(Redirected from List of Latin place names in Europe)
This list includes
continental European
countries and
regions that were part of the
Roman Empire, or that were given
Latin place names in
historical references.
Background
Until the
Modern Era,
Latin was the
common language for
scholarship and
mapmaking. During the
19th and
20th centuries,
German scholars in particular have made significant contributions to the study of historical place names, or ''Ortsnamenkunde''. These studies have, in turn, contributed to the study of
genealogy. For genealogists and historians of pre-Modern Europe, knowing alternate names of places is vital to extracting information from both public and private records. Even specialists in this field point out, however, that the information can be easily taken out of context, since there is a great deal of repetition of place names throughout Europe; reliance purely on apparent connections should therefore be tempered with valid historical methodology.
Caveats and notes
Latin place names are not always exclusive to one place — for example, there were several Roman cities whose names began with ''Colonia'' and then a more descriptive term. During the
Middle Ages, these were often shortened to just ''Colonia''. One of these, ''Colonia Agrippinensis'', retains the name today in the form of
Cologne.
Early sources for
Roman names show numerous variants and spellings of the
Latin names.
The modern canonical name is listed first. Sources are listed chronologically. In general, only the earliest source is shown for each name, although many of the names are recorded in more than one of the sources. Where the source differs in spelling, or has other alternatives, these are listed following the source. As an aid to searching, variants are spelled completely, and listed in most likely chronology.
Superscripts indicate:
# Latinized form of the Greek-derived name.
# Latinized form of the Asian-derived name via Greek.
# Altered Latinized form of the Greek-derived name.
==Cities and towns in
Austria==
==Cities and towns in
Belgium==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Aldenarda[1] | Oudenaarde (nl), Audenarde (fr) |
| Alostum[2] | Aalst (nl), Alost (fr) |
| Anderlacum | Anderlecht |
| Antverpia | Antwerp (en), Antwerpen (nl), Anvers (fr) |
| Atuatuca Tungrorum | Tongeren (nl) |
| Brugae | Bruges (fr), Brugge (nl) |
| Bruxella, Bruxellae | Brussels (en), Brussel (nl), Bruxelles (fr) |
| Cortracum[3] | Kortrijk (nl), Courtrai (fr) |
| Damma, Dammum | Damme (nl) |
| Furna[4] | Veurne (nl) |
| Gandavum[5] | Ghent, Gent (nl), Gand (fr) |
| Leodium | Liège (fr), Luik (nl), Lüttich (de) |
| Rothnacum | Ronse (nl) |
| Tamasiacum, Tamisiacum, Temsica | Temse (nl), Tamise (fr) |
| Teneramonda[6] | Dendermonde (nl) |
| Tornacum | Tournai (fr), Doornik (nl) |
==Cities and towns in the
Czech Republic==
==Cities and towns in
Denmark==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Aros | Ã…rhus |
| Hafnia | Copenhagen (''København'') |
| Fredericia | Fredericia |
| Wibergis | Viborg |
==Cities and towns in
Estonia==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Pernavia | Pärnu |
| Revalia | Tallinn |
| Tharbata | Tartu |
==Cities and towns in
Finland==
==Cities and towns in
France==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Adiacium | Ajaccio |
| Alberti campus | Champaubert |
| Aquae Sextiae | Aix-en-Provence |
| Arelate | Arles |
| Argentoratum | Strasbourg |
| Arpajonum, Arpajoni castrum, Arpacona | Arpajon, Paris |
| Atrebatum | Arras, Pas-de-Calais |
| S. Audoeni fanum, villa od. domus | Saint-Ouen, Paris |
| Augusta Argentorate | Strasbourg |
| Augustodurum, Bajocae, Bajocassium civitas | Bayeux |
| Aureliani | Orléans |
| Avenio | Avignon |
| Belna | Beaune |
| Brestum, Brestia, Brivates Portis | Brest |
| Bononia, Gesoriacum | Boulogne-sur-Mer |
| Briva Isara | Pontoise |
| Burdigala | Bordeaux |
| Catalaunum, Catelaunorum | Chalons-sur-Marne |
| Crisenaria | Cressy |
| Damovilla | Damville |
| Dinia, Diniensium civitas | Digne-les-Bains, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence |
| Divio | Dijon |
| Flavia (GOL: Flaviacum) | Saint-Germer-de-Fly, Oise |
| Flaviniacum (GOL: Flaviacum) | Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, Côte-d'Or |
| Glanum | Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône |
| Lugdunum | Lyon |
| Lugdunum Convenarum | Saint Bertrand de Comminges |
| Lutetia | Paris |
| Massilia | Marseille |
| Medicinum | Mézin, Lot-et-Garonne |
| Mediolanum Aulercorum | Evreux |
| Mediolanum Santonum | Saintes |
| Narbo Martius, Narbonensis | Narbonne, Aude |
| Nemausus | Nîmes |
| Nicaea, Nicia | Nice |
| Noviodunum | Soissons |
| Noviomagus Lexoviorum (GOL: Lexovium) | Lisieux, Calvados |
| Noviomagus Veromanduorum (GOL: Noviomium, Noviomense palatium, Noviomum, Novionum) | Noyon, Oise |
| Novio Rito (GOL: Niortum, Novirogus, Nyrax) | Niort, Deux-Sèvres |
| Ramboletium | Rambouillet |
| Rotomagus | Rouen |
| Samarobriva | Amiens |
| Spinetum, Spinogelum, Spinoilum, Espinolum | Épinay-sur-Orge, Paris |
| Tolosa | Toulouse |
| Turoni, Metropolis civitas Turonum, Turonorum, Augusta Turonum, T(h)oronus, Turonica civitas, Caesarodunum | Tours |
| Vesontio | Besançon |
| Vienna Allobrogium | Vienne, Isére |
| Viennavicus | Vienne-en-Val, Loiret |
| Vierium | Vihiers, Maine-et-Loire |
==Cities and towns in
Germany==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| (Colonia Claudia) Ara Agrippinensium | Cologne (''Köln''), North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Aqua Villae | Badenweiler |
| Aquisgrana, Aquis Granum, Aquae Grani, Aquensis urbs, Granis aquae | Aachen (French ''Aix-la-Chapelle''), North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Antunnacum | Andernach, Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Arae Flaviae | Rottweil |
| Asopus | Aspe |
| Assindria | Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Augusta Vindelicorum | Augsburg |
| Aurelia Aquensi | Baden-Baden |
| Badena civitas | Baden |
| Batavis, Castra Batavorum, Castra Batava | Passau |
| Berolinum | Berlin |
| Bonna | Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Borbetomagus, Wormatia | Worms |
| Brema | Bremen |
| Brunsvicum | Brunswick (''Braunschweig'') |
| Cambodunum | Kempten, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Castra Regina, Ratisbona | Regensburg |
| Castrum Novaesium | Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Chemnitium, Chemnicium | Chemnitz |
| Cignavia, Cignea, Cygnea, Cynavia | Zwickau |
| Clivia | Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Colonia Agrippina, Colonia Agrippinensis | Cologne (''Köln''), North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Colonia Ulpia Traiana, Vetera | Xanten, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| (Castellum apud) Confluentes | Koblenz |
| Constantia | Konstanz - Constance |
| Cruciniacum | Bad Kreuznach, Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Dresda | Dresden |
| Emetha, Amuthon, Embda, Emda, Embden | Emden, East Frisia |
| Erfordia, Erphesfurt | Erfurt, Thuringia |
| Esilinga, Ezelinga, Ezzilinga | Eßlingen |
| Francofortum ad Moenum | Frankfurt am Main |
| Friburgum Brisgoviae | Freiburg im Breisgau |
| Goettinga | Göttingen |
| Gorlicium | Görlitz, Saxony |
| Goslaria | Goslar, Lower Saxony |
| Hale Suevice | Schwäbisch Hall - Hall in Schwaben, Baden-Württemberg |
| Hamburgum, Hamburgium, Hammonia | Hamburg |
| Hannovera | Hanover (''Hannover'') |
| Herbipolis | Würzburg |
| Hildanus | Hilden |
| Iuliacum | Jülich, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Lauriacum | Lorch |
| Lindaugia, Lindavia | Lindau |
| Lipsia | Leipzig |
| Locoritum | Lohr, Bavaria |
| Lubica (GOL: Lubicana, Lubeca, Lubecum, Lubacovia, Lybichi) | Lübeck - Lubeke, Schleswig-Holstein |
| Magdeburgum | Magdeburg |
| Misnia (GOL: Misnensis marchia) | Meissen, Saxony |
| Moguncia, Moguntia, Moguntiacum, Mogontiacum | Mainz |
| Monachium, Monacum | Munich (''München'') |
| Monasterium in Eifel | Bad Münstereifel |
| Monasterium Westphaliae | Münster |
| Norimberga | Nuremberg (''Nürnberg'') |
| Northusia | Nordhausen |
| Novaesium, Novensium | Neuss, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Noviomagus Nemetum (GOL: Augusta Nemetum, Nemetis, Nemodona, Spira, Spiratia, Sphira, Spyrea) | Speyer - Spires, Rhineland-Palatinate |
| Noviomagus Trevirorum (NLU; GOL: Augusta Trevirorum, Treviris, Treberis) | Trier - Treves |
| Patavia, Castra Batava | Passau |
| Ratisbona, Radaspona | Regensburg - Ratisbon, Bavaria |
| Rigomagus | Remagen, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Rostochium (Rhodopolis) | Rostock |
| Stutgardia, Stuogardia | Stuttgart |
| Tremonia | Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Tubinga | Tübingen |
| Tulpiacum, Tolbiacum | Zülpich - Tolbiac, North Rhine-Westphalia |
| Vetera, Colonia Ulpia Traiana | Xanten |
==Cities and towns in
Hungary==
==Cities and towns in
Latvia==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Rugensis civitas | Riga |
==Cities and towns in
Monaco==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Monaecum (GOL: Monoecum, Portus Herculis Monoeci) | Monaco |
==Cities and towns in
Netherlands==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Ad Duodecimum | unknown location |
| Albaniana | Alphen aan den Rijn |
| Amivadum | Amersfoort |
| Amstelodamum | Amsterdam |
| Arenacum | Arnhem |
| Blariacum | Blerick |
| Carvium | Herwen-De Bijland |
| Carvo | Kesteren |
| Caspingio | unknown location |
| Castra Herculis | Arnhem-Meinerswijk |
| Ceuclum | Cuijk |
| Coriovallum | Heerlen |
| Daventria | Deventer |
| Eindovia | Eindhoven |
| Elenio | Naaldwijk |
| Fectio | Vechten |
| Flevum | Velsen |
| Forum Hadriani | Voorburg |
| Ganuenta | Colijnsplaat |
| Grinnes | Rossum |
| Horgana | Hargen |
| Laurium, Laurum | Woerden |
| Lefevanum | Wijk bij Duurstede |
| Lugdunum, Lugdunum Batavorum | Katwijk, Brittenburg |
| Matilo | Leiden-Roomburg |
| Mariaucum | Maurik |
| Mosae Traiectum | Maastricht |
| Municipium Aelium Cananefatum | Voorburg (MAC) |
| Nigrum Pullum | Zwammerdam |
| Praetorium Agrippina | Valkenburg (South Holland) (Zuid-Holland) |
| Ruraemunde | Roermond |
| Sablones | Venlo |
| Silva Ducis | Den Bosch ('s-Hertogenbosch) |
| Tablis | unknown location |
| Traiectum | Utrecht |
| Traiectum ad Mosam | Maastricht |
| Ulpia Noviomagus Batavorum (HLU; GOL: Batavodurum, Niumagum, Niwimagum, Neumaia) | Nijmegen - Neumagen - Nimwegan, Gelderland |
| Venlonum | Venlo |
| Vienna (Nederlandia), Vigenna | Vianen |
| Vadae | Wageningen |
==Cities and towns in
Norway==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Osloensis | Oslo |
| Bergensis | Bergen |
| Hamarensis | Hamar |
==Cities and towns in
Poland==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Bydgostia | Bydgoszcz |
| Calisia | Kalisz |
| Cervimontium, Mons Cervi (adj. cervimontanus, hirschbergensis) | Jelenia Góra |
| Cracovia | Kraków |
| Culmen | Chełmno |
| Elbinga, Elbingus, Elbinca, Elbangum, Elbingense castrum | ElblÄ…g |
| Gedania, Gedanum, Dantiscum | Gdańsk |
| Ostrovia | Ostrów, Ostrów Wielkopolski |
| Posnania, Poznania | Poznań |
| Resovia | Rzeszów |
| Sandomir | Sandomierz |
| Siradia | Sieradz |
| Stargardia | Stargard Szczeciński |
| Thorunium | Toruń |
| Varsovia, Varsavia | Warsaw (''Warszawa'') |
| Vratislavia, Wratislavia | Wrocław |
==Cities and towns in
Russia==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Archangelopolis (GOL: S. Michaeli Archangeli fanum, Michaelopolis) | Archangelsk |
| Asovia (GOL: Assovium; HLU: Tanais) | Azov |
| Astrachan (HLU: Astrachanum) | Astrachan |
| Casan, Cazan (GOL: Casanum, Kazanum) | Kazan |
| Iaroslavia (GOL: Jereslavia) | Yaroslavl |
| Moscua, Mosqua, Moscovia (HLU: Moscha) | Moscow |
| Novogardia Inferior | Nizhny Novgorod |
| Novogardia Magna | Veliky Novgorod |
| Permia | Perm |
| Petropolis, Petroburgum (GOL: St. Petri fanum) | Saint Petersburg |
| Pscovia | Pskov |
| Regiomontium (GOL: Regiomontum, Regalis, Regius) | Kaliningrad, Königsberg |
| Resan, Rezan (GOL: Rhezania; HLU: Rezana) | Ryazan |
| Rostovia | Rostov |
| Smolenscum (GOL: Smolska) | Smolensk |
| Tueria (GOL: Tuera, Twera) | Tver |
| Volodimiria | Vladimir |
| Viatcia | Kirov, Vyatka |
| Viburga, Viburgum Careliorum (GOL: Viburgus) | Vyborg |
==Cities and towns in
Slovakia==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Cassovia | Košice |
| Bartfa | Bardejov |
| Forum Dominarum | Bátovce |
| Semnichia | Banská Štiavnica |
| Celemantia | Iža |
| Comaromium | Komárno |
| Kismarkinum, Forum Caseorum | Kežmarok |
| Crempnichia | Kremnica |
| Leuchovia | LevoÄa |
| Prividia | Prievidza |
| Iglovia, Nova Villa | Spišská Nová Ves |
| Suburbium, Villa Sub Castro | Spišské Vlachy |
| Lublovia | Stará Ľubovňa |
| Divinium | DevÃn |
| Villa Theutonicalis | Poprad |
| Eperiessinum, Fragopolis | Prešov |
| Gerulata | Rusovce, Bratislava |
| Laugaricio | TrenÄÃn |
| Tyrnavia | Trnava |
| Neosolium | Banská Bystrica |
| Posonium, Wratisslaburgium | Bratislava |
| Veterosolium, Vetusolium, Solium | Zvolen |
==Cities and towns in
Sweden==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Amalia | Åmål |
| Arosia | Västerås |
| Boërosia | Borås |
| Calmaria | Kalmar |
| Caroli Corona | Karlskrona |
| Carolina Vetus | Gamla Karleby |
| Christinae portus | Kristinehamn |
| Christiania | Kristianstad |
| Cimbrorum portus | Simrishamn |
| Copinga | Köping |
| Coronia | Landskrona |
| Dalecarlius | Dalälven |
| Eckesioea, Ecksium | Eksjö |
| Encopia | Enköping |
| Falcopia | Falköping |
| Gevalia | Gävle |
| Gothia | Gothenburg (''Göteborg'') |
| Halmostadium | Halmstad |
| Hiovia | Hjo |
| Holmia, Stockholmia | Stockholm |
| Hudvicovaldum | Hudiksvall |
| Iuncopia | Jönköping |
| Lagaholmia | Laholm |
| Lidcopia | Lidköping |
| Lincopia | Linköping |
| Lindesberga, Linda | Lindesberg |
| Lula | Luleå |
| Lunda | Lund |
| Malmogia | Malmö |
| Medicorum villa | Medevibrunn |
| Nicopia | Nyköping |
| Norcopia | Norrköping |
| Orebrogia | Örebro |
| Oresundae | Öresund |
| Pax Mariae | Mariefred |
| Pitovia | Piteå |
| Schedina | Skövde |
| Stenbrovium | Stenbro |
| Stocholmia, Holmia | Stockholm |
| Sudercopia | Söderköping |
| Telga | Tälje |
| Upsala | Uppsala |
| Uraniburgum | Uranienborg |
| Urbs Mariae | Mariestad |
| Vadstenium | Vadstena |
| Vemmaria, Wemmaria | Vimmerby |
| Vexionia | Växjö |
| Visingsburgum, Wisingsburgum | Visingsborg |
| Ystadium, Istadium, Ustadium | Ystad |
==Cities and towns in
Switzerland==
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) | English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s) |
|---|
| Acaunum, Agaunum | Saint Maurice, Valais |
| Ad Fines | Pfyn, Thurgau |
| Aquae Helveticae | Baden, Aargau |
| Arbor Felix | Arbon, Thurgau |
| Augusta Raurica | Kaiseraugst (Augst) |
| Aventicum | Avenches, Vaud |
| Basilia, Basilea | Basel |
| Berna | Bern |
| Brienzola | Brienz, Bern |
| Brunntrudum, Bruntraut | Pruntrut |
| Curia | Chur, Graubünden |
| Eburodunum | Yverdon-les-Bains, Vaud |
| Ezelinga, Esselinga | Esseling, Zürich |
| Genava | Geneva |
| Lousonna | Lausanne, Vaud |
| Morgiis | Morges |
| Noviodunum (Colonia Iulia Equestris) | Nyon, Vaud |
| Octodurum | Martigny, Valais |
| Solodurum/Salodurum | Solothurn |
| Suitia | Schwyz |
| Tugium | Zug |
| Turicum | Zürich |
| Urba | Orbe, Vaud |
| Vibiscum | Vevey, Vaud |
| Vindonissa | Windisch, Aargau |
| Vitudurum | Winterthur, Canton of Zürich |
==Cities and towns in
Ukraine==
References
In order of likely publication:
★ 'PNH':
Pliny (Gaius Plinius Secundus), ''
Naturalis Historia''; book "PNH" chapter (that is, "37PNH81" instead of the usual "N.H.xxxvii.81").
★ 'PG':
Ptolemy (Claudius Ptolemaeus), ''
Geographia''; book "PG" chapter (that is, "2PG3" instead of the usual "II.3"). Ptolemy wrote in
Greek, so names are
transliterated back into
Latin to reveal the original form.
★ 'HLU':
Hofmann, Johann Jacob (
1635-
1706): ''Lexicon Universale''
★ 'GOL': The standard reference to Latin placenames, with their modern equivalents, is Dr. J. G. Th. Graesse, ''Orbis Latinus : Lexikon lateinischer geographischer Namen des Mittelalters und der Neuzeit'' (1909), an exhaustive work of meticulous German scholarship that is available on-line. To use it, one must understand German names of countries, as they were in
1909. The original was re-edited and expanded in a multi-volume edition in
1972.
See also
★
Chemical elements named after places (several element names employ Latin place names)
External links
★
Graesse, Orbis Latinus
★
Hofmann: Lexicon Universale
★
Place Names of Europe
★
Pliny the Elder: the Natural History
★
Ptolemy: the Geography