Hanover (Hannover) Jurisdictions

The ecclesiastial/secular authorities of the Kingdom of Hanover
The authorities (Obrigkeiten) were persons or institutions of secular or ecclesiastical nature who were installed to exercise power in factual and legal ways over the population in the Kingdom of Hanover. The populace owed obedience to the hierarchy. The religious rulers were the Catholic bishops and abbots and the Evangelical superintendants. The local priest was the man in charge within his parish boundaries. The secular leaders were the king and the landowners. Following are the names of various administrations in the Kingdom of Hanover:

Secular administrations were: Amt Amtsvogtei Bergamt Berggericht Burgvogtei Commissariat Gericht Gohgericht Gräfengericht Magistrat Patrimonialgericht Standesherrliches Amt Strukturgericht Vogteigericht

Ecclesiastical administrations were: Klosteramt Kirchenspielgericht Stiftsamt

The Kingdom of Hanover was divided into Landdrosteibezirke (largest districts) to which belonged Fürstenthümer (principalities) and/or Grafschaften (earldoms) and Herzogthümer (duchies). Thus the Kingdom of Hanover was administered into:



 1. Landdrostei Aurich

2. Landdrostei Osnabrück

3. Landdrostei Stade

4. Landdrostei Lüneburg

5. Landdrostei Hannover

 6. Landdrostei Hildesheim

7. Berghauptmannschaft

This link lists in alphabetical order all villages in the Kingdom of Hanover with their various jurisdictions. The register is found in Statistisches Handbuch für das Königreich Hannover by Harseim and Schlüter, published in 1848.