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 (Degaičiai)
| Matching Town | Modern Country |
Pale Province |
Provincial District |
Alt. Names | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Degaičiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Degaychyay, Degachyay | 55°59'44"/22°17'24" |
| 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 | 3.73 | 55°58'59"/22°14'03" |
| Rainiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Rainiai [Lith], Reynyay, Ranenay, Reinių, Reiniai [Lith] | 3.95 | 55°57'40"/22°18'18" |
| (Kalnenai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | 5.24 | 55°59'59"/22°12'22" | |
| (Eigirdžiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Eigirdžių, Eygirdzhyay, Ejgirdzie | 5.61 | 56°00'35"/22°22'36" |
| (Micaičiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Micaičių, Mitsaychyay | 5.94 | 56°02'50"/22°18'51" |
| (Purpliai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Purple | 6.12 | 55°57'06"/22°13'52" |
| (Džiuginėnai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Dzyuginenay | 6.45 | 55°59'13"/22°11'15" |
| (Burniai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | 6.63 | 55°57'24"/22°22'15" | |
| (Pieliai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Pile, Pleliai | 6.75 | 56°02'05"/22°22'23" |
| Viešvenai | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Vishevyan, Viešvėnai, Viešvienų, Vieshvenay, Viešvienai, Veshvyany | 6.96 | 55°56'09"/22°19'25" |
| Viešvėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Viešvienai, Veshvyany, Viešvėnai, Viešvienų, Vieshvenay | 6.96 | 55°56'09"/22°19'25" |
| (Kveiliai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Kveylyay | 8.17 | 55°55'60"/22°21'33" |
| (Soroki) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Sarakai II | 8.31 | 56°02'54"/22°11'42" |
| Gadūnavas | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Gudnove | 9.30 | 56°04'03"/22°12'47" |
| Leplauke | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Liyeplauke, Leplauke, Lieplaukės | 12.17 | 55°58'18"/22°05'57" |
| (Dargvainiai) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | 12.40 | 55°53'13"/22°20'04" | |
| Nevarėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Nevarėnai [Lith], Nevaran [Yid], Nevarany [Rus], Nieworany [Pol], Nevarenay, Nevarėnų, Nevarienā, Niewierany | 12.55 | 56°06'31"/22°17'17" |
| (Pasruojė) | Lith. | Kovno | Telsiai | Posrui, Pasruoye | 15.62 | 56°05'05"/22°05'44" |
| Alsėdžiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Alsėdžiai [Lith], Ol'siadi [Rus], Alshad [Yid], Alsiad [Yid], Olsiady [Pol], Alsyad, Alsėdžių, Al'sedzhyay, Alsedzhay, Alsiedē, Olshadi | 15.69 | 56°01'51"/22°02'44" |
| Kaunatava | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Kaunetavo, Kaunotavo, Kaunotove, Kauntavas | 17.66 | 55°58'11"/22°34'12" |
| Žarėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Žarėnai [Lith], Zharan [Yid], Żorany [Pol], Žarėnų, Zharenai, Zharenay, Žarienā | 18.15 | 55°50'24"/22°12'09" |
| Luokė | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Luokė [Lith], Luknik [Yid], Lukniki [Rus], Łukniki [Pol], Luokės, Lavkov, Luknif, Loknik, Luykeve, Luoka | 18.42 | 55°53'39"/22°31'27" |
| Tryškiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Tryškiai [Lith], Trishik [Yid], Trishki [Rus], Tryszki [Pol], Tryškių, Trīškē, Trishkyay | 19.67 | 56°03'35"/22°35'06" |
| Pievėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Piyevenay, Piewiany, Pievienų (Opened to Jews after the exemption from the "Temporary Rules" of 1882.) | 19.79 | 56°09'59"/22°22'45" |
| Janapolė | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Yanapole, Viržuvėnai, Yanopol, Janapolio | 20.98 | 55°48'51"/22°22'57" |
| 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] | 21.58 | 56°06'35"/22°00'32" |
| Seda | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Seda [Lith], Siad [Yid], Siady [Rus, Pol], Schwenden [Ger], Sedos, Syady, Syad, Shad | 22.86 | 56°10'07"/22°05'27" |
| Medingėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Medingyan, Medingenay, Medingenų | 24.30 | 55°48'52"/22°04'18" |
| Raudėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Raude, Raudenis | 26.76 | 56°00'49"/22°43'09" |
| Pavandenė | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Pavandenio, Povandine | 27.75 | 55°46'16"/22°29'03" |
| Žideikiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Zadeikai, Žadeikių, Zhadeykey, Zhidikay | 27.99 | 56°11'01"/21°59'23" |
| Varniai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Varniai [Lith], Vorni [Rus], Vorne [Yid], Wornie [Pol], Varņi [Latv], Medeniken [Ger], Vorna, Varnyay, Varnių, Varnē, Medininkai | 28.40 | 55°44'40"/22°22'21" |
| Plunge | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Plungė [Lith], Plungiany [Rus], Plungian [Yid], Płungiany [Pol], Pluņģe [Latv], Plungyan, Plungyany, Plungės, Plunjen, Plongė | 29.34 | 55°54'28"/21°50'44" |
| Tirkšliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Tirkšliai [Lith], Tirkshla [Yid], Tyrkshlye [Rus], Tyrkszle [Pol], Tirkshle, Tirkosla, Tirkshlyay, Tirkšlių, Tėrkšlē | 29.95 | 56°15'53"/22°18'24" |
| Plateliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Plateliai [Lith], Plotel [Yid], Ploteli [Rus], Płotele [Pol], Platelyay, Platelyai, Platelių | 29.99 | 56°02'48"/21°48'58" |
| 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 | 30.20 | 56°14'10"/22°31'00" |
| Tverai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Tverai [Lith], Tver [Yid], Tvery [Rus], Twery [Pol], Tverų, Tverā, Tveray | 30.56 | 55°43'58"/22°08'45" |
| Krakiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Krakiai [Lith], Krakių, Krakyay | 31.20 | 56°16'01"/22°25'06" |
| Barstyčiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Barstyčiai [Lith], Barshtitz [Yid], Barstichyay [Rus], Barszczyce [Pol], Breshtitz, Barstyčių, Borshchitse | 31.81 | 56°09'40"/21°52'18" |
| Godeliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | 31.96 | 55°59'22"/21°46'35" | |
| Godeliai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | 32.31 | 55°42'32"/22°22'28" | |
| Užventis | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Užventis [Lith], Uzhvent [Yid], Uzhventy [Rus], Użwenty [Pol], Uzshvent, Uzvent, Užvenèio, Ožvėntis, Uzhventis | 32.69 | 55°46'57"/22°39'05" |
| Mažeikiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Mažeikiai [Lith], Mazheik [Yid], Mozheyki [Rus], Mažeiķi [Latv], Możejki [Pol], Moscheiken [Ger], Murawlewo, Muravjovo, Mazheykyay, Mažeikiu, Mozheĭki, Mazeikai, Mazheiki, Mazheyk, Mazheyki, Mazik, Mezyk, Murav Evo, Muravievo, Morviova (Opened to Jews in 1903 after the exemption from the "Temporary Rules" of 1882.) | 35.28 | 56°18'44"/22°19'35" |
| Gintališkė | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Gintalishke, Gintalishok, Gintališkės Tvenkinys | 35.55 | 56°03'04"/21°43'36" |
| Papilė | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Papilė [Lith], Popelyan [Yid], Popelyany [Rus], Popielany [Pol], Popelian, Popilan, Papilės, Popyle | 35.78 | 56°09'03"/22°47'42" |
| Labunai | Lith. | Kovno | Rossieny | Žemieji Labūnai, Labunavas, Labunava | 36.66 | 55°42'00"/22°33'00" |
| Rietavas | Lith. | Kovno | Rossieny | Rietavas [Lith], Riteve [Yid], Retovo [Rus], Retów [Pol], Retowo, Rietevas, Riteva, Ritova | 37.61 | 55°43'38"/21°55'24" |
| Šateikiai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Shateik, Yashtek, Šateikių Tvenkinys | 37.86 | 55°59'50"/21°40'52" |
| Kruopinė | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Kropine | 37.96 | 55°55'00"/22°52'60" |
| Notėnai | Lith. | Kovno | Telshe | Notėnų, Naciany, Notenay (Closed to Jews 1882-1903 by the "Temporary Rules" of 1882.) | 37.99 | 56°05'54"/21°42'23" |
| Meškuičiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Meshkots, Meshkuts, Meshkuchyay | 39.77 | 55°42'33"/22°40'18" |
| Ramučiai | Lith. | Kovno | Shavli | Ramuchyay | 39.78 | 55°49'40"/22°51'13" |
