Raci

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For other meanings, see Raci/RACI and Rac/RAC (disambiguation pages)

Map from 1661, in which name Rascia is located in Banat and Srem

Raci (Раци, Rác, Ratzen, Ratzians, Rasciani) was a name used to designate Serbs, Bunjevci, and Šokci in Middle Ages and the early modern times. The name was primary used by Hungarians and Germans. The name is derived from the name of medieval Serbian principality – Raška. Besides the name Raci, Rasciani was also used, while the land inhabited by Serbs was named Rascia or Ráczság.

Since the 15th century, the Serbs made up a large percentage of the population on the territory of present day Vojvodina. Because of this, many historical sources and maps, which were written and drawn between 15th and 18th centuries, mention the territory of present day Vojvodina under the names of Rascia (Serbia) and Little Raška (Little Serbia). The name Rascia was sometimes also used to designate Slavonia.

According to one historical record from 1543, Temišvar and Arad were located in the middle of Rascia (in medio Rascionarum). According to the same record, the main language spoken in Banat in that time was Serbian, while 17 Serbian monasteries existed in the Banat region.

When the representatives of Vojvodinian Serbs negotiated with the Hungarian leader Lajos Kossuth in 1848, they warned him not to call them Raci, because they regard this name insulting, since they have their national and historical endonym – Serbs.

The initial name of the city of Novi Sad (Ratzen Stadt – Serb City) has also derived from the name Raci. The Tabán quarter of Budapest was also called Rácváros in the 18-19 centuries because of its significant Serb population.