people from Poland

Harabin — probably from "hrab," a hard,
white wood tree

Hvalcsak — possibly from "chvaly," meaning
"praise;" may mean one who thinks highly of himself

Ilcsak — son of or simply "of" Elias

Jacsencsak — from "jasen," a type of
tree, or "jesen," meaning "autumn"

Kasmarak — pubtender, tavern owner

Kapraly — soldier’s rank, probably corporal

Kosturak — from "kostura," meaning "knife"

Kovalcsik — diminutive of blacksmith

Krulyak — possibly "rabbit" or from
the Polish "krul," meaning "king"

Kundrat — from Polish, having to do with a person
with a bad reputation

Krupjak — probably from "krupy," meaning
"barley"

Kusnyirak — diminutive of tailor

Lazarak — of Lazarus ¨ Lejava — unclear, but
may have to do with the word "pour"

Lessundak — to do with the forest or woods

Lettman — unknown, but of German origin

Lyach — from a region in Poland

Mudrak — know-it-all

Oprondek — from Polish "oprati," the
reins for a horse

Pavlicsak — of Paul

Petrulyak — of Peter

Polyak — Polish

Remiasz — of Jeremiah

Repchak — from "repa," meaning "beet"

Romanyak — of Roman

Rusnak — Rusyn

Silon — strong, muscled man

Skibjak — concerning a type of farming tool used
for ploughing

Smolenak — "pitch;" could be an occupational
name, but there is speculation that it could have come from an expression
which translates as "black as pitch;" perhaps an early ancestor
was quite dark and swarthy.

Stefanyak — of Stephan

Szikora — a type of bird

Talyascak — having to do with a cap worn by priests
and other officials

Tomascak — of Thomas

Tuzsak — to be very tough, especially in the sense
of resistant to diseases

Vach — could have to do with the Vah River or
"scales" or someone who is uncertain, not self-confident

Vanescko — of Vanya

Vascura — grim, not funny

Voysicka — of Voytech

Zavacki — could be "across the water"
or "to quarrel all the time" or one who likes to mislead others

The following names have no known meaning:

Barcak

Brejczak

Ducsak

Duleba

Fecsunda

Homza

Simsa

Tibura

Vaszicak

1858 Malý Lipník Surnames and House Numbers

Photo courtesy of Kevin Sirotnyak

Photos courtesy of Kevin Sirotnyak

(Surnames written down as I interpreted them. Both surnames and house
numbers were extracted from the 1858 Greek Catholic Church Parish records.)
Steven Osifchin

Maly Lipnik Birth Records for the Year 1858

Directory on the Carpatho-Rusyn Knowledge Base *

Colophon

Three pieces hosted at carpatho-rusyn.org (Carpatho-Rusyn Knowledge
Base): "Osturnja" (first published in the Krakow journal Wierchy in
1935; reprinted in Narodny novynky, January 26, 1994, and in The New
Rusyn Times, September/October 1995; this last version translated into
English by Andrew Huzinec); "The Meaning of Osturna Surnames" (an
unsigned record of a group discussion held during an Osturna reunion
trip); and "1858 Maly Lipnik Surnames & House Numbers" (surnames and
house numbers extracted from 1858 Greek Catholic parish records by
Steven Osifchin, "written down as I interpreted them"). Captured
2026-08-05 from http://www.carpatho-rusyn.org/villages/osturna2.html,
onames.html, and maly.html. Published here under permission held by
the New Tianmu Anglican Church for this material, recorded 2026-08-05;
all rights remain with the original contributors named above (Osturnja
specifically with Andrew Huzinec's English translation). "Osturnja" is a
third-party translation reprint, not a Good Works Translation prepared
by this library. The Malý Lipník source page notes "village history to
be added," which was never added on the live site; that placeholder note
itself is not reproduced, but the full surname/house-number table is
preserved in full, unabridged. Distinct from and a companion to "Osturna
— A Rusyn Village and Its American Diaspora" and "Ujak, Udol, and Its
Emigrants to Passaic," both already in this room.

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