List of early Slavic peoples

This is a list of Slavic tribes reported in the Middle Ages, that is, before the year AD 1500.

Map of eastern Europe in 3-4th century CE with archeological cultures identified as Baltic-speaking in purple and Slavic-speaking in light brown. The Slavic area roughly corresponds to modern western and northern Ukraine.

During the Migration Period in 5-6th century CE, the area of archeological cultures identified as Baltic and Slavic is becoming more fragmented.

By the 7-8th century CE, the Slavic territory was greatly increased after Slavic migration and expansion (in the context of Migration period).

East Slavs

• Buzhans, ancestors of Ukrainians and possibly Bosnians (alternatively identified as West Slavs)
• Dregovichs, same with Draguvites, ancestors of Belarusians
• Drevlyans, ancestors of Ukrainians and Belarusians
• Dulebes, ancestors of Ukrainians and Belarusians
• Ilmen Slavs, also known as Novgorod Slovenes, ancestors of Russians
• Krivichs, ancestors of Belarusians and Russians
• Polans (eastern), ancestors of Ukrainians
• Polochans, ancestors of Belarusians
• Radimichs, ancestors of Belarusians and Russians (reported as Lekhitic tribe)
• Severians, ancestors of , Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Russians
• Tivertsi, ancestors of Ukrainians, Moldovans and Romanians
• Ulichs, ancestors of Ukrainians, Moldovans and Romanians
• Volhynians, ancestors of Ukrainians
• Vyatichs, ancestors of Russians (some sources claim they were West Slavs, others say they were East Slavs)
• White Croats, ancestors of Rusyns and Ukrainians (they were among both East and West Slavs)

West Slavs

West Slav tribes in 9th and 10th centuries

• Bohemians, in Bohemia, Czech Republic. Ancestors of Czechs
• Circipane, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
• Carantanians (or Slovenes), in Austria and Slovenia
• Drevani, in Lower Saxony, Germany.
• Golensizi, in Upper Silesia
• Goplans, in Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
• Hevelli, in Brandenburg, Germany.
• Kashubians, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland
• Kessinians, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
• Lendians, in east Lesser Poland and Red Ruthenia (Poland and Ukraine). Ancestors of Poles
• Litoměřici, in the Czech lands from the sixth century
• Masovians, in Mazovia, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
• Milceni, in Upper Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of Sorbs
• Moravians, in Záhorie (Slovakia) and Moravia. Ancestors of Slovaks and (modern) Moravians.
• Nitran Slavs (or Slovene), in Slovakia and Northern Hungary. Ancestors of Slovaks.
• Obotrites, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
• Opolans, in Silesia
• Polabians, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
• Polans (western), in Greater Poland, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
• Pomeranians, in Pomerania, Germany and Poland. Ancestors of Poles, Kashubians, and Slovincians
• Pyritzans, in Pomerania, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
• Rani, on Rügen, Germany.
• Silesians, Silesia, Poland. Ancestors of Poles and Silesian Germans
• Smeldingi, part of the Vistulans
• Sorbs, in Lower Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of Sorbs
• Sprevane, in Brandenburg, Germany.
• Tollensians, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
• Ukrani, in Uckermark and Vorpommern-Greifswald, Germany.
• Veleti, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
• Vistulans, in Lesser Poland, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
• Wolinians, on Wolin island, Pomerania, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
• Vyatichs, in Russia. Ancestors of Russians (some sources claim they were West Slavs, others say they were East Slavs)
• Wagri, in Holstein, Germany.
• Warnabi, in Mecklenburg (Germany).
• White Croats, Poland and Ukraine (Galicia). Possibly ancestors of Croats, Czechs, Poles and Ukrainians
• White Serbs, possibly Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of ancestors of Serbs, and Sorbs
• Zlicans, in Bohemia (Czech). Ancestors of Czechs and possibly Poles

South Slavs

The South Slavic tribes descend from the Antes and Sclaveni, and predate the medieval identities formed after the Great Schism.

• Baiounitai, originally in Macedonia, later in Epirus (Vagenetia)
• Belegezites, in Thessaly
• Berziti, in Ohrid, Macedonia
• Braničevci, in eastern Serbia
• Drougoubitai, in Greek Macedonia
• Docleani, in southern Montenegro
• Ezerites, in the Peloponnese
• Guduscani, in Lika, Croatia
• Kanalites, in southern Dalmatia
• Melingoi, in the Peloponnese
• Merehani, in eastern Serbia
• Narentines, in central Dalmatia
• Praedenecenti, in Banat
• Rynchines, also Recchines, in southern Macedonia
• Sagudates, in southern Macedonia
• Severians, in Dobrudja, northeast Bulgaria and Southeastern Romania
• Seven Slavic tribes, in northern Bulgaria and Southern Romania
• Smolyani, in the Rhodopes, southern Bulgaria and northern Greece
• Strymonites, near the Struma river, southern Bulgaria and northern Greece
• Timočani, in eastern Serbia
• Travunians, in Herzegovina and western Montenegro
• White Serbs, in Serbia, east Bosnia and Montenegro
• White Croats, in Croatia, west Bosnia
• Zachumliani, in southern Dalmatia

See also

• Slavic peoples
• Slavic languages
• Ethnic group
• Tribe

Sources

• Barford, Paul M (2001), The Early Slavs: Culture and Society in Early Medieval Eastern Europe, Cornell University Press, ISBN 0-8014-3977-9
• Gimbutas, Marija Alseikaitė (1971), The Slavs, Thames and Hudson, ISBN 0-500-02072-8