Erdély településeinek nemzetiségi (anyanyelvi) adatai százalékos megoszlásban 1850–1941 (1996)

ELŐSZÓ

PREFACE In 1991 we published with the help of the National Scientific Research Fund a volume of 534 pages on the „Distribution of localities in Transylvania by nationality (mother tongue) (1850—1941)", which contained no percentage distributions. With the help of modern technical means, we are now publishing this supplementary volume on percentage distributions, with the assistance of the Nationally Emphasized Social Researches Fund (OKTK). Another volume on the „Distribution of localities in Felvidék by nationality (mother tongue) (1850—1941)" was completed by the end of 1995. The intention is that similar volumes should be prepared for the Subcarpathia and the Délvidék. These publications should alsó be complemented by the relevant volumes containing percentage distributions. In the preface to the volume on Transylvanian data reference was made to somé important aspects worthy of mention. Without wishing to repeat these, a short summary is given here. From the point of view of historical series as well as of the relevant analyses, all dates have specific importance, however, costing aspects and the need of timely publication of that volume have necessitated somé selection of points of time. During the 90 years historical period comprised in that study, numerous administrative territorial changes have been carried out. Their objective and chronological aspects can only with difficulty be followed, and the same is true for the full comparability of the data. In the course of the compilation of the material, we took into consideration these canges both on the district and — with a few exceptions — on the locality level, while the same could be done for only a restricted number of rearranged locality parts. The volume is based on the area-level publication of the 1910 Hungárián population census, and presents all — whether retrospective of more recent — data according to the above-mentioned geographic division. The classification by mother tongue in the volume contains the Hungárián, Rumanian, Germán and other (or not stated) languages, irrespective of the form of originál publication at the respective censuses. In order to present more detailed mother tongue data for the larger units according to the administrative territorial division in 1910, we alsó published the summary data on mother tongue of the counties and of county towns. So these are more detailed data published — with a few exceptions — in census volumes. In the present publication the relevant percentage distributions are contained including those of all summary data. The characteristics of the selected censuses as well as the departures in the definitions and the methodical problems are not repeated except the majority of questions relating to the administrative territorial division. Traditional census and statistical publications tended to present data detailed according to the administrative situation prevailing at the respective censuses. In Hungárián publications, population data were adjusted from 1960 according to the relevant population numbers, if the data were available on territorial rearrangements, mergers etc. Where the 9