Unirea, Alba
Encyclopedia
Unirea, previously Vinţu de Sus , is a commune located in the north-east of Alba County
, Romania
. It is composed of six villages: Ciugudu de Jos, Ciugudu de Sus, Dumbrava, Inoc, Măhăceni and Unirea.
, in the north-east corner of Alba County
, approximately 50 km from the county capital, Alba Iulia
, and 20 km from the town of Turda
, on the Romanian National Road DN1
.
The commune is bordered by Cluj County
in the north and west, the town of Ocna Mureş
in the east, and the commune of Mirăslău
in the south.
. In 1876, when the administrative system of the Kingdom of Hungary
was reorganised, it became part of Torda-Aranyos
county.
After the Union of Transylvania with Romania
in 1918, the commune became part of Turda County. Since 1968, when the latest administrative organisation in Romania was adopted, Unirea has been part of Alba County.
The Romanian version of the name, Vinţu de Sus, became official only after the Union of Transylvania with Romania
in 1918. Other early Romanian names were Vinţ and Felvinţ. In 1925, the official name was changed to Unirea referring to the unification of Vinţu de Sus and Vereşmart.
The Hungarian version of the name, Felvinc was mentioned for the first time in a document from 1291 in the form Felvynch. As part of the Kingdom of Hungary
, the Hungarian version was consistently used throughout the Middle Ages
, with the mention that sometimes the form Aranyosvinc and Felső-Vincz were also used. In the 18th and the 19th century, the official name was "Oppidum Felvincz" (from 1760) or "Felvincz mezőváros" (from 1713).
The German version of the name, Oberwintz, dates to 1532.
All the three names are related to each other meaning Upper Vinc/Vinţu/Wintz in English. The name refers to the medieval patron of the Catholic parish, Saint Vincentius because an 13th century document calls the town Sanctus Vincentius.
recorded that 5,506 people were living at the time in the commune, of which 4,096 (74.4%) Romanians
, 747 (13.6%) Roma
, 660 (12.0%) Hungarians and 2 Germans
.
The historical population of Unirea village only (excluding the other 5 villages), as recorded by the official Censuses, was as follows:
In 1925 the village of Vereşmart (largely Romanian), formerly considered as a separate village, was united with the village of Vinţu de Sus (largely Hungarian), to form the village called Unirea. This resulted in an important increase in population, and a change in the ethnic composition of the village.
Unirea village, due to its status as centre of the commune, has been the only village that recorded a population increase since the mid-19th century. Thus, while the population of some of the other villages halved, the total population of Unirea village more than tripled. Because almost all of the Hungarians in the commune (98% of them) were already living in the centre of the commune, this increase in total population, combined with the dwindling numbers of Hungarians, meant that the share of the Hungarian community decreased and the ethnic composition of the Unirea village changed in the 20th century to become more similar with the ethnic composition of the Unirea commune. The last census to record a Hungarian majority in Unirea village was the 1930 census and starting with the 1941 census, a Romanian majority has been recorded.
The village was traditionally the centre of the Székelys of Aranyosszék, a subgroup of the Székelys.
Alba County
Alba is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, its capital city being Alba-Iulia with a population of 66,406.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 382,747 and the population density was 61/km².* Romanians - 90.4%* Hungarians - 5.4%...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. It is composed of six villages: Ciugudu de Jos, Ciugudu de Sus, Dumbrava, Inoc, Măhăceni and Unirea.
Geography
Unirea is located on the Mureş RiverMures River
The Mureș is an approximately 761 km long river in Eastern Europe. It originates in the Hășmașu Mare Range in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Romania, and joins the Tisza river at Szeged in southeastern Hungary....
, in the north-east corner of Alba County
Alba County
Alba is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, its capital city being Alba-Iulia with a population of 66,406.- Demographics :In 2002, it had a population of 382,747 and the population density was 61/km².* Romanians - 90.4%* Hungarians - 5.4%...
, approximately 50 km from the county capital, Alba Iulia
Alba Iulia
Alba Iulia is a city in Alba County, Transylvania, Romania with a population of 66,747, located on the Mureş River. Since the High Middle Ages, the city has been the seat of Transylvania's Roman Catholic diocese. Between 1541 and 1690 it was the capital of the Principality of Transylvania...
, and 20 km from the town of Turda
Turda
Turda is a city and Municipality in Cluj County, Romania, situated on the Arieş River.- Ancient times :The city was founded by Dacians under the name Patavissa or Potaissa...
, on the Romanian National Road DN1
DN1
DN1 is an important national road in Romania which links Bucharest with the northwestern part of the country...
.
The commune is bordered by Cluj County
Cluj County
Cluj ; is a county of Romania, in Transylvania, with the capital city at Cluj-Napoca.-Demographics:In 2007, it had a population of 692,316 and a population density of 104/km².*Romanians – 80%*Hungarians – 17.5%*Roma – 2.5%-Geography:...
in the north and west, the town of Ocna Mureş
Ocna Mures
Ocna Mureș is a town in Alba County, Romania, located in the north-eastern corner of the county, near the Mureș River, with a population of 15,503 inhabitants as of 2002. The town is situated next to a large deposit of salt, mined in the past until the ceiling of the mines collapsed from water...
in the east, and the commune of Mirăslău
Miraslau, Alba
Mirăslău is a commune located in Alba County, Romania. It has a population of 2334. The commune is composed of six villages: Cicău , Decea , Lopadea Veche , Mirăslău, Ormeniş and Rachiş .The commune is the site of a battle in 1600 between the Wallachian army led by Michael the Brave and the...
in the south.
History
From the late 13th century until 1876 the centre of today's commune was the administrative centre of the Aranyosszék region of TransylvaniaTransylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. In 1876, when the administrative system of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
was reorganised, it became part of Torda-Aranyos
Torda-Aranyos
Torda-Aranyos is the name of a historic administrative county of the Kingdom of Hungary. Its territory is presently in central Romania . The capital of the county was Turda .-Geography:...
county.
After the Union of Transylvania with Romania
Union of Transylvania with Romania
Union of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia.The national holiday of Romania, the Great Union Day occurring on December 1, commemorates this event...
in 1918, the commune became part of Turda County. Since 1968, when the latest administrative organisation in Romania was adopted, Unirea has been part of Alba County.
Name
The first documentary evidence of the commune dates from 1219 under the names Vynch superior, terra Wynchy, Oronos Winch, and Oranas Wincz.The Romanian version of the name, Vinţu de Sus, became official only after the Union of Transylvania with Romania
Union of Transylvania with Romania
Union of Transylvania with Romania was declared on by the assembly of the delegates of ethnic Romanians held in Alba Iulia.The national holiday of Romania, the Great Union Day occurring on December 1, commemorates this event...
in 1918. Other early Romanian names were Vinţ and Felvinţ. In 1925, the official name was changed to Unirea referring to the unification of Vinţu de Sus and Vereşmart.
The Hungarian version of the name, Felvinc was mentioned for the first time in a document from 1291 in the form Felvynch. As part of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, the Hungarian version was consistently used throughout the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, with the mention that sometimes the form Aranyosvinc and Felső-Vincz were also used. In the 18th and the 19th century, the official name was "Oppidum Felvincz" (from 1760) or "Felvincz mezőváros" (from 1713).
The German version of the name, Oberwintz, dates to 1532.
All the three names are related to each other meaning Upper Vinc/Vinţu/Wintz in English. The name refers to the medieval patron of the Catholic parish, Saint Vincentius because an 13th century document calls the town Sanctus Vincentius.
Demographics
The 2002 CensusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
recorded that 5,506 people were living at the time in the commune, of which 4,096 (74.4%) Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
, 747 (13.6%) Roma
Roma minority in Romania
The Roma constitute one of the major minorities in Romania. According to the 2002 census, they number 535,140 people or 2.5% of the total population, being the second-largest ethnic minority in Romania after Hungarians...
, 660 (12.0%) Hungarians and 2 Germans
Germans of Romania
The Germans of Romania or Rumäniendeutsche were 760,000 strong in 1930. They are not a single group; thus, to understand their language, culture, and history, one must view them as independent groups:...
.
Historical population
The historical population of the entire commune as recorded by the official censuses, and projected to the present-day administrative unit, was as follows:| Year | Total | Romanians Romanians The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania.... |
Hungarians | Roma Roma minority in Romania The Roma constitute one of the major minorities in Romania. According to the 2002 census, they number 535,140 people or 2.5% of the total population, being the second-largest ethnic minority in Romania after Hungarians... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 4,541 | 69.3% | 23.9% | 6.5% |
| 1880 | 4,636 | 63.0% | 30.2% | n/a |
| 1890 | 5,499 | 62.7% | 31.6% | n/a |
| 1900 | 5,553 | 64.3% | 29.7% | n/a |
| 1910 | 6,234 | 64.6% | 30.4% | n/a |
| 1920 | 5,887 | 71.6% | 27.9% | n/a |
| 1930 | 6,456 | 70.5% | 22.8% | 2.6% |
| 1941 | 6,981 | 78.3% | 19.4% | n/a |
| 1956 | 6,649 | 74.7% | 19.0% | 6.0% |
| 1966 | 6,991 | 80.9% | 17.3% | 1.7% |
| 1977 | 7,089 | 78.1% | 16.9% | 4.9% |
| 1992 | 5,723 | 74.1% | 14.2% | 11.6% |
| 2002 | 5,506 | 74.4% | 12.0% | 13.6% |
The historical population of Unirea village only (excluding the other 5 villages), as recorded by the official Censuses, was as follows:
| Year | Total | Romanians Romanians The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania.... |
Hungarians |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,207 | 1% | 88% |
| 1880 | 1,609 | 8% | 78% |
| 1890 | 1,856 | 7% | 88% |
| 1900 | 1,840 | 6% | 82% |
| 1910 | 2,088 | 9% | 85% |
| 1920 | 1,892 | 14% | 85% |
| 1930 | 2,960 | 45% | 51% |
| 1941 | 3,280 | 58% | 41% |
| 1956 | 3,318 | n/a | n/a |
| 1966 | 3,993 | 67% | 30% |
| 1977 | 4,409 | 67% | 27% |
| 1992 | 3,924 | 65% | 21% |
| 2002 | 3,913 | 67% | 17% |
In 1925 the village of Vereşmart (largely Romanian), formerly considered as a separate village, was united with the village of Vinţu de Sus (largely Hungarian), to form the village called Unirea. This resulted in an important increase in population, and a change in the ethnic composition of the village.
Minorities
While the share of the Romanian majority in the territory of the present-day commune has remained almost constant since the mid-19th century (with a slight 5% increase), the two main minorities, the Hungarians and the Roma, have experienced opposite trends. While the percentage of the Hungarian minority almost halved in that time period, the percentage of the Roma minority more than doubled. This resulted in a swap between the Hungarian and the Roma communities as the second and the third most important ethnic groups in Unirea. Numerically, the Hungarian population increased from 1,084 in 1850 to a peak of 1,898 in 1910 and has been gradually declining ever since. The last census of the 20th century recorded 810 Hungarians, which means that their community declined by more than half in 80 years. The number of Roma people increased from 398 in 1930 to 556 (or 14% of the population) in 1992Unirea village, due to its status as centre of the commune, has been the only village that recorded a population increase since the mid-19th century. Thus, while the population of some of the other villages halved, the total population of Unirea village more than tripled. Because almost all of the Hungarians in the commune (98% of them) were already living in the centre of the commune, this increase in total population, combined with the dwindling numbers of Hungarians, meant that the share of the Hungarian community decreased and the ethnic composition of the Unirea village changed in the 20th century to become more similar with the ethnic composition of the Unirea commune. The last census to record a Hungarian majority in Unirea village was the 1930 census and starting with the 1941 census, a Romanian majority has been recorded.
The village was traditionally the centre of the Székelys of Aranyosszék, a subgroup of the Székelys.