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.
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.
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Amantia |
Amantia
|
| Antigonea |
Gjirokastër
|
| Antipatrea |
Berat
|
| Apollonia |
Fier
|
| Aulona |
Vlorë
|
| Buthrotum |
Butrint
|
| Bylis |
Ballsh
|
| Dyrrhachium (2PG15: Epidaurus) |
Durrës
|
| Lissus (2PG15) |
Lezhë - Lyssos
|
| Scodra (2PG15) |
Shkodër - Shkodra - Scutari
|
| Tyrana (GOL) |
Tirana
|
| Valebona |
Tropojë
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
edit
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Aquae Sulphurae |
Ilidža
|
| Neuense |
Neum
|
| Pelva |
Livno - Ludricensis
|
| Saloniana (2PG15) |
Mostar - Vitrinica
|
| Salvia (2PG15), Salvium |
Glamoč
|
| Serbinum, Servitium |
Gradiška
|
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Abritum, Abrittus |
Razgrad
|
| Aetus, Astus, Idus, Aquilia |
Aytos
|
| Almus, Artanus |
Lom
|
| Anchialus |
Pomorie
|
| Apollonia Pontica, Appolonia Magna, Antheia, Sozopolis |
Sozopol
|
| Augusta Traiana, Augustra Trajana |
Stara Zagora
|
| Aurea |
Zlatitsa
|
| Bononia |
Vidin
|
| Copsis |
Karlovo
|
| Debeltum, Pyrgus |
Burgas
|
| Diocletianopolis |
Hisarya
|
| Dionysopolis |
Balchik
|
| Diospolis |
Yambol
|
| Durostorum |
Silistra
|
| Escus, Oescus |
Gigen
|
| Germanea |
Separeva Banya
|
| Magura Piatra, Regianum, Camistrum, Augusta |
Kozloduy
|
| Marcianopolis |
Devnya
|
| Melta, Praesidium, Caesaria |
Lovech
|
| Menebria, Mesembria, Metropolis Nova |
Nesebar
|
| Montana, Municipium Montanensium |
Montana
|
| Nicopolis |
Nikopol
|
| Nicopolis ad Istrum |
Nikyup (20 km north of Veliko Tarnovo)
|
| Nicopolis ad Nestum, Neurocopia |
Gotse Delchev, Nevrokop
|
| Novae |
Svishtov
|
| Odessus¹ |
Varna
|
| Pautalia |
Kyustendil
|
| Peronticus, Agathopolis |
Ahtopol
|
| Ratiaria |
Archar
|
| Scaptopara |
Blagoevgrad
|
| Serdica |
Sofia
|
| Sexaginta Prista |
Ruse
|
| Stenimachus |
Asenovgrad
|
| Stipum |
Ihtiman
|
| Storgosia |
Pleven
|
| Trimontium, Philippopolis |
Plovdiv
|
| Ulpia Oescus, Palatiolum |
Gigen
|
| Valve |
Vratsa
|
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Acharnae¹ |
Acharnes, Menidi
|
| Aegina |
Aegina
|
| Agrinium¹ |
Agrinio - Agrinion
|
| Alexandropolis¹ |
Alexandroupolis
|
| Almyrus¹ |
Almyros
|
| Amphilochia¹ |
Amphilochia
|
| Amphipolis¹ |
Amphipolis
|
| Amphissa¹ |
Amphissa - Amfissa
|
| Argos¹ |
Argos
|
| Atalanta |
Atalante - Atalanta
|
| Athenae¹ |
Athens
|
| Berroea |
Verroia - Berrea
|
| Carystus¹ |
Carystos - Carystus
|
| Cenchreae¹ |
Kechries - Cenchreae, near Corinth
|
| Chalcis¹ |
Chalkida, Euboea
|
| Corcyra³ |
Corfu
|
| Corinthus¹ |
Corinth
|
| Delphi¹ |
Delphi
|
| Dodona¹ |
Dodona
|
| Eleusis¹ |
Eleusis
|
| Epidaurus¹ |
Epidaurus
|
| Gythium |
Gytheion
|
| Heracleium¹ |
the port of Knossos, perhaps Amnisos, east of modern Iraklion, Crete (the name Iraklion/Herakleion for the medieval and modern city only dates from around 1900)
|
| Isthmia¹ |
Isthmia, slightly east of Corinth
|
| Laurium, (Thoricum before mid-1st century BC) |
Laurium - Laurion
|
| Leucas |
Lefkada - Lefkas - Leucas
|
| Marathon, Marathonis¹ |
Marathon
|
| Megalopolis¹ |
Megalopolis
|
| Megara |
Megara, west of Athens
|
| Mycenae |
Mycenae (Mykênes, Mykênai)
|
| Naupactus |
Na(u)fpaktos
|
| Nauplium¹ |
Na(u)fplion
|
| Nemea¹ |
Nemea
|
| Nicopolis¹ |
Nicopolis
|
| Nova Ionia (Athenae) |
Nea Ionia - New Ionia, Athens
|
| Nova Ionia (Thessalia) |
Nea Ionia - New Ionia, Thessaly
|
| Olympia¹ |
Olympia
|
| Olympias¹ |
Olympias - Olympiada
|
| Orchomenos¹ |
Orchomenus
|
| Paeania¹ |
Paiania - Paeania
|
| Patrae¹, Ares Patrensis |
Patras
|
| Phalerum |
Phaleron - Faliron
|
| Philippi |
Philippi
|
| Piraeus |
Piraeus
|
| Potidaea¹ |
Potidaea - Potidaia
|
| Salamis¹ |
Salamis
|
| Sparta¹ |
Sparta
|
| Tegea |
Tegea, near Tripoli
|
| Thebae (Boeotia/Athenae) |
Theva - Thebes
|
| Thermopylae¹ |
Thermopylae
|
| Thessalonica, Salonica¹ |
Thessaloniki, Saloniki - Salonika, Makedonia
|
| Tripolis |
Tripoli[dubious – discuss]
|
| Troezen, Troezena¹ |
Troezen
|
| Uranopolis¹ |
Uranopoli - some prefer Uranopolis
|
| Zycanthus, Zacynthus¹ |
Zante - Zakynthos
|
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Theranda |
Prizren
|
| Ulpiana |
Lipjan
|
| Vicianum |
Vushtrri
|
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Acruvium |
Kotor
|
| Anagastum, Anderva, Anderba |
Nikšić
|
| Antipargal (Antibarium, 10th century) |
Bar
|
| Birziminium |
Podgorica (Titograd, Ribnica)
|
| Colchinium, Olcinium, Ulcinium |
Ulcinj
|
| D(i)oclea |
Duklja
|
| Rhizon (2PG15: Rhisium), Rhizinium, Risinium |
Risan
|
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Lychnidus |
Ohrid
|
| Monasterium |
Bitola
|
| Scopium, Scupium |
Skopje
|
| Stibo, Estipium |
Štip
|
| Canonical Latin Name (source(s): variant(s)) |
English Name (native language(s)) - older name(s), (other language(s)), location(s)
|
| Abruttus |
Abrud
|
| Aegyssus |
Tulcea
|
| Ad Aquas |
Călan
|
| Ad Mediam |
Mehadia
|
| Ad Pannonios |
Teregova
|
| Ad Stoma |
Brețcu
|
| Alburnus Maior |
Roșia Montană
|
| Altinum |
Oltina
|
| Ampelum |
Zlatna
|
| Angustia |
Râșnov
|
| Apulum |
Alba Iulia
|
| Arcidava |
Vărădia
|
| Arrubium |
Măcin
|
| Arutela |
Călimănești
|
| Bersobis, Berzobis |
Berzovia
|
| Brucla |
Aiud
|
| Calatis, Callatis |
Mangalia (Tomisovara), (Panglicara, Pangalia)
|
| Caput Stenarum |
Boița
|
| Carsium |
Hârșova
|
| Centum Putea |
Surducu Mare
|
| Cibinum |
Sibiu, Sibiu County
|
| Colonia Ulpia Traiana |
Sarmizegetusa
|
| Corona, Civitas Coronensis |
Brașov, (Kronstadt, Brassó)
|
| Dierna |
Orșova
|
| Drobeta |
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
|
| Forum Novum Siculorum |
Târgu-Mureș, Mureș County
|
| Germisara |
Geoagiu
|
| Iassium |
Iași
|
| Media |
Mediaș, Sibiu County
|
| Micia |
Vețel
|
| Napoca, Claudiopolis |
Cluj-Napoca
|
| Noviodunum |
Isaccea, Tulcea County
|
| Porolissum |
Moigrad
|
| Potaissa |
Turda
|
| Praetorium |
Copăceni, Vâlcea County
|
| Resculum |
Bologa
|
| Romula-Malva |
Reșca Dobrosloveni
|
| Salinae |
Ocna Mureș
|
| Sucidava |
Celei
|
| Tapae |
Poarta de Fier a Transilvaniei
|
| Temesiensis |
Timișoara, Timiș County
|
| Tibiscum |
Jupa, Caraș-Severin
|
| Tomis |
Constanța
|
| Troesmis |
Iglița (Turcoaia)
|
| Ulmetum |
Pantelimonul de Sus, Constanța County
|
| Varadinum |
Oradea
|
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. Grässe, Orbis Latinus: Lexikon lateinischer geographischer Namen des Mittelalters und der Neuzeit (1861), an exhaustive work of meticulous German scholarship that is available on-line in the second edition of 1909. 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.
