During the times of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Bobruysk was a center of the small sub-district located within a Rechitsa district (called Pawet) of the Minsk province. It seems like most of the Jews only started to settle it in the 18th century. According to Jewish Virtual Library, in 1766 there were 359 Jewish taxpayers in Bobruysk.
The situation changed when Russians took over this land. They promptly reorganized the local administration. Bobruysk was elevated to be a center of the newly formed district. Its territory was greatly expanded, mostly in the western part, by the lands taken from the Slutsk district. The map below shows approximate 18 century sub-district borders in green and 19th century borders in red.
These newly acquired territories also added large Jewish population. In 1784, barely a decade before the last Polish partition, there was a Lithuanian census which listed many villages were Jews lived in the Slutsk kahal. These are shown on the map with the star of David icon. Many of these communities were 1-2 family only. Following the official orders many Jews were forced to migrate from villages to the nearby towns. Since majority of the communities added to Bobruysk district were located between the towns of Urechye and Glusk, they undoubtedly contributed to their growth, although many possibly made it to further towns including the local center that Bobruysk was to become.
Further in 1811 now Russian census listed only a handful places where Jews lived. These are shown as red circles on the map: Urechye and Glusk on the west. Lubonichi, Svisloch and Bobruysk on the north. Parichi and Ozarichi in the south with Pobolovo and Kazimirovo on the east.