Mateescu 2020

Household Forms, Environment and Wealth in 1838 Wallachia. A Case Study of Districts Buzău and Slam-Râmnic

Bogdan Mateescu

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Article information

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Abstract

The research presented in this study focuses on a principality of Eastern Europe that has generally been neglected in the field of historical household demography: Wallachia (nowadays in Romania). We compiled a rural population sample from the country’s first general census (1838) and analysed living patterns. In addition, we sought to understand how they related to environment, general economy, and household wealth. Although the Wallachian household was mostly simple, residential arrangements still varied considerably when analysed spatially. Wealth and labour necessity seem to have had a noticeable impact on cross-generational ties, transcending customs and norms that in previous scientific works were considered to apply in a universal manner.

Keywords: household structure, living patterns, 1838 census, Wallachia, historical geography

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