List of ancient Slavic peoples and tribes
This is a list of Slavic peoples and Slavic tribes reported in Late Antiquity and in the Middle Ages, that is, before the year AD 1500.
in 5-6th century CE, the area of archeological cultures identified as Baltic and Slavic is becoming more fragmented.
[Late Antiquity]
- Veneti / Sporoi
- * Antes
- * Veneti
- * Sclaveni
[Middle Ages]
[East Slavs]
- Antes
- * Western-Northern groups
- ** Western Russian group / Western Ruthenian group / Western Old East Slavs
- *** Southwestern group
- **** Buzhans, ancestors of Ukrainians, Russians and possibly Bosnians
- **** Dulebes, ancestors of Ukrainians and Belarusians and part of Czechs. Assimilated into several East Slavic tribes: the Volhynians, Drevlians, Polans, Dregoviches, and possibly Buzhans, eventually to become part of the Kievan Rus'.
- **** Teverians, ancestors of Ukrainians and part of Moldovans and Romanians
- **** Volhynians, ancestors of Ukrainians and part of Czechs
- **** White Croats, ancestors of Croats, Rusyns and Ukrainians and also part of Czechs
- *** Southern group
- **** Polans , ancestors of Ukrainians
- **** Ulichians, ancestors of Ukrainians, Moldovans and Romanians
- *** Central group
- **** Dregoviches / Dregovichians, same with Draguvites, ancestors of Belarusians
- **** Drevlyans, ancestors of Ukrainians and Belarusians
- **** Polochans, ancestors of Belarusians
- **** Radimichians / Radimichs, ancestors of Belarusians and part of Russians
- **** Severians, ancestors of Ukrainians, Russians and part of Slavic Bulgarians
- ** Old Russian group / Northern Russian group / Northern Ruthenian group / Northern Old East Slavs
- *** Northeastern group
- **** Krivichians, ancestors of Belarusians and Russians
- **** Vyatichians also Oka Slavs, ancestors of Russians
- * Northwestern group
- ** Ilmen Slavs / Ilmen Slovenians, also known as Novgorod Slovenes, ancestors of Russians
[West Slavs]
- Veneti / Wends?
- * Czech–Slovak group
- ** Bohemians / Slavic Bohemians, tribal confederation, in Bohemia, Czech Republic. Ancestors of Czechs
- *** Berunzani
- *** Bohemians proper also known as Pragani, the tribe that livd in Praga/Praha region, Central Bohemia or Central Czechia.
- *** Děčané, in Děčín region, Czech Republic
- *** Dudlebi, a group of Dulebes assimilated as a Slavic Bohemian or Czech tribe.
- *** Gbane / Hbane
- *** Kharvati / Kharvattsi, a group of White Croats assimilated as a Slavic Bohemian or Czech tribe.
- *** Litoměřici or Lutomerizi, in the Czech lands from the sixth century
- *** Luchane / Luchani / Lutsane
- *** Lemuzi
- *** Lupiglai
- *** Pshovane
- *** Sedlichane
- *** Volynyane, a group of Volhynians assimilated as a Slavic Bohemian or Czech tribe.
- *** Zlicans / Zlichane, in Bohemia. Ancestors of Czechs and possibly Poles
- ** Moravians / Northern Merehani, tribal confederation, in Záhorie and Moravia. Ancestors of Moravians and part of the Slovaks. The Morava river of Moravia was in their lands. Ancestors of the South Moravians, in Morava river valley, east Serbia, that migrated south of the Danube and were assimilated by South Slavs.
- ** Nitran Slavs / Old Slovaks / Vah Slavs, tribal confederation, in Slovakia and Northern Hungary. Ancestors of Slovaks and of part of the Slovenes / Caranthanians.
- * Lechitic group
- ** Lendians, in east Lesser Poland and Red Ruthenia. Ancestors of Poles
- ** Masovians, tribal confederation, in Mazovia, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
- ** Obotrites / Reragi, tribal confederation, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
- *** Belesem / Byelozem = "White Earth" or "White Earth Tribe", they lived scattered in Oster Walde / Osterwalde - "Eastern Woods" in the Old Mainland Saxon view, west banks of the Elbe river
- *** Drevani = "Wood" or "Wood Tribe", they lived scattered in Oster Walde / Osterwalde - "Eastern Woods" in the Old Mainland Saxon view, west banks of the Elbe river)
- *** Linonen, near Lenzen.
- *** Lipani, tribe that lived scattered in the west banks of Elbe river
- *** Obotrites proper / Northern Obotrites.
- *** Polabians proper, in eastern Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
- *** Travnjane east of the Trave.
- *** Wagri / Wagrians.
- *** Warnabi / Warnower, in Mecklenburg,.
- ** Polans , tribal confederation, in Greater Poland, Poland. Ancestors of Poles.
- ** Pomeranians, tribal confederation, in Pomerania, Germany and Poland. Ancestors of Poles, Kashubians, and Slovincians
- *** Goplans, in Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
- *** Kashubians, in Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland
- *** Prissani / Pyritzans, in Pomerania, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
- *** Slovincians, a West Slavic tribe that lived between lakes Gardno and Łebsko near Słupsk in Pomerania.
- *** Wolinians, on Wolin island, Pomerania, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
- ** Silesians / Silezane / Slezane, Silesia, tribal confederation, Poland. Ancestors of Poles and Silesian Germans
- *** Besunzane / Bezunchane
- *** Bobryane
- *** Dyedoshane
- *** Golensizi, in Upper Silesia
- *** Lubushane
- *** Opolans, in Silesia
- *** Silesians proper / Silezane proper / Slezane proper
- *** Tryebovane
- ** Veleti , in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
- *** Lutici, tribal confederation, northeastern Germany.
- **** Doshane
- **** Four Core tribes
- ***** Circipane, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
- ***** Kessinians, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
- ***** Redarians
- ***** Tollensians, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany.
- **** Hevelli, in Brandenburg, Germany.
- **** Rani / Rujani, on Rügen, Germany.
- **** Sprevane, in Brandenburg, Germany.
- **** Stodorane
- **** Ukrani, in Uckermark and Vorpommern-Greifswald, Germany.
- ** Vistulans, in Lesser Poland, tribal confederation, Poland. Ancestors of Poles
- *** Bethenici
- *** Linonen
- *** Morizani
- *** Smeldingi, part of the Vistulans
- * White Croats, in Lesser Poland and Bohemia, ancestors of Croats, some Bosnians, Czechs, Poles. Part of the tribal groups that migrated towards southwest and south of the Danube are the ancestors of Croats.
- * White Serbs / Boiki in Lower Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of Sorbs, and ancestors of ancestors of Serbs. Part of the tribal groups that migrated towards southeast and south of the Danube are the ancestors of Serbs.
- ** Polabian Serbs
- *** Sorbs / Old Sorbs, tribal confederation, roughly in Southern Brandenburg, East Saxony-Anhalt and Upper Saxony, roughly in the east of the Middle Elbe river basin.
- **** Khutitsi
- **** Lusatians-Milceni
- ***** Lusatians, in Lower Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of Sorbs in Lower Lusatia.
- ***** Milchane / Milceni, in Upper Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of Sorbs in Upper Lusatia.
- **** Moinwinidi
- **** Nishane
- **** Nizitsi
- **** Polabian Serbs proper, they gave the name to the tribal confederation.
[South Slavs]
- Sclaveni / Slavini
- * West South Slavic group
- ** Braničevci / Braniches, in eastern Serbia
- ** Carantanians / Carniolan Slavs / Old Slovenes / Southern Slovene, tribal confederation, in Austria and Slovenia. Ancestors of Slovenes. They descend in part from Nitran Slavs that were also the ancestors of the Slovaks.
- *** Dudleipa
- *** Duliebi
- *** Stodorane
- *** Susili
- ** Docleani / Diokletlians, in southern Montenegro
- ** Guduscani, in Lika, Croatia
- ** Kanalites, in southern Dalmatia
- ** Merehani / Southern Merehani, in Morava river, eastern Serbia. They descend from Moravian / Merehani tribal groups that migrated south of the Danube and over time differenciate themselves and were assimilated into South Slavs.
- ** Narentines / Neretvians, in central Dalmatia
- ** Pannonian Slavs, in west Pannonian Plain, west of the Danube river, roughly in today's west Hungary. They were assimilated by Magyars after they settled in Hungary.
- *** Pannonian Dulebes
- ** Praedenecenti / Eastern Abodriti / Eastern Obotrites, in Banat. They descend from Abodriti / Obotrites tribal groups that migrated south of the Danube and over time differenciate themselves and were assimilated into South Slavs.
- ** Sava Slavs, roughly in the plain between the Sava and Mura rivers. Ancestors of part of Croats.
- ** Timočani, in eastern Serbia
- ** Travunians / Terbunians, in Herzegovina and western Montenegro
- ** White Croats, in Lesser Poland and Bohemia, ancestors of Croats, some Bosnians, Czechs, Poles
- *** Croats
- ** White Serbs / Boiki / Sorbs, in Lower Lusatia, Germany. Ancestors of Sorbs, and ancestors of ancestors of Serbs
- *** Serbs
- ** Zachumliani / Zachlumians, in southern Dalmatia
- * East South Slavic group
- ** Berziti / Bersites, in Ohrid, Macedonia
- ** Drougoubitai / Draguvites, in Southern Bulgaria, Slavic and Greek Macedonia
- ** Keramisians, in Slavic / Northern Macedonia.
- ** Marvaci / Marvatsi, in Rhodopes
- ** Seven Slavic tribes, tribal confederation, in northern Bulgaria and Southern Romania
- ** Severians, in Dobrudja, / Severes / Severi, northeast Bulgaria and Southeastern Romania, the Severians were an East Slavic tribe, part of the tribal groups that migrated southward and southwest formed a union with the Seven Slavic tribes and over time differenciate themselves and were assimilated into South Slavs.
- ** Sklavenoi / Sclaveni Proper
- *** Baiounitai / Bainuites / Vajunites, originally in Macedonia, later in Epirus
- *** Belegezites / Velegezites, in Thessaly
- *** Ezerites, in the Peloponnese
- *** Melingoi, in the Peloponnese
- *** Rynchines / Rhynchinoi, also Recchines, in Greek Macedonia, Northern Chalkidiki and southern slopes of the Rhodopes.
- *** Sagudates, in southern Greek Macedonia
- ** Smolyani, in the Rhodopes, southern Bulgaria and northern Greece
- ** Strymonites, near the Struma river, southern Bulgaria and northern Greece
Unclassified Slavic peoples and tribes
- Znetalici
Possible Slavic peoples and tribes
Slavic, Baltic or Finno-Ugric (Uralic)
- Budini
- Vends
Slavic or Sarmatian
- Zeriuani / Zeruiani
Slavic or Turkic
- Sebbirozi