1850. ÉVI ERDÉLYI NÉPSZÁMLÁLÁS (1994)

HELYNÉVMUTATÓ

Preface In the framework of the researches supported by the National Scientific Research Fund - as I have already pointed out severel times - in conformity with the new approach, it has become possible to publish volumes presenting, with statistical data, the localities of historical Hungary. It is our duty to make the available data public property. More or less faithfully, the population censuses have always reflected the demographic, social and socio-economic condition and situation of countries, provinces and localities. The Hungarian Central Statistical Office has always regarded as guiding and acceptable the data of the population censuses organized and conducted since 1869. It was in the spirit of this thought that the volume "The distribution of the localities of Transylvania by nationality groups (mother tongues), 1850-1941" was published. Considering the historical researches, it seemed to be appropriate to publish also the available results of former censuses. Accordingly publications appeared with the formerly less known locality-data of the Transylvanian population census, conducted by the Austrian statistical organs in 1857. The material of the 1850 Transylvanian population census was published in 1983 in 30 copies which were practically not available to the general public and even to researchers. Researchers both in the country and abroad have expessed their wish that the publication be repeated and the adequate number of copies be planned adequately. Formerly, the publication of the volume was organized by Zoltan David, the then director of the Archives of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office who also wrote the "Introduction" to it. In this he dealt with the methodological problems in great detail, outlined the possible uses of the data, referred to the accuracy and to the distortions of the original data, to the latter's actual and seeming errors. Zoltan David has participated actively in the publishing work also this time. The original publication contained many clerical errors and mistaken data which have been corrected this time. The Introduction to the volume, the original introduction, the table of contents are published also in English. with all this considered, we think that the publication of the volume will well serve science and the people seeking to obtain information. Dr. András Klinger 185.