Gazetteer of the Pale
The Pale of Jewish Settlement existed from the late 1790’s until 1917. Much of Jewish ancestry hails from this region making it a popular target for Jewish research. After 1825, the Pale consisted of the fifteen western provinces of the Russian Empire, not including the Kingdom of Poland (Congress Poland). Before 1825 the province of Astrakhan was included, and until 1887 the Taganrog district around the mouth of the Don river was attached to the province of Ekaterinoslav. A small number of localities have been included from these areas. By 1881 there were 2.9 million Jews living in the Pale of Settlement, which amounted to 12.5% of the total population of Imperial Russia.The Gazetteer has been assembled to assist in finding settlements populated by Jews in over 5,000 locations in the former Pale. Many of these were home for Jews up to the end of WWI, as well as between WWI and WWII. Distinguishing between these two periods is not accomplished by this data set. However, comparisons of proximity for locations up to a 40 kilometer radius are given for every place search and links to additional information are found on pins in the map window. Localities (1,469) with links in the District column in search results are part of the JewishGen Communities Database.
Localities listed in parentheses are included from the Poll Tax list of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania 1784, sourced from LitvakSIG.org. These pre-date the advent of Pale period by about a decade.
Sources
Results for (Purpliai)
| Matching Town | Modern Country |
Pale Province |
Provincial District |
Alt. Names | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Purpliai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Purple | 55°57'06"/22°13'52" |
| Nearby Towns | Modern Country |
Pale Province |
Provincial District |
Alt. Names | Distance (km) | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Telšiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Telšiai [Lith], Telshi [Rus], Telzh [Yid], Telsze [Pol], Telsche [Ger], Telši [Latv], Telšē, Teltsch, Telshe, Telschi, Telsh, Telshie, Telšių, Telz | 3.51 | 55°58'59"/22°14'03" |
| Rainiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Rainiai [Lith], Reynyay, Ranenay, Reinių, Reiniai [Lith] | 4.72 | 55°57'40"/22°18'18" |
| (Džiuginėnai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Dzyuginenay | 4.78 | 55°59'13"/22°11'15" |
| (Kalnenai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | 5.58 | 55°59'59"/22°12'22" | |
| Viešvėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Viešvienai, Veshvyany, Viešvėnai, Viešvienų, Vieshvenay | 6.03 | 55°56'09"/22°19'25" |
| Viešvenai | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Vishevyan, Viešvėnai, Viešvienų, Vieshvenay, Viešvienai, Veshvyany | 6.03 | 55°56'09"/22°19'25" |
| (Degaičiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Degaychyay, Degachyay | 6.12 | 55°59'44"/22°17'24" |
| (Kveiliai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Kveylyay | 8.24 | 55°55'60"/22°21'33" |
| Leplauke | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Liyeplauke, Leplauke, Lieplaukės | 8.51 | 55°58'18"/22°05'57" |
| (Burniai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | 8.73 | 55°57'24"/22°22'15" | |
| (Dargvainiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | 9.66 | 55°53'13"/22°20'04" | |
| (Soroki) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Sarakai II | 10.97 | 56°02'54"/22°11'42" |
| (Eigirdžiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Eigirdžių, Eygirdzhyay, Ejgirdzie | 11.13 | 56°00'35"/22°22'36" |
| (Micaičiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Micaičių, Mitsaychyay | 11.83 | 56°02'50"/22°18'51" |
| Žarėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Žarėnai [Lith], Zharan [Yid], Żorany [Pol], Žarėnų, Zharenai, Zharenay, Žarienā | 12.55 | 55°50'24"/22°12'09" |
| (Pieliai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Pile, Pleliai | 12.79 | 56°02'05"/22°22'23" |
| Gadūnavas | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Gudnove | 12.92 | 56°04'03"/22°12'47" |
| Alsėdžiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Alsėdžiai [Lith], Ol'siadi [Rus], Alshad [Yid], Alsiad [Yid], Olsiady [Pol], Alsyad, Alsėdžių, Al'sedzhyay, Alsedzhay, Alsiedē, Olshadi | 14.52 | 56°01'51"/22°02'44" |
| (Pasruojė) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Posrui, Pasruoye | 17.03 | 56°05'05"/22°05'44" |
| Nevarėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Nevarėnai [Lith], Nevaran [Yid], Nevarany [Rus], Nieworany [Pol], Nevarenay, Nevarėnų, Nevarienā, Niewierany | 17.80 | 56°06'31"/22°17'17" |
| Janapolė | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Yanapole, Viržuvėnai, Yanopol, Janapolio | 17.97 | 55°48'51"/22°22'57" |
| Medingėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Medingyan, Medingenay, Medingenų | 18.19 | 55°48'52"/22°04'18" |
| Luokė | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Luokė [Lith], Luknik [Yid], Lukniki [Rus], Łukniki [Pol], Luokės, Lavkov, Luknif, Loknik, Luykeve, Luoka | 19.34 | 55°53'39"/22°31'27" |
| Kaunatava | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Kaunetavo, Kaunotavo, Kaunotove, Kauntavas | 21.20 | 55°58'11"/22°34'12" |
| Žemaičių Kalvarija | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Žemaičių Kalvarija [Lith], Kalwarya Żmujdzka [Pol], Kalvariye-Zamut [Yid], Varduva [Lith, 1964-1988], Žemaitiu Kalvarėjė, Zemaichu Kalvariaya, Kalwarya, Kalvarija Zhamot, Žemaiču Kalvarija [Latv], Calvaria Samogitiensium [Lat], Samogitian Calvary [Eng] | 22.35 | 56°06'35"/22°00'32" |
| Plunge | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Plungė [Lith], Plungiany [Rus], Plungian [Yid], Płungiany [Pol], Pluņģe [Latv], Plungyan, Plungyany, Plungės, Plunjen, Plongė | 24.50 | 55°54'28"/21°50'44" |
| Varniai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Varniai [Lith], Vorni [Rus], Vorne [Yid], Wornie [Pol], Varņi [Latv], Medeniken [Ger], Vorna, Varnyay, Varnių, Varnē, Medininkai | 24.67 | 55°44'40"/22°22'21" |
| Tverai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Tverai [Lith], Tver [Yid], Tvery [Rus], Twery [Pol], Tverų, Tverā, Tveray | 24.89 | 55°43'58"/22°08'45" |
| Tryškiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Tryškiai [Lith], Trishik [Yid], Trishki [Rus], Tryszki [Pol], Tryškių, Trīškē, Trishkyay | 25.08 | 56°03'35"/22°35'06" |
| Pavandenė | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Pavandenio, Povandine | 25.55 | 55°46'16"/22°29'03" |
| Pievėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Piyevenay, Piewiany, Pievienų (Opened to Jews after the exemption from the "Temporary Rules" of 1882.) | 25.61 | 56°09'59"/22°22'45" |
| Seda | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Seda [Lith], Siad [Yid], Siady [Rus, Pol], Schwenden [Ger], Sedos, Syady, Syad, Shad | 25.64 | 56°10'07"/22°05'27" |
| Plateliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Plateliai [Lith], Plotel [Yid], Ploteli [Rus], Płotele [Pol], Platelyay, Platelyai, Platelių | 27.87 | 56°02'48"/21°48'58" |
| Godeliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | 28.44 | 55°42'32"/22°22'28" | |
| Godeliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | 28.61 | 55°59'22"/21°46'35" | |
| Žideikiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Zadeikai, Žadeikių, Zhadeykey, Zhidikay | 29.82 | 56°11'01"/21°59'23" |
| Raudėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Raude, Raudenis | 31.14 | 56°00'49"/22°43'09" |
| Rietavas | Lith. | Kovno | Rossieny | Rietavas [Lith], Riteve [Yid], Retovo [Rus], Retów [Pol], Retowo, Rietevas, Riteva, Ritova | 31.50 | 55°43'38"/21°55'24" |
| Barstyčiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Barstyčiai [Lith], Barshtitz [Yid], Barstichyay [Rus], Barszczyce [Pol], Breshtitz, Barstyčių, Borshchitse | 32.24 | 56°09'40"/21°52'18" |
| Užventis | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Užventis [Lith], Uzhvent [Yid], Uzhventy [Rus], Użwenty [Pol], Uzshvent, Uzvent, Užvenèio, Ožvėntis, Uzhventis | 32.27 | 55°46'57"/22°39'05" |
| Gintališkė | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Gintalishke, Gintalishok, Gintališkės Tvenkinys | 33.26 | 56°03'04"/21°43'36" |
| Labunai | Lith. | Kovno | Rossieny | Žemieji Labūnai, Labunavas, Labunava | 34.35 | 55°42'00"/22°33'00" |
| Šateikiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Shateik, Yashtek, Šateikių Tvenkinys | 34.58 | 55°59'50"/21°40'52" |
| Tirkšliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Tirkšliai [Lith], Tirkshla [Yid], Tyrkshlye [Rus], Tyrkszle [Pol], Tirkshle, Tirkosla, Tirkshlyay, Tirkšlių, Tėrkšlē | 35.14 | 56°15'53"/22°18'24" |
| Viekšniai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Viekšniai [Lith], Vekshne [Yid], Vyekshnya [Rus], Wieksznie [Pol], Wiekschnen [Ger], Viekšņi [Latv], Veckshna, Vekshni, V'yekshnyay, Viyekshnyay, Viekšnių, Vėikšnē, Vekshnyay, Vekshnya | 36.25 | 56°14'10"/22°31'00" |
| Notėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Notėnų, Naciany, Notenay (Closed to Jews 1882-1903 by the "Temporary Rules" of 1882.) | 36.44 | 56°05'54"/21°42'23" |
| Krakiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Krakiai [Lith], Krakių, Krakyay | 36.93 | 56°16'01"/22°25'06" |
| Laukuva | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Laukuva [Lith], Loikeve [Yid], Lavkova [Rus], Ławków [Pol], Loykuva, Ławkowo, Laukuvos, Laukova, Loykeva, Lavkovo | 36.94 | 55°37'10"/22°13'59" |
| Baltmiškiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Baltimiskis, Baltmishkis, Baltonishok (Jewish agri col. 1853) | 38.09 | 55°55'02"/21°37'21" |
| Meškuičiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Meshkots, Meshkuts, Meshkuchyay | 38.52 | 55°42'33"/22°40'18" |
| Karklenai | Lith. | Kovno | Rossieny | Karklėnai [Lith], Karklyan [Yid], Korklany [Pol], Karklan, Karklėnų, Karklenay | 38.98 | 55°39'26"/22°34'10" |
| Kuliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Kuliai [Lith], Kool [Yid], Kuli [Rus], Kulyay, Kulių, Kuley, Kule | 39.59 | 55°48'16"/21°39'11" |
