Kechnec

Kechnec (German: Kechnetz; Hungarian: Kenyhec) is a village in eastern Slovakia.

Kechnec Kenyhec
Municipality
Flag
Kechnec Location of Kechnec in the Košice Region Show map of Košice Region Kechnec Location of Kechnec in Slovakia Show map of Slovakia
Coordinates: 48.55°N 21.27°E / 48.55; 21.27
Country	Slovakia
Region	Košice Region
District	Košice-okolie District
First mentioned	1220
Area [1]
• Total	10.21 km2 (3.94 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	171 m (561 ft)
Population  (2021)[3]
• Total	1,141
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code	445 8[2]
Area code	+421 55[2]
Car plate	KS
Website	kechnec.sk

Geography

The village lies at an altitude of 180 metres and covers an area of 10.211 km². The municipality is part of the administrative units Košice-okolie District and Košice Region.

History

Historically, the village was first mentioned in 1220 as a settlement called Felnemet. Being on the Hungarian Queen’s land at the lower stream of the River Hornád, the territory of Kechnec was settled by German immigrants at the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. We know that from the Varadin’s Register of 1220. In 1295 the Queen Agnes gave the town of Kechnec, together with another 7 small towns to Menne, a surrogate breastfeeder of King Ladislaus IV of Hungary. An old document dated to 1338 says that in this town there was a mill, located near the present town of Seňa, which was preserved to the modern times. This documents active work and life of local farmers. The King Sigmund, another major player in the history of the town, gave Kechnec to the Marmoss administrator Peter of Perin. It was a gift for his loyalty and military merits. This fact documents the importance of Kechnec at that time. The donation and merit document is interesting due to its bilingual name – Felnemethy alio domine Kemnech. Although already before the time of arrival of German colonists the town of Kechnec had had its own Slavic name, which the Germans adopted, it also got its official Hungarian name Felnémeti. In 1560 the town was named Kenyhecz Nempty, in 1605 Kenyhecz, in 1808 Kechnec, and the last mentioned name has been preserved until now. According to the conscriptions of local priests and churches, in 1746 people in Kechnec spoke Slovak. A number of major landowners were resident in the town, from among which it is worth to mention the Kenyheczi and Czikovics families. János Czikovics obtained Kechnec from King Leopold I in 1689 in Vienna.

Population

Population statistic (10 years)^[4]

Year	1994	2004	2014	2024
Count	841	961	1172	1142
Difference		+14.26%	+21.95%	−2.55%

Population statistic^[4]

Year	2023	2024
Count	1140	1142
Difference		+0.17%

It has a population of 1142 people (31 December 2024).^[5]

Ethnicity

Census 2021 (1+ %)^[6][7]

Ethnicity	Number	Fraction
Slovak	990	87.07%
Hungarian	170	14.95%
Not found out	30	2.63%
Romani	16	1.4%
Total	1137

In year 2021 was 1137 people by ethnicity 990 as Slovak, 170 as Hungarian, 30 as Not found out, 16 as Romani, 7 as Other, 4 as Russian, 3 as Rusyn, 2 as Ukrainian and 1 as German.

Note on population

The difference between the population numbers above and in the census (here and below) is that the population numbers above are mostly made up of permanent residents, etc.; and the census should indicate the place where people actually mainly live. For example, a student is a citizen of a village because he has permanent residence there (he lived there as a child and has parents), but most of the time he studies at a university in the city.

Religion

Census 2021 (1+ %)^[8]

Religion	Number	Fraction
Roman Catholic Church	780	68.6%
None	113	9.94%
Calvinist Church	109	9.59%
Greek Catholic Church	66	5.8%
Not found out	31	2.73%
Evangelical Church	30	2.64%
Total	1137

In year 2021 was 1137 people by religion 780 from Roman Catholic Church, 113 from None, 109 from Calvinist Church, 66 from Greek Catholic Church, 31 from Not found out, 30 from Evangelical Church, 2 from Ad hoc movements, 1 from Old Catholic Church, 1 from Eastern Orthodox Church, 1 from Christian Congregations in Slovakia, 1 from Hinduism, 1 from United Methodist Church and 1 from Baptists Church.

Economy

Nowadays, Kechnec is becoming an industrial centre of this region. Kechnec Industrial Zone is a green field of 332 hectares (820 acres) with a newly constructed public infrastructure. New investors are coming here, that gives new opportunities for work.

Twin towns — sister cities

Kechnec is twinned with:

• Isaszeg, Hungary

Genealogical resources

The records for genealogical research are available at the state archive "Statny Archiv in Kosice, Slovakia"

• Roman Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1714-1895 (parish A)
• Greek Catholic church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1791-1896 (parish B)
• Reformated church records (births/marriages/deaths): 1794-1901 (parish B)

See also

• List of municipalities and towns in Slovakia