This Umbrella Project aims to collect all GENI information (list of other projects) related to Jewish culture and localities in historical Lithuania. If you developed a Jewish Locality project that was territorially associated with historical Lithuania, please add it to the list. Please use the Project Discussion part (top right of this page) for all questions, ideas, and conversations.

In 19th-century Lithuania, there were approximately 246 Shtetls - smaller towns where Jewish communities lived. Additionally, there were 33 cities with Jewish populations, including cities like Kovno (Kaunas), Shavli (Šiauliai), and Vilkomir. The 1897 census counted 757,038 Jews in the greater Lithuanian territories.

History and Culture:

Jewish settlement in Lithuania dates back to the 14th century, with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania offering privileges to attract Jewish merchants and craftsmen. Lithuanian Jews developed a distinct cultural identity, known as Litvaks, characterized by intellectual pursuits, a strong sense of community, and a unique dialect of Yiddish. Lithuania was a hub for Orthodox Judaism, with prominent rabbinical scholars and yeshivas (Talmudic academies). The region also played a role in the development of Jewish secularism and the Yiddish language.

The Holocaust:

The Jewish communities of Lithuania suffered immense losses during the Holocaust, with many people being murdered or deported to concentration camps.

Post-War and Modern Lithuania:

After World War II, a small number of Jews returned to Lithuania, and the country has since worked to preserve its Jewish heritage, including restoring synagogues and creating cultural institutions.

Administrative Divisions

In the 18th-20th century Lithuania, administrative divisions evolved significantly due to political changes and external influences. Initially, as part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Lithuania was organized into voivodeships, further subdivided into districts. After the partitions, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire, where it was divided into governorates (guberniya) and districts (uezds). In the interwar period (1918-1939), Lithuania became an independent republic and established its own counties (apskritis).

18th-19th Centuries: Under Russian Empire

After the partitions of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania became part of the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire established governorates (guberniya) and districts (uezd) in the territory of the former Grand Duchy. Initially, the Vilna Governorate and the Slonim Governorate were established. These were later merged into Lithuania Governorate, and then split into Lithuania-Vilna Governorate and Lithuania-Grodno Governorate. In 1843, Kovno Governorate was created, and the word "Lithuania" was eventually dropped from the governorate names.

List of Cities and Shtetls in 19th-century Lithuania

— Kovno governorate // Kauno gubernija —

Kovno district // Kauno apskritis

• Jewish Families from Kovno, Ponedel, Rakiskis, Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Keidan (Kėdainiai), Kaunas dist., Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Jonava, Kaunas dist., Lithuania

Vilkomir (Upita, Panevėžys) district // Panevėžio (buvusi Upytės) apskritis

• Jewish Families from Panevėžys city, Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Joniškėlis, Panevėžys dist., Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Biržai, Lithuania

Rassein district // Raseinių apskritis

• Jewish Families from Ariogala, Raseiniai dist., Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Jurbarkas, Raseiniai dist., Lithuania

Shavle district // Šiaulių apskritis

• Jewish Families from Žagarė, Šiauliai dist., Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Viekšniai, Šiauliai dist., Lithuania
• Jewish families from Akmenė, Šiauliai dist., Lithuania
• Jewish Families from Kuršėnai, Šiauliai dist., Lithuania

Telshe district // Telšių apskritis

Vilkomir district // Vilkmergės (dabar Ukmergė) apskritis

• Jewish Families from Ukmerge District, Lithuania

Ezhereni district // Novoaleksandrovsko (dabar Zarasai) apskritis

— Vilna governorate // Vilniaus gubernija —

Ashmyany district // Ašmenos apskritis

Disna district // Dysnos apskritis

Lida district // Lydos apskritis

Sventziany district // Švenčionių (buvusi Užnerio) apskritis

Troki district // Trakų apskritis

• Jewish Families from Troki district, Vilnius province, Lithuania

Vileyka district // Vileikos apskritis

Vilna district // Vilniaus apskritis

• Jewish Families from Vilnius city, capital of Lithuania

— Suvalki governorate // Suvalkų gubernija —

• Jewish Families from Suwalki Gubernia, Lithuania

Avgustovo district // Augustavo apskritis

Kalvaria district // Kalvarijos apskritis

• Jewish Families from Kalvarija, Lithuania

Mariampol district // Marijampolės apskritis

Vladislavov district // Vladislavovo (dabar Kudirkos Naumiestis) apskritis

Sejny district // Seinų apskritis

• Jewish Families from Berzniki, Sejny district, Lithuania (Poland)
• Jewish Families from Miroslav, Sejny district, Lithuania

Suvalki district // Suvalkų apskritis

• Jewish Families from Raczki / Raczk, Suwalki, Lithuania (Poland)
• Jewish Familes from Przerosl, Lithuania (Poland)

Vilkaviski district // Vilkaviškio apskritis

• Jewish Families from Vištytis, Kalvarija / Vilkaviškis dist., Lithuania

— Grodno Governorate // Gardino apskritis—

Bialystok district // Balstogės apskritis

Bielsk district // Bielsko apskritis

Brest district // Bresto apskritis

Grodno district // Gardino apskritis

• Jewish Families from Hrodna (Grodno), Belarus
• Jewish Families from Druskieniki and Ratnycia, Grodno dist., Lithuania

Kobryn district // Kobryno apskritis

Pruzhany district // Pružanų apskritis

Slonim district // Slanimo apskritis

Sokulka district // Sokulkos ujezdas

Volkovysk district // Valkavisko apskritis

Useful sources:

• Jewish Lithuania by Josef Rosin
• History of 50 Jewish Communities in Lithuania by Josef Rosin
• Lithuanian Encyclopedia: Administrative territorial division of Lithuania during the rule of the Russian Empire (1795–1915)
• Lithuanian alongside Yiddish names of Shtetls
• Blog and interactive map with Jewish sites in Lithuania