If you came across birth, marriage or death records written in Czech during your genealogical research, you also encountered the names of the months of the year. It may be interesting for you that each of the names has its own meaning and is directly connected to the time during the calendar year, the character of the weather and how our ancestors experienced it.
The Czech name of the month January is Leden and it comes from the word ice – led. It is month of ice.
In other languages, (English January, German Januar) the name of the month is derived from the Latin Ianuarius, which was named after the god Janus from Roman mythology. Janus is, among other things, the god of beginnings and endings.
Linguists derive the Czech name of February, the month from submersion of ice floes in water. Únor = nořit = to submerge.
In other languages (English February, German Februar) the name of the month is derived from the Latin Februarius, which was named after the purification holidays of February. In the ancient Roman religion, these holidays were held on February 15.
The name of the month is derived from the pregnancy of female animals, březost = an animal pregnancy. The second interpretation refers to the sprouting of birch trees, bříza.
In other languages (English March, German März) the name is derived from the Latin Martius, which was named after the mythological Martus, the god of war and agriculture. In this month, the able-bodied Roman citizens gathered outside the walls of Rome in the field of Martus when the season of fighting came.
The Czech name of the month is derived from the oaks = dub that start to grow leaves during this month.
In many European languages, the name of the month (English April, German April) is derived from the Latin Aprilis. One interpretation derives the name from the Greek goddess of love and fertility Aphrodite (Aphrodite – aphrilis). In the Roman calendar, April was dedicated to the goddess Venus and she was identified with Aphrodite.
Until 1805 the name Máj was used, which was the only one not of Slavic origin. Then Czech linguists rename the months by a slavic name Květen. The Czech name of the month is derived from the word flower květ or blooming kvetení.
In other languages (English May, German Mai) the name of the month is derived from the Latin Maius, which was named after the mythological goddess Maia, the wife of the god Vulcan. On the first day of the month of May, Roman priests sacrificed a pregnant sow to the goddess Maia.
The name of the month Červen is of Slavic origin. He reminds that strawberries, cherries and other fruits turn red červený, červenat in June. Maggots červ also begin to appear in ripening fruit in June. This month also used to collect worm beetles červec, from which a red dye for textiles was obtained.
In other languages (English June, German Juni) the name of the month is derived from the Latin Junius, which could refer to the Roman goddess Juno, wife of the god Jupiter.
The name červenec is originally a small June, the suffix here expresses succession, July follows June. The first red fruits are starting to ripen. July marks the time when all the red fruits that just started ripening in June are already ripe.
In 44 BC, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar, creator of the Julian calendar, was assassinated. His successor, Marcus Antonius, changed the name of the month to Julius in his honor. He chose July because Julius Caesar was born on July 13, 100 BC. The name was then taken from latin by other European languages and is still used today: English July, German Juli, Slovak Júl.
The Czech name srpen probably comes from the sickle, srp, an agricultural tool used to harvest grain.
In the Roman calendar, the month in 8 BC was named after the emperor Augustus on Augustus. Other European languages took the name from latin and still use it today (English August, German August).
In Czech, its name září comes from word rutting. It arose from the phrase za říje that is during rutting. September is therefore the time when animals mate and make typical sounds – roaring.
In latin, the month is called September from the latin septum (i.e. seventh), because until 153 BC September was the seventh month of the year in the Roman calendar. This name is currently used in many European languages.
Its Czech name is also derived from word rutting říje.
In latin, the month is called October from the latin octo (i.e. eighth), because until 153 BC October was the eighth month of the year in the Roman calendar. This name is currently used in many European languages.
Its Czech name derives from the fall of leaves listí padá, which is characteristic for this period in Central Europe.
In latin, the month is called November from the latin novem (ie nine), because until 153 BC November was the ninth month of the year in the Roman calendar. This name has also been adopted by a large number of European languages.
The name is derived from the Proto-Slavic verb prosinoti, which means to shine through or flash. The sun often just shines through the clouds this month. Folk etymology derives the name from the word pig prase, because the slaughters took place usually in December. At other times it points to the word to beg prosit in reference to Christmas caroling. Millet proso porridge was also eaten more in December. However, these are interpretations based on the similarity of words. In the 16th–18th In the 19th century, the Czechs sometimes called December the month of the wolf vlčenec, probably with reference to the number of wolves that gathered in packs during the winter and attacked more.
In latin, the month is called December from the latin decem (i.e. ten), because until 153 BC December was the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar. This name also passed into a large part of European languages.
People were always interested in weather forecasts, which were based on their experience repeated over many generations in observing nature, and were vital to the survival and richness of crops. Thanks to this, they knew that it would rain when the flowers of dandelions or marigolds begin to close under the full sun, when spiders leave their webs, when bees fly in the vicinity of the hive, donkeys have floppy ears and scratch every tree, when ants rush to the anthill. People also estimated the weather by the direction in which the sound of the bells spread due to the wind. If he came from the west, he could wait longer, if he came from the east, they could count on dry, stable weather.
Our ancestors also identified themselves with long-term predictions, for example, if the alder turned green before the birch in the spring, they believed that the summer would be rainy and cold. If it was the other way around, they were going to have a warm summer. The bitter winter was to come after the whole boughs of the heather were covered with blossoms, when July was hotter than August, when the moles made high molehills, when the hares were grazed in autumn and thickly furred.
From the experience of observation, they created a saying or a prediction regarding certain days or seasons, especially in relation to agriculture and the weather. In a broader sense, predictions also include various sayings related to the rural economy.
January / Leden
In January, the day grows, and so does winter
In January, one will sit behind the stove
When the year begins with frost and snow, plenty of bread is predicted
If there is thick ice on the roads in January, the cabbage will turn out great
February / Únor
White February - the field is getting stronger
When the lark sings in February, there is a great cold afterwards
March / Březen
March without rain, April without grass
March snow damages the fields
April / Duben
April abundant with water – October with wine
A wet April promises a good harvest
If the wind blows a lot in April, the barn fills up
May / Květen
Wet May – paradise in the barn
A rain drop in May pays for a ducat (an old strong currency)
June / Červen
A wet and cold June – the harvests are always spoiled
If June is mild, the frost will not be severe in December
July / Červenec
The sun is baking - the rain will flow
July – Gemini crops
August / Srpen
If there are no mushrooms in August, there will be no snow in winter
Fogs on meadows, streams and rivers in August herald persistent weather
In August, the sun can no longer be trusted much
September / Září
Indian summer - summer on the way
September, summer goes to old age
When it's warm September - fruit and wine do well
October / Říjen
In October, lots of acorns and beech trees announce more winter
If the leaves fall in October, it will be a wet winter
November / Listopad
When the leaves don't fall for a long time, a hard winter creeps in
When the mole burrows in November, mosquitoes will fly at Christmas
December / Prosinec
The Milky Way is clear in December, next year's harvest will be beautiful
Cold December – early spring
