The earliest Hungarian census-type records are known as “urbarial censuses,” or “urbarium” or "urbaria" in Latin, or “urbéri tabellák” in Hungarian.  The urbarial censuses were created to inventory possessions within feudal estates and identify taxable property.  The earliest urbarial censuses often do not identify individual peasants, but heads of households are identified in the Conscriptio records of 1715 and 1720, the 1770 and 1784 Urbaria and the 1828 Census.  By listing heads of household, these records could also be used for conscription purposes.  The 1869 Census was the first true nationwide census to identify all households in the village, and every member of every household.

            The eighteenth century Hungarian urbarial records and nineteenth century Hungarian census records have long been available by microfilm through the Mormon's Family History Library.  It is possible, however, to go back even further in time with various urbarial records which predate the records from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.  Rather than being part of nationwide surveys, these earlier urbaria appear to be of more local origin.  Many of these records are general in nature and do not contain lists of individuals as in the later urbarial records.  This may be the reason why they were not microfilmed by the Family History Library, and therefore are not as familiar to researchers. 

            Some of the seventeenth century urbarial records, however, do identify individuals by name.  This presents the possibility of obtaining elusive clues, and quite possibly pushing back the limits of knowable information just a bit further back in time.   With the listing of individual names, the researcher may be able to identify a known ancestor.  At the very least, these records establish the presence of a particular family in a locale at a particular time. 

            These seventeenth century urbarial records are available online through Arcanum.com, through a joint project with the National Archives of Hungary.  (It is not possible, however, to print the records from the website and copies must be ordered from the National Archives.)  To assist the researcher in accessing these earlier urbarial records online, I am publishing the following instructions:

  

1.         Go to the Arcanum website

 

• The page, “Urbaria et Conscriptiones,” will appear.

 

2.         A pop-up menu should appear:

 

• "A szüksegés verziójú AAGIS View program nincs feltelepítve a gépére.  Kívánja most telepíteni?" (The required version AAGIS View program is not installed on your computer.  Do you want to install it now?)

•   Click “OK.” 

• You may have to click on your toolbar, "Download File" to allow the download.  You may get the same pop-up menu again.  Click "OK." 

 3.         Another pop-up will ask you to “Run” or “Save.”  Click “Save.”

 4.         You will see a search screen.  The categories on the search screen are:

 

• Teljes szöveg               (Full text)

• Azonosító                    (Identification)

• Dátum                         (Date)

• Jelleg                           (Nature)

• Birtok                          (Estate)

• Birtokos                      (Holder)

• Egyéb személy            (Other Personal)

  

5.         Enter the information you seek in one or more boxes.  I typed the name of my village of interest in the first box, "Teljes szöveg," in order to search for all documents referencing the village. 

• Click “Keres" (Search) at bottom left.

 

 6.         The list of relevant documents appears.

• Click on the underlined number to the left of the document.

• A transcription of the record appears.

 

7.         Click on “Képek megtekintése” (View Images)

•  A pop-up will appear

• Click "Run."

• Another pop-up will appear.

• Click "Tovább" (Continue)

• Click "Telepítés" (Install)

• Click "Bezárás" (Close)

• Click "Keres" (Search) in order to search

•      AAGIS View will appear.

  

8.         At the right you will see a site map. 

• Click on “pagina 001" to access page 001 of the document.

 

9.         Look at the screen in awe as ancient documents containing clues to the past are now accessible for your research!

             I would be interested in hearing from other researchers with any constructive criticism, insights or success stories, so please feel free to email me.

 Richard F. Iglar

riglar (at) optonline (dot) net