We do not know exactly when Roma arrived in Hungary. In recent decades the historical literature has identified the earliest source relating to Roma as a document dating from 1416. The document indicates that Roma were already present in Transylvania around 1400. Roma arrived in the Balkan countries in the mid-14th century, moving on to Wallachia, where they are first mentioned in 1385. From Wallachia they migrated to Transylvania. In later centuries too, Roma came from the Romanian principalities to Transylvania and Hungary.  Sporadic references to persons named Cigan, Cygan or Chygan or to villages named Zygan can be found in charters from the 13th–14th centuries. In the late 15th century and early 16th century, strengthening fortifications and manufacturing weapons were not the only forms of employment practiced by Roma, for some of them were musicians. By the late 16th century or the early 17th century, Roma had nevertheless reached all parts of Hungary.

 Immigration

Roma immigration started in 16th century and continued throughout  17th centuries and became even more significant in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Roma immigrants were Romani native speakers; they learnt Hungarian after their arrival in the country. Within several generations, their linguistic assimilation was complete and they no longer spoke Romani. Some smaller groups, however, preserved their knowledge of the language. In some counties some Roma continue to speak Romani (the Carpathian dialect) as well as Hungarian. (περισσότερα…)