Website about Georgia and its peoples

Search for ancestors and relatives. History of Georgia, family history.

 Georgia is the English name of the country, situated at the junction of Europe and Asia that has only recently gained independence and restored her statehood, lost almost two hundred years ago. It is also the name by which she is known in the greater part of the modem European languages (French - Georgie, German - Georgien, Spanish - Georgiano, Italian - Georgia, etc.). This name com es from the Latin - “georgiani”.

 Jaque de Vitry (1160-1240), the French scholar and churchman, tried to explain the term etymologically as early as in the 13th century in his work “Historia Hierosolimitana abbreviata”, written in Latin. He dedicated a whole chapter to elucidating this question.

 He wrote: “There is a Christian nation in the East, great warriors, quick while fighting, of sturdy build, as if made of oak. They have a numerous army. They arouse mortal fear in Saracens and often defeat Persians, Medians and Assyrians as well as other infidels that surrounded her from all sides. These people are called georgiani, for they worship most of all, revere greatly and idolize Saint George whom they consider to be their protector and patron in their wars…”

 The worship of St. George is of special reverence in Georgia indeed, but contemporary scholarship has a different interpretation of this ethnonym. It must be coming from the Middle and Modem Persian languages in which “gurgan” means “the country of wolves” that must be a totem designation of ancient Georgians.

 It is also known that one of the southern states of the USA has the same name (Georgia), but it is an accidental coincidence of names and it has nothing to do with the Caucasian Georgia. The Georgians call themselves “Kartveli”, and their country “Sakartvelo”.  

Bagrati Cathedral

The cathedral of King Bagrat (Mother of God church)

  Bagrat's Cathedral is at the end of Kazbegi Street, on a hill above the right bank of the Rioni River. Turn left from David and…

Kutaisi, Kutaisi municipality
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Gelati Monastery

 Leave Kutaisi from the northwest by David Agmashenebeli (the Builder) Street, which becomes Gelati Street, and proceed along this road for seven km (four miles). A sign beyond the village of…

Tkibuli municipality
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Kings of Georgia (Kartli, Kakheti, Imereti) [Persons tab]

Famous Georgians [Persons tab]

Georgian surname index & genealogy

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

List of Georgian nobility family names

(whose descendants survived into the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries)

A

Abamelikishvili (Abamelik, Abimelikovi, Abamelikovi). Princes and nobles

Abashidze. Princes and nobles

Abkhazi (Apkhazi). Princes

Agiashvili (Agievi). Princes and nobles

Akhvllediani. Princes and nobles

Amatuni. Princes

Amilakhvari (Amilakhori, Amilakhvarovi). Princes and nobles

Amiredzhibi (Amirajibi, Amirejibovi). Princes and nobles

Anchabadze (Antchabadze, Achba). Princes

Andronikashvili (Andronikovi, Endronikovi). Princes and nobles

Apakidze. Princes and nobles

Argutashvili (Mkhargrdzeli, Argutinsky-Dolgoruki). Princes and nobles

Asatiani. Princes and nobles

Avalishvili (Avalovi). Princes and nobles

 

B

Babadishi (Babadishishvili, Babadishevi). Princes 

Bagrationi. Princes and nobles

Baratashvili (Baratovi, Barataevi). Princes and nobles

Bebutashvili (Bebutovi). Princes and nobles

Begtabegishvili (Begtabegovi). Princes and nobles

C

Chaabalurkhva (Sotishvili). Princes

Chavchavadze. Princes

Cherkezishvili (Cherkezovi). Princes and nobles

Chichua. Princes and nobles

Chidjavadze (Mikhailov-Chidjavadze) Princes and nobles

Chikovani. Princes and nobles

Chkheidze. Princes and nobles

Chkhotua (Chkotua). Princes

Cholokashvili (Cholokaevi, Chelokaevi). Princes

 

D

Dadeshkeliani (Dadashkeliani)

Dadiani

Dgebuadze. Princes and nobles

Diasamidze. Princes and nobles

Dziapsh-ipa (Zepishvili). Princes

 

E

Emukhvari (Emkhvari). Princes

Eristavi of Aragvi. Princes

Eristavi of Guria (Eristavi-Shervashidze). Princes

Eristavi of Ksani. Princes

Eristavi of Racha (or Imereti). Princes and nobles

 

G

Gabashvili (Gabaevi). Princes and nobles

Gardapkhadze. Princes

Gedevanishvili (Gedevanovi). Princes and nobles

Gelovani. Princes and nobles

Gogoberidze (Ghoghoberidze, Gogaberidze). Nobles and princes

Gugunava. Princes and nobles

Guramihvili (Guramovi). Princes and nobles

Gurgenidze. Princes and nobles

Gurieli

 

I

Iashvili. Princes and nobles

Inal-ipa (Inalishvili). Princes

 

J

Jaiani. Princes and nobles

Jakeli (Djakeli)

Jandieri. Princes and nobles

Japaridze. Princes and nobles

Javakhishvili (Zhevakhovi, Djavakhovi). Princes and nobles

Jolia. Princes and nobles

Jorjadze. Princes

 

K

Karalashvili (Karalovi, Koralovi). Princes

Kavkasidze (Kalatozishvili, Galatozishvili). Princes and nobles

Kherkheulidze. Princes

Khidirbegishvili (Khidirbegovi). Princes

Khimshiashvili (Khimshievi). Princes and nobles

Kipiani. Princes and nobles

Kobulashvili (Kobulovi). Princes

Kochakidze. Princes

 

L

Lionidze. Prince

Lortkipanidze (Lordkipanidze). Princes and nobles

 

M

Machabeli (Bortishvili). Princes and nobles

Machutadze. Princes and nobles

Magalashvili (Magalovi). Princes and nobles

Makashvili (Makaevi). Princes

Maksimenishvili. Princes

Manvelishvili (Manvelovi). Princes 

Marshania. Princes

Melikishvili (Melikovi, Loris-Melikovi). Princes and nobles

Mikadze. Princes and nobles

Mikeladze. Princes and nobles

Mkheidze (Pkheidze). Princes and nobles

 

N

Nakashidze. Princes and nobles

Nizharadze (Nijaradze). Princes and nobles

 

O

Orbeliani (Djambakurian-Orbeliani). Princes and nobles

Osikhmovani (Tulashvili, Tulaevi). Princes and nobles

 

P

Pagava. Princes and nobles

Palavandishvili (Palavandovi). Princes and nobles

Pavlenishvili (Pavlenovi). Princes and nobles

 

R

Ratishvili (Ratievi). Princes and nobles

Robitashvili (Robitovi). Princes 

Rusishvili, Rusishvili-Korchibashi (Rusievi, Korchibashevi). Princes and nobles

 

S

Sadatbeg-Kamsarakan. Princes and nobles

Saginashvili (Saginovi). Princes and nobles

Savarsamidze. Princes

Shalikashvili (Shalikovi, Katkovi-Shalikovi). Princes and nobles

Sharvashidze (Chachba, Shervashidze). Princes and nobles

Shelia. Princes and nobles

Sidamon-Eristavi. Princes

Sologashvili (Solagovi). Princes

Sumbatashvili (Sumbatovi). Princes

 

T

Taktakishvili (Taktakovi). Princes

Tarkhan-Mouravi (Saakadze-Mouravishvili, Tarkhnishvili). Princes and nobles

Tavdgiridze. Princes

Tsereteli (Tsertelevi). Princes and nobles

Tsitsishvili. Princes

Tsulukidze. Princes and nobles

Tumanishvili (Tumanovi). Princes

Turkestanishvili (Turkestanovi, Turkistanovi). Princes and nobles

Tusishvili (Tusievi). Princes

 

V

Vachnadze. Princes

Vakhvakhishvili (Vakvakhovi). Princes 

Vezirishvili (Vezirovi, Vizirovi). Princes

 

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