List of towns and cities in Germany by historical population

The list of the largest German cities provides an overview of the most populous cities that were located in contemporary German territory at the time of the individual statistics.

Industrialization in the 19th century, especially since the Gründerzeit and the foundation of the German Empire in 1871, brought with it increased urbanization in Germany, leading to a largely urbanized society.

The following tables show historical population figures of German cities according to the respective area status. Also listed is the superordinate administrative unit (state, country, kingdom, province, district) to which the city belonged in the corresponding year. The following historical and current German state entities were taken into account:

Current information can be found in the list of cities in Germany by population.

Antiquity

edit
 
Model of Trier in the 4th century

Ancient Rome developed from 200 B.C. and spread from Italy to northern Italy, northern Africa (Tunisia) and central Europe in the following period. The heyday of the ancient Romans can be seen in the 1st to 3rd century A.D., many ancient ruins date from this period.

Roman cities in Germany were mainly built along the Rhine and Danube:

Middle Ages to modern times

edit

With the migration of peoples in the 5th century, the ancient cities on the territory of present-day Germany were largely decayed. Only Augsburg, Regensburg, Trier and Cologne have been preserved as cities. The number of cities in Central Europe remained very small until about 1100 with a few hundred. By far the largest number of new cities was created in the following 250 years, when numerous cities were founded from 1120 onwards, mostly by an act of foundation and town planning. Around the beginning of the modern era, at the beginning of the 16th century, the free and imperial cities as well as the residence cities were the most important cities (among others, today mainly Dutch, French and Belgian cities):

1500

edit

The population figures are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Prague 70,000 Bohemia
2 Cologne 45,000 Cologne
3 Nuremberg 38,000 Nuremberg
4 Augsburg 30,000 Augsburg
5 Lübeck 25,000 Lübeck
Breslau 25,000 Silesia
7 Regensburg 22,000 Regensburg
8 Vienna 20,000 Austria
Strasbourg 20,000 Strasbourg

1700

edit
 
Holy Roman Empire 1789

The population figures are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Vienna 114,000 Austria
2 Hamburg 70,000 Hamburg
3 Antwerp 66,000 Brabant
4 Brussels 65,000 Brabant
5 Ghent 52,000 Flanders
6 Liège 45,000 Liège
7 Breslau 40,000 Silesia
8 Cologne 39,000 Cologne
Prague 39,000 Bohemia
10 Bruges 36,000 Flanders
11 Nuremberg 35,000 Nuremberg
12 Berlin 30,000 Brandenburg
13 Frankfurt am Main 28,000 Frankfurt am Main
14 Bremen 27,000 Bremen
15 Augsburg 26,000 Augsburg
16 Munich 24,000 Bavaria
17 Lübeck 23,000 Lübeck
18 Dresden 22,000 Saxony
19 Mainz 20,000 Mainz
Regensburg 20,000 Regensburg

1750

edit

The population figures are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Vienna 175,000 Austria
2 Berlin 113,000 Prussia
3 Hamburg 75,000 Hamburg
4 Prague 59,000 Bohemia
5 Brussels 57,000 Austrian Netherlands
Liège 57,000 Lüttich
7 Breslau 55,000 Prussia
8 Dresden 52,000 Saxony
9 Antwerp 43,000 Austrian Netherlands
Cologne 43,000 Cologne
11 Gent 39,000 Austrian Netherlands
12 Leipzig 35,000 Saxony
13 Frankfurt am Main 32,000 Frankfurt am Main
Munich 32,000 Bavaria
Augsburg 32,000 Augsburg
16 Bruges 30,000 Austrian Netherlands
Nuremberg 30,000 Nuremberg
18 Bremen 28,000 Bremen
19 Braunschweig 25,000 Braunschweig-Lüneburg
20 Mainz 24,000 Mainz

1800

edit

The population figures are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Vienna 231,000 Austria
2 Berlin 172,000 Prussia
3 Hamburg 130,000 Hamburg
4 Prague 75,000 Bohemia
5 Dresden 61,000 Saxony
6 Königsberg 60,000 Prussia
7 Breslau 54,000 Prussia
8 Cologne 41,000 Cologne
9 Danzig 40,000 Prussia
Munich 40,000 Bavaria
11 Bremen 36,000 Bremen
12 Frankfurt am Main 35,000 Frankfurt am Main
13 Augsburg 32,000 Augsburg
Leipzig 32,000 Saxony
15 Braunschweig 31,000 Braunschweig-Lüneburg
Graz 31,000 Austria
17 Nuremberg 25,000 Nuremberg
18 Aachen 24,000 Aachen
Lübeck 24,000 Lübeck
20 Altona 23,000 Holstein

1849

edit
 
German Confederation 1815–1866

The population and area status refer to the census of 3 December 1849.

Rank City Population State
1 Vienna 426,415 Austria
2 Berlin 423,902 Prussia
3 Hamburg 157,450 Hamburg
4 Prague 124,181 Austria
5 Breslau 110,702 Prussia
6 Munich 96,396 Bavaria
7 Cologne 94,789 Prussia
8 Dresden 94,092 Saxony
9 Königsberg 75,240 Prussia
10 Graz 65,788 Austria
11 Triest 63,931 Austria
12 Danzig 63,910 Prussia
13 Leipzig 62,374 Saxony
14 Frankfurt am Main 59,316 Frankfurt am Main
15 Magdeburg 56,181 Prussia
16 Bremen 53,478 Bremen
17 Nuremberg 50,828 Bavaria
18 Aachen 50,533 Prussia
19 Brno 49,460 Austria
20 Stuttgart 47,837 Württemberg

1880

edit
 
German Empire 1871–1918

The population and area status refer to the census of 1 December 1880.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 1,122,330 Prussia
2 Hamburg 289,859 Hamburg
3 Breslau 272,912 Prussia
4 Munich 230,023 Bavaria
5 Dresden 220,818 Saxony
6 Leipzig 149,081 Saxony
7 Cologne 144,772 Prussia
8 Königsberg 140,909 Prussia
9 Frankfurt am Main 136,819 Prussia
10 Hanover 122,843 Prussia
11 Stuttgart 117,303 Württemberg
12 Bremen 112,453 Bremen
13 Danzig 108,551 Prussia
14 Strasbourg 104,471 Elsaß-Lothringen
15 Nuremberg 99,519 Bavaria
16 Magdeburg 97,539 Prussia
17 Barmen 95,941 Prussia
18 Düsseldorf 95,458 Prussia
19 Chemnitz 95,123 Saxony
20 Elberfeld 93,538 Prussia

1910

edit
 
Population density of the German Empire

The population and area status refer to the census of 1 December 1910.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 2,071,257 Prussia
2 Hamburg 931,035 Hamburg
3 Munich 596,467 Bavaria
4 Leipzig 589,850 Saxony
5 Dresden 548,308 Saxony
6 Cologne 516,527 Prussia
7 Breslau 512,105 Prussia
8 Frankfurt am Main 414,576 Prussia
9 Düsseldorf 358,728 Prussia
10 Nuremberg 333,142 Bavaria
11 Charlottenburg 305,978 Prussia
12 Hanover 302,375 Prussia
13 Essen 294,653 Prussia
14 Chemnitz 287,807 Saxony
15 Stuttgart 286,218 Württemberg
16 Magdeburg 279,629 Prussia
17 Bremen 247,437 Bremen
18 Königsberg 245,994 Prussia
19 Rixdorf 237,289 Prussia
20 Stettin 236,113 Prussia

1919

edit
 
Weimar Republic 1917–1937

The population and area status refer to the census of 8 October 1919.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 1,902,509 Prussia
2 Hamburg 985,779 Hamburg
3 Cologne 633,904 Prussia
4 Munich 630,711 Bavaria
5 Leipzig 604,380 Saxony
6 Dresden 529,326 Saxony
7 Breslau 528,260 Prussia
8 Essen 439,257 Prussia
9 Frankfurt am Main 433,002 Prussia
10 Düsseldorf 407,338 Prussia
11 Nuremberg 352,675 Bavaria
12 Charlottenburg 322,766 Prussia
13 Hanover 310,431 Prussia
14 Stuttgart 309,197 Württemberg
15 Chemnitz 303,775 Saxony
16 Dortmund 295,026 Prussia
17 Magdeburg 285.856 Prussia
18 Neukölln 262,127 Prussia
19 Königsberg 260,895 Prussia
20 Bremen 257,923 Bremen

1939

edit
 
German Empire 1939

The population and area status refer to the census of 17 May 1939.

Rank City Population State
1 Greater Berlin 4,338,756 Prussia
2 Vienna 1,929,976 Ostmark
3 Hamburg 1,711,877 Hamburg
4 Munich 829,318 Bavaria
5 Cologne 772,221 Prussia
6 Leipzig 707,365 Saxony
7 Essen 666,743 Prussia
8 Dresden 630,216 Saxony
9 Breslau 629,565 Prussia
10 Frankfurt am Main 553,464 Prussia
11 Dortmund 542,261 Prussia
12 Düsseldorf 541,410 Prussia
13 Hanover 470,950 Prussia
14 Stuttgart 458,429 Württemberg
15 Duisburg 434,646 Prussia
16 Nuremberg 423,383 Bavaria
17 Wuppertal 401,672 Prussia
18 Königsberg 372,164 Prussia
19 Bremen 354,109 Bremen
20 Chemnitz 337,645 Saxony

1946

edit
 
The states of Germany 1947–1952 compared to the borders 1990–1992

The population and area status refer to the census of 29 October 1946.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 3,187,470 Berlin
2 Hamburg 1,403,300 Hamburg
3 Munich 751,967 Bavaria
4 Leipzig 607,655 Saxony
5 Essen 524,728 North Rhine-Westphalia
6 Cologne 491,380 North Rhine-Westphalia
7 Dresden 467,966 Saxony
8 Dortmund 436,491 North Rhine-Westphalia
9 Frankfurt am Main 424,065 Hesse
10 Düsseldorf 420,909 North Rhine-Westphalia
11 Stuttgart 413,528 Württemberg-Baden
12 Bremen 385,266 Bremen
13 Duisburg 356,408 North Rhine-Westphalia
14 Hanover 354,955 Hanover
15 Wuppertal 325,846 North Rhine-Westphalia
16 Nuremberg 312,338 Bavaria
17 Gelsenkirchen 265,793 North Rhine-Westphalia
18 Chemnitz 250,188 Saxony
19 Bochum 246,477 North Rhine-Westphalia
20 Magdeburg 236,326 Saxony-Anhalt

1975

edit

The population figures for the year 1975 are estimates.

Rank City Population State/District
1 Berlin1 3,083,011 Berlin
2 Hamburg 1,717,383 Hamburg
3 Munich 1,314,865 Bavaria
4 Cologne 1,013,771 North Rhine-Westphalia
5 Essen 677,568 North Rhine-Westphalia
6 Düsseldorf 664,336 North Rhine-Westphalia
7 Frankfurt am Main 636,157 Hesse
8 Dortmund 630,609 North Rhine-Westphalia
9 Stuttgart 600,421 Baden-Württemberg
10 Duisburg 591,635 North Rhine-Westphalia
11 Bremen 572,969 Bremen
12 Leipzig 566,630 Leipzig
13 Hannover 552,955 Lower Saxony
14 Dresden 509,331 Dresden
15 Nuremberg 499,060 Bavaria
16 Bochum 414,842 North Rhine-Westphalia
17 Wuppertal 405,369 North Rhine-Westphalia
18 Gelsenkirchen 322,584 North Rhine-Westphalia
19 Bielefeld 316,058 North Rhine-Westphalia
20 Mannheim 314,086 Baden-Württemberg

1: East Berlin (1,098,174) and West Berlin (1,984,837)

2000

edit
 
Germany since 1993

The population figures for the year 2000 are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 3,382,169 Berlin
2 Hamburg 1,715,392 Hamburg
3 Munich 1,210,223 Bavaria
4 Cologne 962,884 North Rhine-Westphalia
5 Frankfurt am Main 646,550 Hesse
6 Essen 595.243 North Rhine-Westphalia
7 Dortmund 588,994 North Rhine-Westphalia
8 Stuttgart 583,874 Baden-Württemberg
9 Düsseldorf 569,364 North Rhine-Westphalia
10 Bremen 539,403 Bremen
11 Hanover 515,001 Lower Saxony
12 Duisburg 514,915 North Rhine-Westphalia
13 Leipzig 493,208 Saxony
14 Nuremberg 488,400 Bavaria
15 Dresden 477,807 Saxony
16 Bochum 391,147 North Rhine-Westphalia
17 Wuppertal 366,434 North Rhine-Westphalia
18 Bielefeld 321,758 North Rhine-Westphalia
19 Mannheim 306,729 Baden-Württemberg
20 Bonn 302,247 North Rhine-Westphalia

2015

edit
 
Map of cities in Germany with more than 50,000 inhabitants 2014

The population figures for the year 2015 are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 3,520,031 Berlin
2 Hamburg 1,787,408 Hamburg
3 Munich 1,450,381 Bavaria
4 Cologne 1,060,582 North Rhine-Westphalia
5 Frankfurt am Main 732,688 Hesse
6 Stuttgart 623,738 Baden-Württemberg
7 Düsseldorf 612,178 North Rhine-Westphalia
8 Dortmund 586,181 North Rhine-Westphalia
9 Essen 582,624 North Rhine-Westphalia
10 Leipzig 560,472 Saxony
11 Bremen 557,464 Bremen
12 Dresden 543,825 Saxony
13 Hanover 532,163 Lower Saxony
14 Nuremberg 509,975 Bavaria
15 Duisburg 491,231 North Rhine-Westphalia
16 Bochum 364,742 North Rhine-Westphalia
17 Wuppertal 350,046 North Rhine-Westphalia
18 Bielefeld 333,090 North Rhine-Westphalia
19 Bonn 318,809 North Rhine-Westphalia
20 Münster 310,039 North Rhine-Westphalia

2020

edit

The population figures for the year 2020 are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 3,664,088 Berlin
2 Hamburg 1,852,478 Hamburg
3 Munich 1,488,202 Bavaria
4 Cologne 1,083,498 North Rhine-Westphalia
5 Frankfurt am Main 764,104 Hesse
6 Stuttgart 630,305 Baden-Württemberg
7 Düsseldorf 620,523 North Rhine-Westphalia
8 Leipzig 597,493 Saxony
9 Dortmund 587,696 North Rhine-Westphalia
10 Essen 582,415 North Rhine-Westphalia
11 Bremen 566,573 Bremen
12 Dresden 556,227 Saxony
13 Hanover 534,049 Lower Saxony
14 Nuremberg 515,543 Bavaria
15 Duisburg 495,885 North Rhine-Westphalia
16 Bochum 364,454 North Rhine-Westphalia
17 Wuppertal 355,004 North Rhine-Westphalia
18 Bielefeld 333,509 North Rhine-Westphalia
19 Bonn 330,579 North Rhine-Westphalia
20 Münster 316,403 North Rhine-Westphalia

2022

edit

The population figures for the year 2022 are estimates.

Rank City Population State
1 Berlin 3,755,251 Berlin
2 Hamburg 1,892,122 Hamburg
3 Munich 1,512,491 Bavaria
4 Cologne 1,084,831 North Rhine-Westphalia
5 Frankfurt am Main 773,068 Hesse
6 Stuttgart 632,865 Baden-Württemberg
7 Düsseldorf 629,047 North Rhine-Westphalia
8 Leipzig 616,093 Saxony
9 Dortmund 593,317 North Rhine-Westphalia
10 Essen 584,580 North Rhine-Westphalia
11 Bremen 569,396 Bremen
12 Dresden 563,311 Saxony
13 Hanover 545,045 Lower Saxony
14 Nuremberg 523,026 Bavaria
15 Duisburg 502,211 North Rhine-Westphalia
16 Bochum 365,742 North Rhine-Westphalia
17 Wuppertal 358,876 North Rhine-Westphalia
18 Bielefeld 338,332 North Rhine-Westphalia
19 Bonn 336,465 North Rhine-Westphalia
20 Münster 320,946 North Rhine-Westphalia

References

edit
  • Eberhard Isenmann: Die deutsche Stadt im Spätmittelalter, 1250–1500: Stadtgestalt, Recht, Stadtregiment, Kirche, Gesellschaft, Wirtschaft. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 1988, ISBN 3800125714.
  • Heinz Schilling: Die Stadt in der frühen Neuzeit. Enzyklopädie deutscher Geschichte. Band 24, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag, München 2004, ISBN 978-3-486-56765-6.
  • Wolfgang R. Krabbe: Die deutsche Stadt im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert: eine Einführung. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 1989, ISBN 3-525-33555-5.
  • Otto Hübner: Jahrbuch für Volkswirtschaft und Statistik, Verlag von Heinrich Hübner, Leipzig 1854
  • Kaiserliches Statistisches Amt (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich, 1880–1918
  • Statistisches Reichsamt (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch für das Deutsche Reich, 1919–1941/42
  • Deutscher Städtetag (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch Deutscher Gemeinden, 1890 ff.
  • Statistisches Bundesamt (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 1952 ff.
  • Staatliche Zentralverwaltung für Statistik (Hrsg.): Statistisches Jahrbuch der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik, 1955–1989