Hamburg: History, Former Names & Timeline
Port city on the Elbe, member of the Hanse and a free city to this day; Germany’s largest port.
HamburgExplore Hamburg in the interactive map
Former names of Hamburg
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AD 825 | Hammaburg | |
| 1200 | Hamburg |
Timeline of Hamburg
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| AD 831 | An archbishopric is set up and Ansgar begins his mission to the North |
| AD 845 | Vikings sack Hamburg |
| 1189 | By tradition Frederick Barbarossa grants the charter that frees the port from tolls |
| 1815 | Joins the German Confederation as a free city |
| 1842 | The Great Fire of Hamburg |
| 1943 | Allied bombing in Operation Gomorrah kills tens of thousands |
Who ruled Hamburg
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 400 BC–324 BC | Hallstatt culture |
| 323 BC–2 BC | Unclaimed / no data |
| 1 BC–99 | Roman Empire |
| 100–499 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 500–799 | Saxons |
| 800–899 | Carolingian Empire |
| 900–999 | East Francia |
| 1000–1699 | Holy Roman Empire |
| 1700–1782 | Sweden |
| 1783–1879 | Hamburg |
| 1880–1913 | Germany |
| 1914–1919 | German Empire |
| 1920–1944 | Germany |
| 1945–1959 | Germany (UK) |
| 1960–1993 | West Germany |
| 1994–today | Germany |
Nearby cities
- Lübeck · about 58 km
- Berlin · about 255 km
- Copenhagen · about 289 km
Further reading
Questions about Hamburg
What was Hamburg called in the past?
Hamburg has been known as Hammaburg (from AD 825). Its present name dates from 1200.
Which states have ruled Hamburg?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Hamburg lies within 12 different states: Hallstatt culture, Roman Empire, Saxons, Carolingian Empire, East Francia, Holy Roman Empire, Sweden, Hamburg, Germany, German Empire and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Hamburg?
AD 831: An archbishopric is set up and Ansgar begins his mission to the North. AD 845: Vikings sack Hamburg. 1189: By tradition Frederick Barbarossa grants the charter that frees the port from tolls. 1815: Joins the German Confederation as a free city. 1842: The Great Fire of Hamburg.
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.