VILLEIN HOUSEHOLDS OF THE PALOC POPULATION, 1836-1843

The structure of villein households and families of thirteen villages is analyzed with the help of relatively reliable data, which contain i nformation for the period 1836-1843. The Paloc population forms a dist inct ethno-cultural group, located approximately 50-120 kilometers nor theast of Budapest in a separate region. In creating a typology of vil lein households, we took into consideration the real household structu re. The Laslett categories were not used. In the thirteen villages, th e proportion of nuclear families was very low (22 percent) until the m id-nineteenth century and joint families, involving direct and collate ral relatives, were extremely important. The proportion of strangers, servants and unrelated individuals living in the family was insignific ant. The size and structure of households and families was significant ly determined by the age of household or family head. These structures were supposedly the result of the indivisibility of villein land, as well as other traditional factors.