This register is from the Roman Catholic Church in the city of Szeged in Csongrád county. The principal purpose of this example is to illustrate how a name change was recorded with the baptismal entry at a later date. This page also has four very unusual entries, for a Jewish family being baptized. Conversion from Judaism to Christianity was increasingly common as the 19th century progressed, as a result of assimilation and Magyarization; but, this is a rather early example. For an example of a very rare conversion from Judaism in the 18th century, seen Miscellaneous Documents.
Format: Tabular Baptismal Register with substantial supplementary information.
Content of Register.
Overview. The format is rather standard for the time period. The columns are: 1)year/month/day; 2) baptizer; 3) given name of the baptized. The next four columns are labelled: "the parents of the baptized" with the detailed headers being: 4) surname and christian name; 5) confession; 6) social status; 7) place of residence. Finally, column 8) is godfather and godmother.
For information on the columns deserving further explanation (with specific references to the first entry regarding my great-grandfather):
Annotation Regarding Name Change: an enlarged view of the notation added to the baptismal records of my great-grandfather (and also his father and all living siblings) is shown below.
Translated, this annotation reads: On 9 September 1863 the Royal Hungarian Viceregal Council issued decree #59549 changing the family name to Heszlényi. The original application for the name change had been submitted in 1862. I'm sure the purpose of this name change was to remove the stigma of a German name during the difficult period following the failed Hungarian revolution of 1848-49 and the Austrian military occupation of Hungary during the 1850s.
Baptism/Conversion of Jewish Family: the four baptismal entries dated April 18 were for a Jewish family: Adolf Décsi (age 39) and his wife Karolina Rath (age 35). Note that in lieu of parents names, the spouses are listed, and that each was given a "Christian" baptismal name, Anthony and Elizabeth respectively. Immediately below are listed the baptisms of their two daughters Emma (age 10) and Rosa (age 6), given baptismal names Victoria and Pauline respectively. Note also that since the parents were (apparently) baptized first, they are listed as Roman Catholic in the girls' entries!
The number of Jews in Hungary increased dramatically as the 19th century progressed. Likewise, Magyarization efforts increased and assimilation was encouraged. As a result, mixed marriages between Jews and Christians, and the conversion of Jews to Christianity, became significantly more common than in earlier times.