The village is first mentioned as Beranci in 1468, in Ottoman documents. It is believed that the name derives from the personal name, Beran.[1] According to the legend, the first settler was someone named Beran (or Beron) from the village of Vevčani, near Struga, attempting to escape Turkish brutality.[2]
Geography
The village is situated in Pelagonia, in the northern part of the Bitola valley, and the western part of the Municipality of Mogila.[3] The village is at an altitude of 640 meters. It is situated 17 km from Bitola.[3]
In Beranci and its surroundings, there are a number of important archeological findings. Gradište is located west of the village, with the locals claiming that it is a mound with valleys. Old money, tiles, large peaks and bricks were found at the site.[4]
The location of Visoi is located where the villages of Beranci, Mogila and Crnobuki meet. A 1954 study unearthed old graves lined up in a circle, with Roman inscriptions being unearthed, and pottery being found inside the tombs.[4]
The church of Saint Athanasius is located in the upper half of the village, in which it is believed that an ancient necropolis is located.[4] The current monastery of Saint John the Baptist, is built on the ruins of the older monastery.[4]
The area covers an area of 19 km2. It is dominated by arable land with an area of 1,028.3 hectares, with pastures occupying 785.5 hectares, and forests only 15 hectares.[5]
The main function of the village concerns farming and livestock.[5]
Demographics
According to the 1467-68 Ottoman defter, Beranci appears as being almost exclusively inhabited by a Christian Albanian population. Some families had a mixed Slav-Albanian anthroponomy - usually a Slavic first name and an Albanian last name or last names with Albanian patronyms and Slavic suffixes.
Names of the heads of families: Gjini Arbanas, Pavel son of Gjin, Gjergji son of Dank, Gjergji son of Gjon, Gjergji son of Nino, Stala son of Gjin-ko, Nikolla son of Stale (Gjinko), Tom-i son of Bojo, Tom Siroma (poor), Tan-o son of Niko.[6]
According to the 2002 census, the village had a total of 445 inhabitants.[7] Ethnic groups in the village include:[7]
Beranci is a Macedonian Orthodox village, with there only being one native family, with the rest being settlers.[4]
The families of Beranci are:
Natives: Ralevci; it is said they have lived in Beranci for a long time.
Settlers: Pecevci, descend from their ancestor Pece, who came to Beranci from the surroundings of Debar in the 18th century; Popovci, a branch of the family Pecevci; Bojovci, settled from a village in Mariovo; Nikolovci, are a branch of the family Bojovci; Veljanovci, settled from the neighbouring Dolno Srpci; Jazevci, settled from a village in Mariovo; Gajdovci, are a branch of the Jazevci family;Gargovci, are descended from a man who married into the family Pecevci, Ljakovci, Kumbulovci, Bočkarovci, and Gjakovci, are settlers from unknown places, the family Ruškić was established by a policeman who came from Negotin in Serbia in 1919; and Damjanovci, settled from the village Virovo, near Demir Hisar in 1955.
It is known about the following emigrant families from the village: Karovci in Dragožani; Pishmanovci in Ivanjevci; Zajkovci, Minovci and Veljanchevci in Dolno Srpci; Gjakovci and Jazevci in Mogila; Kovačevci in Dobromiri and Nečovci in Kravari.[4]
Over 1000 people have emigrated from the village. The greater part of them live in Bitola, Prilep and Skopje, with some emigrating to the anglosphere and Europe.[11]
^Јелена Павловска, Наташа Ниќифоровиќ и Огнен Коцевски (2011). Валентина Божиновска (ed.). Карта на верски објекти во Македонија (in Macedonian). Менора - Скопје: Комисија за односи во верските заедници и религиозните групи. ISBN978-608-65143-2-7.
^Николов, Борис Й. Вътрешна македоно-одринска революционна организация. Войводи и ръководители (1893 – 1934). Биографично-библиографски справочник. София, 2001, стр. 101 - 102.
^Bojchevski, Design by Angela Hristovska, Developed by Dijana Manchevska and Jovan. "Мој Роден Крај". www.mojrodenkraj.com.mk. Retrieved 2020-07-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)