List of Latin place names in Continental Europe, Ireland and Scandinavia
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. One caveat that must be observed, however, is that even 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.
This list includes Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Kurdistan northwest of Arbil,
This list excludes Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Britain, Channel Islands, Chechnya, Dagestan, Faeroe Islande, Iceland, Ireland, Kazakhstan, and Tatarstan.
The following table begins to offer equivalents to more modern place-names.
- Suggest adding other languages to table
- Arabic form of city names
- Greek form of city names
Following is a List of Cities stating the Latin and equivalent English name (s)
Latin | English Name, [(other name(s))] or [older name(s)], [province], [state] | |
---|---|---|
Abellinum | Avellino (E of Naples) | |
Aberdonia, Aberdonium | Aberdeen, Scotland | |
Aboa | Turku, Finland | |
Abritum, Abrittus | Razgrad, Bulgaria | |
Abruttus | Abrud, Romania | |
Acaunum | Saint-Maurice, Valais, Switzerland | |
Acharnae¹ | Acharnes, (Acharnae) Menidi, Greece | |
Adrianopolis | Edirne, Turkey | |
Aegyssus | Tulcea, Romania | |
Aeminium | Coimbra, Portugal | |
Aquisgrana, Aquis Granum, Aquae Grani, Aquensis urbs, Granis aquae | Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle) | |
Ad Fines | Pfyn, Thurgau, Switzerland | |
Ad Mediam | Băile Herculane, Romania | |
Ad Pirum | Hrušica | |
Ad Mediam | Mehadia, Romania | |
Ad Stoma | Bretcu, Romania | |
Aegida, Capris, Caput Histriae | Koper, Slovenia | |
Aegina | Aegina, Greece | |
Agrigentum | Agrigento, Italy | |
Agrinium¹ | Agrinio/Agrinion, Greece | |
(Colonia Claudia) Ara Agrippinensium | Cologne (Köln), Germany | |
Albintimilium | Ventimiglia | |
Albona | Labin | |
Albunrnus Maior | Rosia Montana, Romania | |
Alexandropolis¹ | Alexandroupolis, Greece | |
Almyrus¹ | Almyros some pref. Almyrus, Greece | |
Alostum | Aalst | |
Altinum | Oltina, Romania | |
Amivadum | Amersfoort | |
Ammurianum | Murano, Italy | |
Ampelum | Zlatna, Romania | |
Amphilochia¹ | Amphilochia, Greece | |
Amphipolis¹ | Amphipolis, Greece | |
Amphissa¹ | Amphissa, Amfissa, Greece | |
Ancyra | Ankara, Turkey | |
Anderlacum | Anderlecht, Belgium | |
Angustia | Rasnov, Romania | |
Antunacum | Andernach | |
Apuania | Massa Carrara | |
Apulum | Alba Iulia, Romania | |
Arrubium | Macin, Romania | |
Aqua Villae | Badenweiler, Germany | |
Aquae Flaviae | Chaves, Portugal | |
Aquae Helveticae | Baden, Aargau, Switzerland | |
Aquilia in Vestinis, Aquilia | L'Aquila, Italy | |
Aquincum | Budapest, Hungary | |
Arae Flaviae | Rottweil, Germany | |
Arandis | Garvão,Ourique, Portugal | |
Arbor Felix | Arbon, Thurgau, Switzerland | |
Arca Caesarea | Arqa, Lebanon | |
Arcidava | Varadia, Romania | |
Arconisium | Racconigi | |
Ardea | Ardea | |
Arelate | Arles | |
Arenacum | Arnhem, Netherlands | |
Argentoratum | Strasbourg, France | |
Argos¹ | Argos, Greece | |
Ariminum | Rimini, Italy | |
Arutela | Calimanesti, Romania | |
Assindria | Essen | |
Asturica Augusta | Astorga | |
Atalanta | Atalante (Atalanta), Greece | |
Aternum | Pescara, Italy | |
Athenae¹ | Athens, Greece | |
Atrans | Trojane, Slovenia | |
Atrebatum | Arras | |
Atuatuca | Tongeren, Belgium | |
Augusta | Augusta | |
Augusta Argentorate | Strasbourg | |
Augusta Perusia | Perugia, Italy | |
Augusta Praetoria Salassorum | Aosta, Italy | |
Augusta Raurica | Kaiseraugst (Augst), Switzerland | |
Augusta Taurinorum | Turin, Italy | |
Augusta Treverorum | Trier (Treves), Germany | |
Augusta Vindelicorum | Augsburg, Germany | |
Aurelia | Orléans | |
Aurelia Aquensi | Baden-Baden, Germany | |
Aventicum | Avenches, Vaud, Switzerland | |
Aviarium | Aveiro, Portugal | |
Badena civitas | Baden, Germany | |
Baetulo | Badalona, Catalonia, Spain | |
Balsa | west of Tavira, Portugal | |
Bangertium | Bangor, England | |
Barcino | Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain | |
Barium | Bari, Italy | |
Basilia, Basilea | Basel, Basel-Stadt, Switzerland | |
Batavis, Castra Batavorum, Castra Batava | Passau, Germany | |
Benacus | Garda | |
Beneventum | Benevento | |
Berolinum | Berlin, Germany | |
Berroea | Verroia, Berrea, Greece | |
Berytus | Beirut (Bayrut), Lebanon | |
Berzobis | Berzovia, Romania | |
Bobium, Ebovium | Bobbio, Italy | |
Bonna | Bonn, Germany | |
Borbetomagus | Worms, Germany | |
Boreana | Burano | |
Bracara Augusta | Braga, Portugal | |
Brema | Bremen, Germany | |
Brestum, Brestia, Brivates Portis | Brest | |
Brienzola | Brienz, Switzerland | |
Brigantium | Bregenz, Austria | |
Brigetio | Komárom-Szöny, Hungary | |
Brundisium | Brindisi | |
Brunsvicum | Braunschweig (Brunswick), Germany | |
Brixia | Brescia, Italy | |
Burdigala | Bordeaux, France | |
Caesar Augusta | Saragossa | |
Calatis | Mangalia, Romania | |
Calcaria | Tadcaster | |
Calisia | Kalisz, Poland | |
Callatis | Mangalia, Romania | |
Cambodunum | Kempten, Germany | |
Capua | Santa Maria di Capua Vetere, Italy | |
Caralis | Cagliari | |
Carnium, Carnioburgum | Kranj, Slovenia | |
Carsium | Hârşova, Romania | |
Carthago Nova | Cartagena | |
Carystus¹ | Carystos/Carystus, Greece | |
Cassovia | Košice, Slovakia | |
Castra | Ajdovščina, Slovenia | |
Castra Regina | Regensburg, Germany | |
Castrum Novaesium | Neuss, Germany | |
Catalaunum, Catelaunorum | Chalons-sur-Marne, France | |
Celeia | Celje, Slovenia | |
Cenchreae¹ | Kechries, some prefer Cenchreae (near Corinth), Greece | |
Centum Cellae | Civitavecchia | |
Chalcis¹ | Chalkida (Chalkis, Euboea, Greece | |
Cibinum | Sibiu, Sibiu (county), Romania | |
Civitas Kielcensis | Kielce | |
Civitas Sancti Romuli | Sanremo, Sancti Remi, San Remu, San Remo | |
Civitas Victoriosa | Birgu, Malta | |
Clagenfurtum | Klagenfurt (Celovec), Austria | |
Clivia | Kleve, Germany | |
Conimbriga | Condeixa-a-Nova, South of todays Coimbra, Portugal | |
Colonia Ulpia Traiana, Sarmizegethusa | Ulpia Traiana, Romania | |
Colonia Ulpia Traiana, Vetera | Xanten, Germany | |
Comaromium | Komárno, Slovakia | |
(Castellum apud) Confluentes | Koblenz, Germany | |
Constantinopolis | Istanbul, Turkey | |
Corcyra³ | Corfu, Greece | |
Corduba | Cordóba | |
Corinthus¹ | Corinth, Greece | |
Costanc | Constance | |
Cracovia | Krakow, Poland | |
Curia | Chur, Graubünden, Switzerland | |
Damascus | Damascus, (Dimashq) Syria | |
Dantiscum, Gedanum, Gedania | Gdansk, Danzig | |
Damma, Dammum | Damme, Belgium | |
Damovilla | Damville | |
Delphi¹ | Delphi, Greece | |
Deva | Chester, United Kingdom | |
Dertusa | Tortosa, Catalonia, Spain | |
Diadora | Zadar, Croatia | |
Dierna | Orsova, Romania | |
Diniensium civitas | Digne | |
Dioclea | Podgorica, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Divinium | Devin in Bratislava, Slovakia | |
Divio | Dijon, France | |
Dodona¹ | Dodona, Greece | |
Dorylaeum | near Eskisehir, Turkey | |
Dresda | Dresden, Germany | |
Drobeta | Drobeta Turnu Severin, Romania | |
Durovernum Cantiacorum | Canterbury, United Kingdom | |
Dyrrhachium | Durrës, Albania | |
Ebora | Evora, Portugal | |
Eboracum | York | |
Eburodunum | Yverdon-les-Bains, Vaud, Switzerland | |
Egara | Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain | |
Egiptania | Idanha-a-Velha, Portugal | |
Eindovia | Eindhoven, Netherlands | |
Elbinga, Elbingus, Elbinca, Elbangum, Elbingense castrum | Elbląg, formerly known as Elbing, Poland | |
Eleusis¹ | Eleusis, Greece | |
Emda, Emetha | Emden | |
Emerita Augusta | Mérida | |
Emesa | Homs, Syria | |
Emona, Aemona, Labacum | Ljubljana, Slovenia | |
Eperiessinum, Fragopolis | Presov, Slovakia | |
Epidaurus¹ | Epidaurus, Greece | |
Erfordia | Erfurt | |
Firmum (Picenum) | Fermo | |
Flanona | Plomin | |
Flaviacum | Saint-Germer, Flavigny | |
Florentia | Firenze (Florence), Italy | |
Flumen | Rijeka, Fiume, Terra Sancti Viti, Croatia | |
Formio | Rižana | |
Forum Novum Siculorum | Targu Mures, Mures, Romania | |
Francofortum ad Moenum | Frankfurt am Main, Germany | |
Friburgum Brisgoviae | Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany | |
Gades | Cadiz | |
Gedania, Gedanum, Dantiscum | Gdansk, Danzig | |
Genava | Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland | |
Genoa | Genova, Italy | |
Gerulata | Rusovce in Bratislava, Slovakia | |
Gerunda | Girona, Catalonia, Spain | |
Gevalia | Gävle, Sweden | |
Glanum | Saint Rémy-de-Provence | |
Glevum Colonia | Gloucester, United Kingdom | |
Goettinga | Göttingen, Germany | |
Goslaria | Goslar | |
Gorlicium | Görlitz, Germany / Zgorzelec, Poland | |
Gothia | Gothenburg (Göteborg), Sweden | |
Gythium | Gytheion, Greece | |
Hafnia | Copenhagen (København) | |
Hale Suevice | Hall in Schwaben | |
Halicarnassus¹ | Bodrum, Turkey | |
Halifacium, Hortonium | Halifax, England | |
Hamburgum, Hammonia | Hamburg (Hammaburg), Germany | |
Hannovera | Hanover (Hannover), Germany | |
Heraclium¹ | Iraklion, rarely Heraclion, Crete, Greece | |
Herbipolis | Würzburg, Germany | |
Herculaneum | Ercolano | |
Holmia (also: Stockholmia) | Stockholm, Sweden | |
Ilerda | Lleida, Catalonia, Spain | |
Iluro | Mataró, Catalonia, Spain | |
Interamna | Terni (Nahars) | |
Isthmia¹ | Isthmia, Greece, slightly E of Corinth | |
Iuliacum | Jülich, Germany | |
Jader | Zadar, Croatia | |
Jassium | Iasi, Romania | |
Juenna | Podjuna | |
Juvavum | Salzburg, Austria | |
Labellum | Lavello | |
Lamego | Lamego, Portugal | |
Larnaca¹ | Larnaca, Cyprus | |
Laugaricio | Trencin, Slovakia | |
Lauriacum | Lorch, Germany | |
Laurium, Graecia (Thoricum bef. mid-0s century B.C.) | Laurion, (Laurium), Greece | |
Laurium, Hol., Laurum | Woerden, Netherlands | |
Lederata | Rama, Romania | |
Lentia | Linz, Austria | |
Leucas | Lefkada, Lefkas (Leucas), Greece | |
Lindaugia, Lindavia | Lindau, Germany | |
Lipsia | Leipzig, Germany | |
Lithopolis | Kamnik, Slovenia | |
Locoritum | Lohr, Bavaria, Germany | |
Londinium | London, United Kingdom | |
Longatico, Longaticum | Logatec, Slovenia | |
Lousonna | Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland | |
Lubeca | Lübeck, Lubeke | |
Lugdunum | Lyon, France | |
Lugdunum Convenarum | Saint Bertrand de Comminges, France | |
Lupiae | Lecce, Italy | |
Lutetia | Paris, France | |
Magdeburgum | Magdeburg | |
Mantua | Mantova some Mantua, Italy | |
Marathon, Marathonis¹ | Marathon, Greece | |
Marburgum | Maribor, Slovenia | |
Massilia | Marseille, France | |
Media | Medias, Sibiu, Romania | |
Medicinum | Mézin | |
Mediolanum | Milan (Milano), Italy | |
Megalopolis¹ | Megalopolis, Greece | |
Megara | Megara, (W of Athens) [Greece]] | |
Messana | Messina, slightly west of Reggio di Calabria | |
Misnia | Meissen | |
Mirobriga | Santiago do Cacém, Portugal | |
Moguncia, Moguntia, Mogontiacum | Mainz | |
Monachium | Munich (München), Germany | |
Monasterium | Bitolj, Republic of Macedonia | |
Monasterium Westphaliae | Münster, Germany | |
Mosa Traiectum | Maastricht, Netherlands | |
Mutina | Modena, Italy | |
Naissus | Niš, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Napoca, Claudiopolis | Cluj-Napoca, Romania | |
Narbo | Narbonne | |
Naupactus | Na(u)fpaktos, Greece | |
Nauplium¹ | Na(u)fplion, Greece | |
Nauportus | Vrhnika, Slovenia | |
Neapolis | Naples (Napoli), Italy | |
Neapolis-Aemonia | Novigrad, Croatia | |
Neosolium | Banska Bystrica, Slovakia | |
Nemausus | Nîmes, France | |
Nemea¹ | Nemea, Greece | |
Neoplanta | Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Nesactium | Visače | |
Neviodunum | Drnovo, Slovenia | |
Nicomedia¹ | Izmit, Turkey | |
Nicopolis¹ | Nicopolis, Greece | |
Nola | Nola, ENE of Naples, Italy | |
Noreia | Neumarkt, Austria | |
Norimberga | Nuremberg, Germany | |
Nova Ionia (Athenae) | Nea Ionia (Athens) aka New Ionia, Greece | |
Nova Ionia (Thessalia) | Nea Ionia (Thessaly) aka New Ionia, Greece | |
Novae | Sishtov, Bulgaria | |
Novaesium, Novensium | Neuss, Germany | |
Noviomagus | Nijmegen, Noyon, Speyer | |
Noviodunum (Colonia Iulia Equestris) | Nyon, Vaud, Switzerland | |
Noviodunum | Isaccea, Tulcea, Romania | |
Novio Rito | Niort | |
Octodurum | Martigny, Valais, Switzerland | |
Odessus | Varna | |
Oenipons | Innsbruck, Austria | |
Olisipo | Lisbon(Lisboa), Portugal | |
Olmedum | Olmedo | |
Olympia¹ | Olympia, Greece | |
Olympias¹ | Olympias (Olympiada), Greece | |
Orchomenos¹ | Orchomenus, Greece | |
Ossonoba | Faro, Portugal | |
Ovilava | Wels, Austria | |
Paeania¹ | Paeania/Paiania, Greece | |
Pampalona, Pampelona | Pamplona | |
Panormus | Palermo, Italy | |
Parentium | Poreč, Croatia | |
Partiscum | Szeged, Hungary | |
Patavium | Padua (Padova), Italy | |
Patrae¹ | Patras, Greece | |
Pax Iulia, Pax Augusta, Colonia Pacensis | Beja, Portugal | |
Petina | Pićan | |
Phalerum | Phaleron, Faliron, Greece | |
Philippi | Philippi, Greece | |
Piquentum | Buzet, Croatia | |
Piraeus | Piraeus, Greece | |
Pisaurum | Pesaro, Italy | |
Placentia | Piacenza, Italy | |
Poetovio | Ptuj, Slovenia | |
Pola | Pula, Croatia | |
Porolissum | Zalau, Romania | |
Portus Alacer | Portalegre, Portugal | |
Portus Cale¹ | Porto, Portugal | |
Portus Naonis | Pordenone | |
Posnania, Poznania | Poznan, Poland | |
Posonium, Wratisslaburgium | Bratislava, Slovakia | |
Potaissa | Turda, Romania | |
Potidaea¹ | Potidaea (Potidaia), Greece | |
Praetorium | Copaceni, Vâlcea, Romania | |
Prusa, Brusa | Bursa, Turkey | |
Pyrrhanum | Piran, Slovenia | |
Ragusa | Dubrovnik, Croatia | |
Ramboletium | Rambouillet, France | |
Regiomontium | Kaliningrad, Königsberg until 1945 | |
Rhegium | Reggio di Calabria | |
Rugensis civitas | Riga, Latvia | |
Ratisbona | Regensburg | |
Rigomagus | Remagen, Germany | |
Risinium | Risan, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Rocium | Roč | |
Roma | Rome, Italy | |
Romula-Malva | Resca Dobrosloveni, Romania | |
Rotomagus | Rouen | |
Sablones | Venlo | |
Salamis¹, Cyprus | Salamis, Cyprus | |
Salamis¹, Graecia | Salamis, Greece | |
Salisburgium | Salzburg, Austria | |
Salmantica | Salamanca | |
Samarobriva | Amiens, France | |
Sandomir | Sandomierz, Poland | |
Saresberia/Serviodunum | Salisbury, England | |
Scalabis | Santarem, Portugal | |
Scodra | Shkodër, Albania | |
Scopium, Scupium | Skopje, Republic of Macedonia | |
Serdica | Sofia, Bulgaria | |
Silva Ducis | 's-Hertogenbosch/Den Bosch | |
Singidunum | Belgrade (Beograd), Serbia and Montenegro | |
Sinus | Sines, Portugal | |
Sipontum | Manfredonia | |
Siradia | Sieradz, Poland | |
Sirmium | Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Siscia | Sisak, Croatia | |
Solodurum/Salodurum | Solothurn, Switzerland | |
Spalatum | Split, Croatia | |
Sparta¹ | Sparta, Greece | |
Spira | Speyer, Germany | |
Stabiae | Castellammare di Stabia | |
Stockholmia (also: Holmia) | Stockholm, Sweden | |
Stutgardia | Stuttgart, Germany | |
Sucidava | Celei, Romania | |
Syracusae¹ | Syracuse (Siracusa) | |
Taurunum | Zemun, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Tapae | Poarta de Fier a Transilvaniei, Romania | |
Tarraco | Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain | |
Tegea | Tegea, Greece, near Tripoli | |
Tergestum | Trieste (Trst), Italy | |
Terracina | Terracina, Italy | |
Thebae (Boeotia/Athenae) | Theva (Thebes), Greece | |
Thermopylae¹ | Thermopylae, Greece | |
Thessalonica, Salonica¹ | Thessaloniki, Saloniki (Salonika),Makedonia, Greece | |
Tifernum Tiberinum | Citta di Castello | |
Temesiensis | Timisoara, Timis, Romania | |
Toletum | Toledo, Spain | |
Tolosa | Toulouse, France | |
Tomis | Constanta, Romania | |
Tornacum | Tournai, Doornik | |
Traiectum | Utrecht, Netherlands | |
Traiectum ad Mosam | Maastricht | |
Trapezus | Trabzon, Trebizond | |
Tremonia | Dortmund, Germany | |
Tridentum | Trento, Italy | |
Tripolis (Graecia) | Tripoli, Greece | |
Tripolis (Lib.) | Tripoli, Lebanon | |
Tritium | Covilhã, Portugal | |
Troesmis | Iglita, Romania | |
Troezen, Troezena¹ | Troezen, Greece | |
Tubinga | Tübingen, Germany | |
Tulpiacum, Tolbiacum | Zülpich (Tolbiac) | |
Turicum | Zurich, Switzerland | |
Turoni, Metropolis civitas Turonum, Turonorum, Augusta Turonum, T(h)oronus, Turonica civitas, Caesarodunum | Tours, France | |
Tusculum | near Frascati, SE of Rome, Italy | |
Ulpiana | Ljipljan, Serbia and Montenegro | |
Ulmetum | Pantelimonul de Sus, Constanta (county), Romania | |
Uranopolis¹ | Uranopoli, Greece some prefer Uranopolis | |
Urba | Orbe, Vaud, Switzerland | |
Urbs Notabilis | Mdina, Malta | |
Varadinum | Oradea, Romania | |
Varsovia | Warsaw, Poland | |
Veldidena | Wilten, Austria | |
Velitrae | Velletri | |
Veniatia | Vinhais, Portugal | |
Venta Belgarum | Winchester, United Kingdom | |
Venusia | Venosa | |
Verulamium | St. Alban's, United Kingdom | |
Vesontio | Besançon | |
Vetera, Colonia Ulpia Traiana | Xanten, Germany | |
Veterosolium, Vetusolium | Zvolen, Slovakia | |
Vibiscum | Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland | |
Villa Euracini | Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal | |
Villa Cardilio | Torres Novas, Portugal | |
Vindobona | Vienna, Austria | |
Vindonissa | Windisch, Aargau, Switzerland | |
Viseu | Viseu, Portugal | |
Vitudurum | Winterthur, Zurich, Switzerland | |
Virunum | Maria Saal (Gospa Sveta), Austria | |
Volaterrae | Volterra, Italy | |
Volsinium | Bolsena | |
Vratislavia | Wroclaw, Poland | |
Wormatia | Worms, Germany | |
Zycanthus, Zacynthus² | Zante (Zakynthos), Greece |
- ¹ Latinized form of the Greek-derived name.
- ² Latinized form of the Asian-derived name via Greek.
- ³ Altered Latinized form of the Greek-derived name.
partial list
See also:
- List of Roman place names in Britain, includes Ireland, Faeroe Islands, and Iceland.
- Latin names of regions
- Latin names of European rivers
- Latin names of cities
- Latin names of geographical features
- Latin names of islands
- Latin names of lakes
- Latin names of mountains
- Latin names of rivers
- Roman place names