Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education
Year: 2024
DOI:
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Census in Georgian Governorate in 1816-1818 (Tiflis, Signakhi and Borchalo Uyezds)
Dr. Aleksandre Boshishvili
ABSTRACT:
The last king of Kartli-Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) Giorgi XII died in 1800. The Russian Empire did not allow the new king to ascend the throne. In 1801 the kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti was abolished and incorporated into the Russian Empire. The Russians began to study the country’s economic potential from the very beginning. The first census was conducted in the Georgian Governorate in 1803-04.
The census of 1816-1818 is more complete. It includes several Uyezds of Georgian Governorate (Uyezds of Gori, Tiflis, Telavi, Signakhi and, also, Borchalo, Kazakh, Shamshadilo). Census did not include members of privileged society, armed forces and subjects of foreign countries. At that time, the main population was peasantry. The census takes into account: owners (landowner, State Treasury, Church) and their peasants.
In this census the village is named, then the population is listed. The list includes: the village officials, the village priest or mullah, then the peasants. The number of people in the family is given by gender, nationality and the main occupation of the family.
In the population census of 1816-1818, nationality is defined by religious affiliation, but not according to ethnical belonging or other criteria.
Surnames are given everywhere with the Georgian – Shvili (or –Dze) suffix. In certain parts “Armenians” have Russian – ov suffix added to their patronymics. “Tatars” patronymics are given in the form – Ogli, rarely in the form of Georgian – Shvili and Russian – ov.
Census of 1816-1818 is important source to study the socio-economic status of the Georgian population, ethnic composition, statistics etc.
Keywords: Demography, Empire, History, Russia, Tbilisi