Somogy County (former)

Somogy was an administrative county (comitatus) of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory, which was slightly larger than that of present Somogy county, is now in south-western Hungary. The capital of the county was Kaposvár.

Somogy County
Comitatus Simigiensis (Latin)
Somogy vármegye (Hungarian)
Komitat Schomodei (German)
County of the Kingdom of Hungary
(11th century-1596, 1715-1946)
Coat of arms of Somogy
Coat of arms

CapitalSomogyvár; Kaposvár (1749-1946)
Area 
• 1910
6,675 km2 (2,577 sq mi)
Population 
• 1910
365,961
History 
• Established
11th century
• Merged to Zala-Somogy County
1596
• County recreated
1715
• Monarchy abolished
1 February 1946
Today part ofHungary

Geography

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Somogy County shared borders with the Hungarian counties of Zala, Veszprém, Tolna, Baranya, Verőce and Belovár-Körös (the latter two part of Croatia-Slavonia). It extended along the southern shore of Lake Balaton and encompassed the region south of the lake. The river Drava (Hungarian: Dráva) formed most of its southern border. Its area was 6530 km2 around 1910.

History

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In the 10th century, the Hungarian Nyék tribe occupied the region around Lake Balaton, mainly the areas which are known today as Zala and Somogy counties.[1] Somogy County arose as one of the first comitatuses of the Kingdom of Hungary, in the 11th century.

Demographics

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1900

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In 1900, the county had a population of 345,586 people and was composed of the following linguistic communities:[2]

Total:

According to the census of 1900, the county was composed of the following religious communities:[3]

Total:

1910

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Ethnic map of the county with data of the 1910 census (see the key in the description).

In 1910, the county had a population of 365,961 people and was composed of the following linguistic communities:[4]

Total:

According to the census of 1910, the county was composed of the following religious communities:[5]

Total:

The city of Siófok, which was in Somogy county before the 1850s, reverted from Veszprém county to Somogy county before World War II. After World War II, the district of Szigetvár went to Baranya county.

Subdivisions

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In the early 20th century, the subdivisions of Somogy county were:

Districts (járás)
District Capital (székhely)
Barcs Barcs
Csurgó Csurgó
Igal Igal
Kaposvár Kaposvár
Lengyeltóti Lengyeltóti
Marcali Marcali
Nagyatád Nagyatád
Szigetvár Szigetvár
Tab Tab
Urban districts (rendezett tanácsú város)
Kaposvár

References

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  1. ^ Béla Kálmán, The world of names: a study in Hungarian onomatology, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1978, p. 134
  2. ^ "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  3. ^ "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  4. ^ "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  5. ^ "KlimoTheca :: Könyvtár". Kt.lib.pte.hu. Retrieved 26 June 2012.