Georgia is a country located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, bordered by Russia to the north, Turkey and Armenia to the south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast, with access to the Black Sea in the west. Its capital, Tbilisi, is a historic cultural hub where Eastern and Western influences meet in architecture, language, and cuisine. Georgia’s long history dates back to ancient kingdoms such as Colchis and Iberia, and it later became one of the first countries in the world to adopt Christianity in the 4th century. The country is known for its diverse geography -- from the snow-capped Caucasus Mountains to fertile valleys and subtropical coasts -- as well as for its unique alphabet and ancient winemaking tradition, which UNESCO recognizes as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage. As of January 1, 2025, Georgia had a population of 3,704,500, including migrants, according to materials from the National Statistics Service of Georgia, “Sakstat.”[1]
Ethnicity in GeorgiaEthnicity in Georgia
Georgians account for 83.8% of the total population, Azerbaijanis 6.5%, Armenians 5.7%, Russians 1.5%, and other ethnicities 2.5%. Historical circumstances influenced how peoples settled across the territory of modern Georgia. In the late feudal period, Armenians and Azerbaijanis moved to eastern and southern Georgia, where they now make up a significant share of rural residents. In the 19th century, Armenians from Turkey settled in the southern regions of Georgia and in many towns. A number of Russian settlements in southern Georgia were founded by Russian religious sectarians persecuted by the authorities.
The data show that one-third of Georgia’s population lives in Tbilisi -- 1,282,600 people. According to the National Statistics Service, 61.5% of the country’s population resides in urban areas. Western Georgia is characterized by a more homogeneous ethnic composition; in its villages, the population is almost exclusively Georgian. Languages: Georgian (official) 71%, Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azerbaijani 6%, other 7%.
Georgian languageGeorgian language
The Georgian language belongs to the Kartvelian branch of the Caucasian languages, which also includes Megrelian, Svan, and Laz. The isolation of mountain villages scattered in hard-to-reach gorges between the ridges of the Greater Caucasus fostered the formation of different Georgian dialects and the emergence of distinctive ethnic and ethnographic groups. This explains certain linguistic features as well as some customs and aspects of daily life. Thus among the Megrels and Svans, in addition to the Georgian literary language, there are local oral varieties closely related to Georgian and regarded as its dialects. Georgian is the only language among the Ibero-Caucasian (Kartvelian, Abkhaz-Adyghe, Vainakh, and Daghestanian) languages to have an ancient alphabetic script.
The unique shapes of its letters are unlike those of any other alphabet in the world. The modern Georgian script took on its final form with the introduction of printing in 1709. The Georgian alphabet consists of 33 symbols (5 vowels and 28 consonants). Georgian writing is read from left to right.[2]
Religion in GeorgiaReligion in Georgia
Georgia is the second country (after Armenia) to have adopted Christianity as a state religion, in 326 CE. Orthodox Christianity is the predominant religion: the majority of the population -- about 83% -- belongs to the Georgian Orthodox Church.
In addition, the country is home to Muslims, Armenian Christians, Catholics, Jews, and members of other religious groups. Some Abkhazians, as well as Georgians from the southern and southwestern regions (such as Adjara), practice Sunni Islam. Most Azerbaijanis are Muslims.
Armenians, Greeks, and Russians have their own Orthodox churches, and there is also a small Catholic community in Georgia. There is also a historical layer of ancient pagan beliefs, such as the cults of Mithra and Zeus.[3]
How to research Georgian genealogyHow to research Georgian genealogy
The National Archives of Georgia in Tbilisi serve as the central repository for historical and genealogical records across the country. Its Central Historical Archive preserves a wide range of sources, including metric books of various religious denominations (Orthodox, Armenian-Gregorian, Catholic, and Lutheran), confession registers, revision lists from the Russian Empire, family registers, urban resident lists, fragments of the 1897 census, marriage contracts, and court and notarial documents. The Archive of Recent History contains Soviet-era materials such as personal employment files, trade-union and party records, Komsomol cards, kolkhoz registers, and residential registration documents, while the Cartographic and Photo Fonds hold detailed maps, town plans, and street surveys.
In addition to the main archive in Tbilisi, regional archives exist in Kutaisi, Batumi, Zugdidi, Telavi, and other cities. They contain vital records, notarial acts, school lists, and municipal fonds, though some materials -- particularly those from Abkhazia -- were lost during the conflicts of the 1990s. Church repositories are equally important: the Georgian Orthodox Church maintains duplicates of parish books and clerical records, while Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Lutheran, and Jewish communities preserve their own registries, marriage contracts, and cemetery lists.
From the 1920s onward, civil registration (ZAGS) provides official records of births, marriages, and deaths, remaining the most complete source for the Soviet and post-Soviet periods. Municipal sources, such as house books, registration cards, school and university records, and notarial or land books, complement this data. Researchers can also find valuable information in military and repressive fonds (service lists, conscription cards, WWII participant lists, and investigative files), as well as in press archives, directories, and cemetery inscriptions in Georgian, Russian, Armenian, or Hebrew.
Working in Georgian archives requires attention to language and naming conventions -- records may appear in Georgian, Russian, or Armenian, and surnames often vary in spelling. Searches should take into account historical administrative divisions such as the Tiflis or Kutaisi governorates. When ordering files, applicants must typically provide proof of kinship or a formal request justification. Access to recent or sensitive records may be restricted. For lost fonds, researchers can turn to duplicate parish records, newspapers, or central fonds in Tbilisi.
See alsoSee also
Explore more about Gerogian genealogy:Explore more about Gerogian genealogy:
- Ethnicity map of Georgia at MyHeritage
- From Coventry to Georgia: My DNA Journey That Rewrote Our Family Tree at MyHeritage Blog