Geographical Regions for the JewishGen Latvia Database

Gubernias and Uyezds:
Prior to WWI (1917), the area that is now Latvia was in the Russian Empire, and was part of three gubernias (provinces): Courland, Livland, and Vitebsk.  Each gubernia was in turn divided into several uyezds (districts).  These uyezd divisions are as follows:

Courland Gubernia:

The area of Courland Gubernia [Russian: Курляндская губерния] is now the southern and western portion of modern Latvia.  The capital was Mitava (Митава [Rus], Mitau [Ger], מיטאַו Mitav [Yid]), which today is called Jelgava.  The ten uyezds of Courland Gubernia were:

Russian	Latvian	German	Other Names	Notes, Jewish Communities
Bausk Бауска	Bauska	Bauske	Bauskė [Lith], Bowsk [Pol], בויסק Boisk [Yid]	Communities: Skaistkalne (Schoenberg, Shimberg).
Doblen Добленъ	Dobele	Doblen	Duobelė [Lith], Doblena [Pol], דובלין Doblin [Yid]
Fridrikhshtat Фридрихштадтъ	Jaunjelgava	Friedrichstadt	Frydrychsztat [Pol], פרידריכשטאַט [Yid]	Communities: Jēkabpils (Jakobstadt, Iakobshtadt).
Gazenpot Газенпотъ	Aizpute	Hasenpoth	Aizputė [Lith], Hazenpot [Pol], האַזנפאַט Haznpot [Yid]	Communities: Vaiņode (Vainoden).
Gol'dingen Гольдингенъ	Kuldīga	Goldingen	Kuldyga [Lith], Goldynga [Pol], גאַלדינגען Goldingen [Yid]	Communities: Saldus (Frauenburg).
Grobin Гробинъ	Grobiņa	Grobin	Gruobinia [Lith], Grobin [Pol], גרובין Grobin [Yid]	Communities: Liepāja (Libau, Libava), Palanga [now in Lithuania] (Polangen), Priekule (Preekuln), Durbe (Durben).
Illukst Илукстъ	Ilūkste	Illuxt	Ilūkšta [Lith], Ilukst [Yid], Iłłukszta [Pol]	Communities: Grīva, Subate (Subbath, Shuvitz), Aknīste (Aknist, Oknist), Skrudaļiena, Eglaine.
Tal'sen Тальсенъ	Talsi	Talsen	Talsai [Lith], Talsen [Pol], טאלסען Talsn [Yid]	Communities: Valdemārpils (Sassmacken), Sabile (Zabeln, Shaviln), Kandava (Kandau, Kandoi).
Tukkum Туккумъ	Tukums	Tuckum	Tukumas [Lith], Tukum [Pol], טוקום Tukum [Yid]	Communities: Auce (Autz, Oitz).
Vindava Виндава	Ventspils	Windau	Ventspilis [Lith], Windawa [Pol], וינדוי Vindoi [Yid]	Communities: Piltene (Pilten).

Livland Gubernia:

The area of Livland Gubernia [Russian: Лифляндская губерния] is now the northeastern portion of modern Latvia, and the southern half of Estonia.  Today, the four southern uyezds are in Latvia, and the four northern uyezds are in Estonia.  Here are the eight uyezds of Livland Gubernia:

Russian	Latvian / Estonian	German	Other Names	Notes, Jewish Communities
Riga Рига	Rīga [Latv]	Riga	Ryga [Pol, Lith], ריגע Rige [Yid], Riia [Est]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Pļaviņas (Stockmannshof), Sloka (Shlok), Koknese (Kokenhusen).
Venden Венденъ	Cēsis [Latv]	Wenden	Cėsys [Lith], Tsesis [Rus], Kieś [Pol], Võnnu [Est]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Madona (Madohn), Lazdona (Lasdohn), Lubāna (Lubahn).
Valk Валка	Valka [Latv]	Walk	Valga [Est], Walk [Pol]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Smiltene (Smilten), Alūksne (Marienburg), Gulbene (Schwanenburg), Ape (Hoppenhof), Valga [in Estonia].
Volmar Вольмаръ	Valmiera [Latv]	Wolmar	Volmari [Est], Wolmar [Pol], וואָלמאַר Volmar [Yid]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Rūjiena (Rujen), Limbaži (Lemsal).
Verro Верро	Võru [Est]	Werro	Veru [Latv, Lith], Werro [Pol]	Today: in Estonia.
Derpt Дерптъ	Tartu [Est]	Dorpat	Yur'yev [Rus, 1893-1918], Tartto [Fin], Terbata [Latv]	Today: in Estonia.
Fellin Феллинъ	Viljandi [Est]	Fellin	Viljandis [Lith]	Today: in Estonia.
Pernov Перновъ	Pärnu [Est]	Pernau	Pernoi [Yid], Pernava [Latv], Parnawa [Pol]	Today: in Estonia.

Vitebsk Gubernia:

The area of Vitebsk Gubernia [Russian: Витебская губерния] is today in southeastern Latvia, northeastern Belarus, and westernmost Russia.
Vitebsk gubernia was comprised of 11 districts (uyezds):
Drissa, Dvinsk, Gorodok, Lepel, Liutsin, Nevel, Polotsk, Rezhitsa, Sebezh, Velizh, and Vitebsk.
Today —

• Dvinsk, Liutsin, and Rezhitsa uyezds (and a small part of Drissa) are now in Latvia;
• Sebezh, Nevel, and parts of Gorodok and Velizh uyezds are now in Russia;
• Lepel, Polotsk, Vitebsk, most of Drissa and Gorodok, and parts of Velizh uyezds are now in Belarus.

Russian	Latvian / Belarusian	Other Names	Notes, Jewish Communities
Dvinsk Двинскъ	Daugavpils [Latv]	דענענבורג Denenburg [Yid], Dünaburg [Ger], Daugpilis [Lith], Dźwińsk [Pol]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Krāslava (Kraslau), Krustpils (Kreuzburg), Dagda (Dageten), Preiļi (Prel), Gostiņi (Dankere, Glazmanka), Līvāni (Liwenhof), Riebiņi (Ribinishki), Višķi (Vishki).
Liutsin Люцин	Ludza [Latv]	לוצין Lutsin [Yid], Ludsen [Ger], Lucyn [Pol], Lutsi [Est]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Kārsava (Korsovka, Karsau), Zilupe (Rosenhof, Rozinovsk), Baltinava (Baltinowo), Viļaka (Marienhausen).
Rezhitsa Режица	Rēzekne [Latv]	רעזשיצע Rezhitse [Yid], Rositten [Ger], Rzeżyca [Pol], Rėzeknė [Lith], Räisaku [Est]	Today: in Latvia.  Communities: Varakļāni (Varklian, Warkland), Viļāni (Vilon, Velena), Silmala (Malta), Kaunata (Kovnat).
Drissa Дрисса	Vyerkhnyadzvinsk Верхнядзвінск	Verkhnedvinsk [Rus], Dryssa [Pol]	Today: mostly in Belarus, some in Latvia. Communities: Piedruja (Fridroisk, Pridruiska).
Lepel Лепель	Lepiel Лепель	Lepel [Pol], Lepelis [Lith]	Today: in Belarus.
Polotsk Полоцкъ	Polatsk Полацк	Polocka [Latv], Połock [Pol]	Today: in Belarus.
Vitebsk Витебскъ	Vitsyebsk Віцебск	וויטעבסק Vitebsk [Yid], Witebsk [Pol], Vitebska [Latv], Vitebskas [Lith]	Today: in Belarus.
Gorodok Городокъ	Haradok Гарадок	Horodek [Pol]	Today: mostly in Belarus, parts in Russia.
Velizh Велиж		Wieliż [Pol], Veližas [Lith]	Today: mostly in Russia, some in Belarus.
Sebezh Себежъ		Siebież [Pol]	Today: in Russia.
Nevel Невелъ		Newel [Pol]	Today: in Russia.

Estland Gubernia:

The area of Estland Gubernia [Russian: Эстляндская губерния] is now the northern half of of modern Estonia.  The capital is: Revel' [Ревель] (now Tallinn, Estonia).  There were a total of only 1,468 Jews in Estland gubernia in 1897.  The four uyezds of Estland Gubernia are:

Russian	Estonian	German	Other Names	District (uyezd Name)
Revel Ревель	Tallinn	Reval	Rewel [Pol], Tallina [Latv], Talinas [Lith].	Garrien [Rus], Harrien [Ger], Harjumaa [Est], Harrya [Pol].
Gapsal Гапсаль	Haapsalu	Hapsal	Hāpsalu, [Latv], Haapsalu [Lith], Hapsal [Pol].	Vik [Rus], Wiek [Ger], Läänemaa [Est], Wik [Pol].
Vezenberg Везенбергъ	Rakvere	Wesenberg	Rakverė [Lith], Rakvere [Latv].	Viriland [Rus], Wierland [Ger], Virumaa [Est], Wirland [Pol].
Veysenshteyn Вейсенштейнъ	Paide	Weißenstein	Paidė [Lith], Paide [Latv].	Erven [Rus], Jerwen [Ger], Järvamaa [Est], Jerwia [Pol].

Inter-war Latvia:

After World War I, Latvia became an independant country.  Independant Latvia was divided into four provinces (singular: apgabals, plural: apgabali), which were each subdivided into districts (singular: apriņķis, plural: apriņķi), as follows:

Vidzeme (former Livland gubernia) Cēsis Madona Rīga Valka Valmiera

Latgale (former Vitebsk gubernia) Abrene Daugavpils Ludza Rēzekne

Zemgale (former eastern Courland) Bauska Ilūkste Jēkabpils Jelgava Tukums

Kurzeme (former western Courland) Aizpute Kuldīga Liepāja Talsi Ventspils

JewishGen Database Sharing:

Because of overlapping political borders over time, some regions are shared with other JewishGen databases.

• Regions shared with the JewishGen Belarus Database:
  Vitebsk – the five southern districts of Vitebsk gubernia: Drissa, Lepel, Polotsk, Gorodok, Vitebsk.  [See details: Belarus regions].