List of city name changes

Amoy → Xiamen
Ji → Yanjing → Zhongdu → Dadu → Jingshi → Khanbalik (as Mongol capital) → Beijing (aka Peking) → Beiping (aka Peiping) → Beijing
Canton → Guangzhou
Chang'an → Xi'an
Jinling → Nanjing
Bianliang → Bianjing → Kaifeng
Lin'an → Hangzhou
Yinxu → Anyang
Tan-tung → Andong → Dandong
Shenyang → Shengjiang → Fengtianfu → Mukden → Fengtian → Shenyang
Ch'ing-ni-wa → Lüshunkou (aka Port Arthur) → Dalnyi → Dairen; Ryojun → Luda → Dalian

[edit] Congo, Democratic Republic (Belgian Kongo, Zaire)

A number of places became cities under a Belgian colonial name, or rather two: in Dutch and French (the Belgian official languages), but were later renamed, such as:

Albertstad = Albertville → Kalemie
Coquilhatstad = Coquihatville → Mbandaka
Costermansstad = Costermansville → Bukavu
Elisabethstad = Elisabethville → Lubumbashi
Jadotstad = Jadotville → Likasi
Leopoldstad = Léopoldville → Kinshasa
Port Franqui → Ilebo
Stanleystad = Stanleyville → Kisangani

[edit] Croatia

Agram, Zagrab → Zagreb
Sankt Veit am Fluß → Fiume → Rijeka
Iader → Jadera → Zara → Zadar
Mursa → Essegg, Eszek → Osijek
Ragusa → Dubrovnik
Spalatum → Spalato → Spljet → Split

[edit] Czech Republic

Německý Brod → Havlíčkův Brod
Zlín → Gottwaldov → Zlín

[edit] Egypt

Many cities had Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Latin names

Syene → Aswan
Iunyt, Ta-senet → Latopolis → Laton → Lato → Esna

[edit] Estonia

See List of renamed cities in Estonia

[edit] Finland

Helsingfors → Helsinki

[edit] France

Most cities had an ancient name, usually in Latin, often of older Celtic origin

Agedincum → Sens
Aginnum → Agen
Andemantunum → Langres
Antipolis → Antibes
Aquae Sextiae → Aix-en-Provence
Arausio → Orange
Arelate → Arles
Argentoratum → Strassburg → Strasbourg
Augustobona → Troyes
Augustodunum → Autun
Augustodurum → Bayeux
Augustonemetum → Clermont-Ferrand
Autessiodurum → Auxerre
Autricum → Carnotum → Chartres
Avaricum → Bourges
Avennio → Avignon
Burdigala → Bordeaux
Caesarodunum → Tours
Carcaso → Carcassonne
Cenabum → Cenabum Aureliani → Aurelianum → Orléans
Cularo → Gratianopolis → Grenoble
Divodurum → Metz
Divona → Cahors
Durocortorum → Reims
Elimberris → Auch
Forum Iulii → Fréjus
Gesocribate → Brest
Gesoriacum → Bononia → Bonen (aan zee)/ Boulogne-sur-Mer
Iluro → Oléron
Iuliomagus → Angers
Lapurdum → Bayonne
Limonum → Poitiers
Lugdunum → Lyon
Lutetia → Paris
Massilia → Marseille
Matisco → Macon
Mediolanium → Saintes
Mediolanum Aulercorum → Évreux
Metis → Metz
Narbo Martius → Narbonne
Nemausus → Nîmes
Nemetacum → Arras
Noviodunum Aeduorum → Nevirnum → Nevers
Portus Namnetum → Nantes
Rotomagus → Rouan
Samarobriva → Amiens
Segodunum → Rodez
Senones → Sens
Tolosa → Toulouse
Valentia → Valence
Vesontio → Besançon
Vienna → Vienne

[edit] Germany

Aquisgranum → Aix-la-Chapelle → Aachen
Augusta Treverorum → Trier
Augusta Vindelicorum → Augsburg
Aurelia Aquensi → Baden-Baden
Batavis → Passau
Bona → Bonn
Castellum apud Confluentes → Koblenz
Castra Regina → Regensburg
Chemnitz → Karl-Marx-Stadt → Chemnitz
Colonia Agrippina → Cologne (Köln)
Colonia Nemetum → Speyer
Constantia → Konstanz
Fürstenberg (Oder) → Stalinstadt → Eisenhüttenstadt
Moguntiacum → Mainz
Sorviodurum → Straubing

[edit] Greece

Banitsa → Vevi
Boimitsa → Axioupoli
Khandak → Candia → Heraklion
Lamia → Zitouni → Lamia

[edit] Georgia

See List of renamed cities in Georgia

[edit] Hungary

Dunapentele → Sztálinváros (1949) → Dunaújváros (1961)
Tiszaszederkény → Leninváros (1970) → Tiszaújváros (1990)

[edit] India

Madras → Chennai (changed August 1996)
Fort William → Calcutta → Kolkata (changed January 2001)
Mumba → Boa Baia → Bombay → Mumbai (changed 1995 or 1996)
New Bombay → Navi Mumbai
Baroda → Vadodra
Pataliputra → Patna
Pondicherry → Puduchery
Poona → Pune
Qila Rai Pithora → Siri → Tughluqabad → Jahanpanah → Kotla Firoz Shah → Purana Qila → Shahjahanabad → Delhi
Trivandrum → Thiruvananthapuram
Quilon → Kollam
Aleppey → Alappuzha
Cochin → Kochi
Calicut → Kozhikode
Palghat → Palakkad
Thrishivaperur → Trichur → Thrissur
Cannanore → Kannur
Indravati → Umravti → Amravati

[edit] Indonesia

Bangkahulu → Bencoolen → Bengkulu
Buitenzorg → Bogor
Port Numbay → Hollandia → Kota Baru → Sukarnopura → Jayapura
Kalapa → Jayakarta → Batavia → Jakarta
Makasar → Ujungpandang → Makassar
Tanjungkarang-Telukbetung → Bandar Lampung
Aceh → Kotaraja → Banda Aceh

[edit] Iran

Ecbatana → Hagmatana → Hamadan
Aspadana → Isfahan

[edit] Ireland

During the British occupation, many town names in Ireland were changed. These reverted to their Irish originals following independence.

Mostrim → Edgeworthstown
Dun Leary → Kingstown → Dún Laoghaire
Daingean → Philipstown → Daingean
Port Laoighise → Maryborough → Portlaoise
Cove → Queenstown → Cobh
Dingle → An Daingean [Uí Chúis]

[edit] Israel

Acre → Ptolemais → Acre → Akko/Akka
Yvus → Yerushalayim → Ilea Capitolina → Al-Quds → Yerushalayim/Al-Quds (Jerusalem)
Ashkelon → Ascalon (Majdal) → Ashqelon
Joppa → Jaffa → Tel Aviv-Yafo
Raanania→ Ra'anana

[edit] Italy

From history, most Italian cities have Latin names, some have Greek or Etruscan names.

Acragas → Agrigentum → Agrigento
Beneventum → Benevento
Bozen; Bolzano
Felsina → Bononia → Bologna
Brundisium → Brindisi
Carales → Cagliari
Crotona → Crotone
Florentia → Florence (Firenze)
Genua → Genoa (Genova)
Lavinium → Lavinio
Mediolanum → Milan (Milano)
Messana → Messina
Mutina → Modena
Neapolis → Napolis → Naples (Napoli)
Panormus → Palermo
Pisae → Pisa
Rhegium → Reggio di Calabria
Rome → Colonia Lucia Annia Commodiana → Rome (Roma)
Syracuse → Siracusa
Taras → Tarentum → Taranto

[edit] Japan

Heiankyo → Kyoto
Edo → Tokyo

[edit] Kazakhstan

See List of renamed cities in Kazakhstan

[edit] Korea

Hanseong → Gyeongseong → Keijo → Seoul
Wonsanjin → Gensan → Wonsan
Pusan → Fusan → Pusan → Busan
Sinuiju → Shingeishu → Sinuiju → Sineuiju
Wanggŏmsŏng → Sŏgyŏng → Ryugyŏng; Kisŏng; Hwangsŏng; Rangrang; Sŏgyŏng; Sŏdo; Hogyŏng; Changan → Heijo → Pyongyang → Pyeongyang
Dalgubeol → Taegu → Daegu
Hanbot → Taejon → Daejeon
Ungjin → Kongju → Gongju

[edit] Kyrgyzstan

See List of renamed cities in Kyrgyzstan

[edit] Lebanon

Berytus → Beirut
Heliopolis → Baalbek
Sidon → Saida
Tyre → Sur

[edit] Lithuania

See List of renamed cities in Lithuania

[edit] Libya

Oea → Tripoli

[edit] Malaysia

Jesselton → Kota Kinabalu
Port Swettenham → Port Klang

[edit] Morocco

Tingis → Tangier

[edit] Mozambique

Lourenço Marques → Maputo

[edit] Myanmar

Akyab → Sittwe
Amherst → Kyaikkame
Bassein → Pathein
Maymyo → Pyin U Lwin
Moulmien → Mawlamyine
Myohaung → Mrauk U
Pagan → Bagan
Pegu → Bago
Prome → Pyay
Dagon → Rangoon → Yangon
Sandoway → Thandwe
Syriam → Thanlyin
Tavoy → Dawei
Yaunghwe → Nyaung Shwe

[edit] Netherlands

Noviomagus Batavorum (or Batavodurum) → Nijmegen
Traiectum ad Mosam → Maastricht
Traiectum Eriditum → Utrecht

[edit] Norway

Oslo → Christiania → Kristiania →Oslo
Kaupangen → Nidaros → Trondhjem → Nidaros → Trondheim
Fredrikshald → Halden

[edit] Paraguay

Puerto Flor de Lis → Puerto Presidente Stroessner → Ciudad del Este
Ajos → Coronel Oviedo

[edit] Poland

Aleksandrowo → Aleksandrów Pograniczny → Aleksandrów Kujawski
Jędrzychów → Andrzychów → Andrychów
Barcino → Barcin
Wartberge → Wartenburg → Nowowiejsk → Barczewo
Brido → Wartha → Bardo
Neu Berlin → Berlinchen → Barlinek
Rosenthal → Bartenstein → Bartoszyce
Barwica → Bärwalde → Barwice
Biała → Zülz → Biała
Gajle → Biała → Gehlen → Gehlenburg → Biała Piska
Brzegi → Białe Brzegi → Białobrzegi
Biały Bór → Baldenburg → Biały Bór
Bielszczany Stok → Białystok
Biała → Langenbielau → Bielawa
Lignica → Fürstenwald → Beroldestadt → Bernstadt → Bierutów
Bischofsburg → Biskupiec
Strowangen → Bischofstein → Bistein → Bisztynek
Błaszkowice → Błaszki
Richnow → Reichenau → Rychwałd → Bogatynia
Gross-Born → Borne Sulinowo
Brusseberge → Brunsberg → Braunsberg → Braniewo
Brwinowo → Brwinów
Wysoki Brzeg → Brieg → Brzeg
Brzeg → Dyhernfurth → Brzeg Dolny
Busk → Busko → Busko Zdrój
Bydgoszcz → Bromberg → Bydgoszcz → Bromberg → Bydgoszcz
Bystrzyce → Habelschwerdt → Bystrzyca Kłodzka
Bytom → Beuthen an der Oder → Białobrzezie → Bytom Odrzański
Łoza → Kulmsee → Chełmża
Freienwalde → Chociwel
Konice → Konigesberge → Königsberg in der Neumark → Chojna
Chorzów → Königshütte → Chorzów
Arnswalde → Choszczno
Tempelburg → Czaplinek
Czarne → Hammerstein → Czarne → Hammerstein → Czarne
Rothenburg → Czerwieńsk
Dzierzgoń → Neu Christburg → Christburg → Dzierzgoń
Reichenbach → Dzierżoniów
Łęg → Lyck → Ełk
Gdynia → Gotenhafen → Gdynia
Nowa Wieś → Lötzen → Giżycko
Landsberg → Landsberg an der Warthe → Gorzów Wielkopolski
Hirschberg → Jelenia Góra
Katowice → Stalinogród → Katowice
Rast → Rastenburg → Kętrzyn
Lignica → Liegnitz → Legnica
Łódź → Litzmannstadt → Łódź
Sensburg → Mrągowo
Nowe Miasto Korczyn → Nowy Korczyn
Margrabowa → Treuburg → Olecko
Pazluk → Hollandt → Preußisch Holland → Pasłęk
Piasek → Piaski Luterskie → Piaski
Melcekuke → Mehlsack → Pieniężno
Pisz → Johannisburg → Pisz
Słupsk → Stolp → Słupsk
Ortulfsburg → Ortelsburg → Szczytno
Waldenburg → Wałbrzych
Wejherowska Wola → Neustadt → Wejherowo → Neustadt → Wejherowo
Wielka Wieś → Władysławowo
Włocławek → Leslau → Włocławek
Wrocisław → Wrocław → Preßlau → Breslau → Wrocław
Zabrze → Hindenburg → Zabrze
Zielona Góra → Grünberg → Zielona Góra

[edit] Portugal

Aeminium → Coimbra
Bracara Augusta → Braga
Conimbriga → Condeixa-a-Nova
Iebora → Évora
Olisipo → Al-Usbuna → Lisbon (Lisboa)
Pax Iulia → Beja
Portus Cale → Porto (Oporto)
Sheberina → Serpa
Sintara → Sintra

[edit] Romania

Axiopolis → Cernavodă
Abruttus → Abrud
Ad Mediam → Băile Herculane
Aegyssus → Tulcea
Ampelum → Zlatna
Apulum → Bălgrad → Gyulafehérvár → Alba Iulia
Arrubium → Măcin
Braşov → Oraşul Stalin → Braşov
Bucureşci → Bucureşti (Bucharest)
Calatis → Mangalia
Carsium → Hârşova
Cibinum → Hermannstadt → Nagyszeben → Sibiu
Dierna → Orşova
Jassy → Iaşi
Marosvásárhely → Târgu Mureş
Napoca → Klausenburg → Kolozsvár → Cluj → Cluj-Napoca
Noviodunum → Isaccea
Porolissum → Zalău
Potaissa → Turda
Temesvár → Timişoara
Tomis → Constanţa
Drobeta → Turnu Severin → Drobeta-Turnu Severin

[edit] Russia

See List of renamed cities and towns in Russia

[edit] Serbia

Cattaro → Kotor
Naissus → Niš
Singidunum → Beograd
Sirmium → Sremska Mitrovica

[edit] Singapore

Temasek → Singapore

[edit] Slovakia

Kaschau → Kosice
Pressburg, Pozsony → Bratislava

[edit] Slovenia

Egida → Capris → Justinopolis → Caput Histriae → Koper
Laibach → Ljubljana

[edit] South Africa

Pietersburg → Polokwane
Potgietersrus → Makupane
Ellisrus → Lephalale
Louis Trichart → Makhado
Messina → Musina
Phalaborwa → BaPhalaborwa

[edit] Spain

Abula → Ávila
Acci → Guadix
Aurasiola → Orihuela
Augusta Emerita → Mérida
Barcino → Barcino Nova → Barcelona
Brigantium → Caronium → Corunna → La Coruña → A Coruña
Caesaraugusta → Saraqusta → Zaragoza
Carthago Nova → Cartagena
Colonia Caecilia Metellinum → Medellín
Colonia Iulia Romula → Hispalis → Isbilia → Seville (Sevilla)
Colonia Norba Caesarina → Norba → Cáceres
Colonia Patricia → Corduba → Córdoba
Complutum → Alcalá de Henares
Dertosa → Tortosa
Dianinum → Denia
Egara → Tarrasa → Terrassa
Gades → Cádiz
Gerunda → Gerona → Girona
Ilerda → Lérida → Lleida
Ilice → Elche
Legio → León
Lucentum → Laquant → Alicante
Lucus Augusti → Lugo
Malaca → Málaga
Onuba → Huelva
Pompaelo → Pamplona
Saguntum → Sagunto
Salamantica → Salamanca
Tarraco → Tarraco nova → Tarragona
Toletum → Toledo

[edit] Syria

Aleppo → Beroea → Aleppo
Emesa → Homs
Hamath → Hama
Laodicea → Latakia
Palmyra → Tadmor

[edit] Tajikistan

See List of renamed cities in Tajikistan

[edit] Turkey

Many cities were founded by the Ancient Greeks or their contemporaries, and renamed by the Romans, and later again by Muslim Turks

[edit] European (Eastern Thrace)

Hadrianopolis/Adrianople → Edirne
Byzantion → Byzantium → Constantinopolis/Constantinople → Istanbul

[edit] Anatolia (Asia Minor)

Alexandretta → Iskenderun
Amida → Diyarbakır
Amisus → Samsun
Ancyra → Angora → Ankara
Antioceia -> Antiochia/Antioch → Antakya
Archelais -> Aksaray
Attalia → Attalea → Adalia → Antalya
Bythinion/Bythinium → Claudiopolis → Bolu
Chalkedon → Chalcedon
Cius → Prusa → Bursa
Dorylaeum -> Eskisehir
Edessa → Sanli Urfa (Şanlıurfa)
Ephesos → Ephesus -> Efes
Halikarnassos → Halicarnassus → Bodrum
Iconium → Konya
Kyzikos → Cyzicus
Magnesia → Manisa
Mazaca → Caesarea Mazaca → Kayseri
Melitene → Malatya
Mylasa -> Milas
Nikaia → Nicaea → İznik
Nicomedia → İzmit/Kocaeli
Pergamon → Pergamum → Bergama
Sinope → Sinop
Smyrna → İzmir
Theodosiopolis → Erzurum
Tralles → Aydin
Trapezon → Trapezus → Trebizond → Trabzon

[edit] Turkmenistan

See List of renamed cities in Turkmenistan

[edit] Ukraine

See List of renamed cities in Ukraine

[edit] United Kingdom

[edit] England

Aquae Solis → Bath
Brycgstow → Bristol
Camulodunum → Colchester
Cantiacorum → Durovurnum → Canterbury
Deva → Caester → Chester
Dubris → Dover
Durnovaria → Dorchester
Efrawg → Eboracum/Eburacum → Eoferwic → Jorvik → York
Glevum → Gloucester
Isca Dumnoniorum → Exeter
Lindum → Lincoln
Londinium → Lundenwic → Lundenburgh → London
Luguvallium → Carlisle
Pons Aelius → Monkchester → Newcastle upon Tyne
Ratae Coritanorum → Kaerleir → Leicester
Tigguo Cobauc → Snottingaham → Nottingham

[edit] Northern Ireland

Doire → Derry → Londonderry → Londonderry/Derry

[edit] Scotland

Dun Eideann → Edinburgh
Glascu → Glasgow

[edit] United States

Alburquerque → Albuquerque, New Mexico
Cleaveland → Cleveland, Ohio
Cowford → Jacksonville, Florida
Dearborn → Chicago, Illinois
East Detroit → Eastpointe, Michigan
Fort Duquesne → Fort Pitt → Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fort Orange → Albany → Willemstad → Albany, New York
Gay Head, Massachusetts → Aquinnah, Massachusetts
Halfway, Oregon → Half.com, Oregon
Hot Springs, New Mexico → Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Jernigan → Orlando, Florida
Losantisville → Cincinnati, Ohio
Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania → Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
New Amsterdam → New York, New York
North Tarrytown, New York → Sleepy Hollow, New York
Pig's Eye → St. Paul, Minnesota
Providence → Annapolis, Maryland
Swilling's Mill → Hellinwg Mill → Mill City → East Phoenix → Phoenix, Arizona
Terminus → Marthasville → Atlanta, Georgia
Vermilionville → Lafayette, Louisiana
Wintonbury → Bloomfield, Connecticut
Yerba Buena → San Francisco, California

[edit] Uzbekistan

See List of renamed cities in Uzbekistan

[edit] Vietnam

Tourane -> Đà Nẵng (Danang)
Tống Bình → Long Đỗ → Đại La → Thăng Long → Đông Đô → Đông Kinh → Bắc Thành → Thăng Long → Hà Nội (Hanoi)
Hai Pho → Faifo → Hội An (Hoi An)
Prey Nokor → Gia Ðịnh → Saigon → Thành Phố Hồ Chí Minh (Ho Chi Minh City)
Phu Xuan → Huế (Hue)
Ke Van → Ke Vinh → Vinh Giang → Vinh Doanh → Vinh Thi → Vinh

[edit] Zimbabwe (former (Southern) Rhodesia)

Enkeldoorn → Chivhu
Essexvale → Esigodini
Fort Victoria → Masvingo
Gatooma → Kadoma
Gwelo → Gweru
Hartley → Chegutu
Marandellas → Marondera
Matopos → Matobo
Melsetter → Chimanimani
Que Que → Kwekwe
Salisbury → Harare
Selukwe → Shurugwi
Shabani → Zvishavane
Sinoia → Chinhoyi
Umtali → Mutare
Wankie → Hwange

[edit] Sources and References

(incomplete)

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia, so may be out of date, or reflect the point of view of the Catholic Church as of 1913. It should be edited to reflect broader and more recent perspectives.
Westermann, Groβer Atlas zur Weltgeschichte (in German)

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Categories: Derived from Catholic Encyclopedia | Lists of cities | Lists of place names | Former place names