Kazio Lietuvninko Tėviškė, 2002               Prano Grajausko Tėviškė, 2002

Since both of my parents were born and raised in the village of Viščiakaimis near Vilkaviškis, I heard the name mentioned often growing up.  Since I am interested in the sources and meanings of surnames, place names, etc, it is not surprising that I started thinking about the source and meaning of this village’s name.

Most often I have heard that the name references the words “višta” or “viščiukas” -  the village of chickens or chick village - but those who have said so haven’t really been sure and said they assumed that’s what it meant from the sound of the name.  So then the question is raised in my mind, why isn’t the name Vištakaimis or Viščiukaimis?  After reading the article on the source of the name Vilkaviškis and the evolution of its pronunciation, I consider the possibility that the pronunciation was altered to make the name easier to say.  Though, to be honest, Vištakaimis is much easier to pronounce than Viščiakaimis.  However, I can see how Viščiukaimis might have evolved into Viščiakaimis.  But, these sources of the name are just my personal speculation.  I’m definitely not a Lithuanian village name scholar.

Another question – were there a lot of chickens in this village ?? 

But, now a totally different interpretation. -- I once heard my father challenging the name of his village.  He claimed rather insistently that the name was actually Visčiakaimis, without the caron ( ˇ ) over the “s” :

Vis – always
Čia – here
Kaimis – village

Always a village here.  Makes perfect sense to me. 

Pronouncing Visčiakaimis, without the caron over the “s” is actually not that easy, and it would be understandable that the pronunciation evolved to make it easier to say, and thus, altered the spelling to Viščiakaimis, with the caron over the “s” and the “c”.

And, I have seen various old documents with the name spelled with the plain “s”.  But I have also seen the name spelled “Viščekaimis” so go figure.

Did my dad really have some insight on this name, or was this just another example of his wry sense of humor?  The latter is definitely a possibility.

Personally, I go with my dad’s interpretation. That’s the one that makes most sense based on the spelling.   I’m wondering if there is any way to verify this.  Any ideas?

Though the village still appears on Lithuanian maps, many of the younger locals around Vilkaviškis had never heard of it when I was trying to find it with relatives in Lithuania.  But “sharp as a tack” Teta Marytė knew exactly where it was……………………

Sadly, it looks like there won’t always be a village here named Viščiakaimis.