Latin Place Names

RBMS/BSC Latin Place Names File

Latin Place Names Found in the Imprints of Books Printed Before 1801 and their Vernacular Equivalents in RDA (Resource Description and Access) Form

A note on orthography: This database was compiled from the imprint information in cataloging records of several Anglo-American research libraries. Because these records were created over a long period of time and under different standards and rules of transcription, the orthography of the place names with respect to I/J and U/V/W does not necessarily reflect what was found in the original. Therefore, the orthography is standardized in this database. I/J will always be transcribed “I”; U/V will be transcribed “V” for upper case, and “u” for lower case; “VV,” “uu,” “Vu,” etc., will be transcribed “W.”

Main entry points for names are given in the locative case, as they generally appear in the books. Other forms, if they appear in early printed books, are given as cross references.

Places whose jurisdictions have changed over time may have more than one valid RDA form. Second and subsequent valid forms will be preceded by an equals sign (=). In the case of identical Latin forms that refer to different modern locations, the various RDA forms are presented without connecting equals signs.

Main entries accompanied by an asterisk (*) have a note giving the documentation for the place name. The main sources are:

  • R.A. Peddie, Place Names in Imprints : An Index to the Latin and Other Forms Used on Title Pages (1968) [cited as: Peddie]
  • J.G.T. Graesse, F. Benedict, and H. Plechl, Orbis Latinus : Lexikon lateinischer geographischer Namen des Mittelalters und der Neuzeit (1972) [cited as: Graesse]

Additional Resources

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z

Disclaimer: At the time that the Latin Place Names File was developed, it was only possible to enter ASCII characters in HTML files. This limited the availability of diacritical marks to the most common. Therefore, some RDA forms, especially those for Eastern European cities, are missing their diacritics. These entries should be checked against the NACO Authority File for the exact form.

Suggested citation form: RBMS/BSC Latin Place Names File

Credits: Created and maintained by Robert L. Maxwell, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham Young University. Initially created 1997 with the assistance of Karen Larson.

For comments, questions, additions, or corrections, contact: Robert L. Maxwell.

Top Latin Place Names