It’s been six months since I posted one of these lists… well, better late than never! The summer was very busy, and I moved, and only now have I recovered where I put these papers.

Onto the names! As before, these come from a list published in 1822 by the governing authorities in Latvia, encouraging the choice of Latvian surnames, as opposed to German or Polish or Russian ones. These follow earlier posts of Government Approved, Part 1, Government Approved, Part 2 and Government Approved, Part 3.

This week’s category: Names from Objects and Things. As before, if you don’t see your exact name here, don’t panic – the authorities did not recommend diminutive forms, but most often people disregarded that and went with them anyway. So if your surname looks like a name on this list, but ends in -iņš or -Ä«tis instead, it will have that same origin. Also as before, modern renditions in brackets. If I am not familiar with a name, I’ve made my best guess as to how it would be rendered in modern spelling. If there is no change, I have not put a name in brackets.

Ahkis (Āķis) Airis Ambults Arkls
Atbalsts Atspaids Auglis Auseklis
Austriņsch (Austriņš) Awots (Avots) Baļķis Balsens
Bars Behniņsch (Bēniņš) Besmers (Bezmērs) Birkaws (Birkavs)
Blohdis (Bļodis) Bluķķis (Bluķis) Bohmis (Bomis) Bunduls
Dahlers (Dālers) Dahrs (Dārzs) Dakschis (Dakšis) Dakstiņsch (Dakstiņš)
Dambis Deglis Dibbens (Dibens) Dihglis (DÄ«glis)
Dohbens (Dobens) Draudeklis Dsellons (Dzelonis) Dselskalns (Dzelzkalns)
Dsirkstels (Dzirkstele) Durwis (Durvis) Eemaukts (Iemaukts) Ehwels (Ä’vels)
Elkons (Elkonis) Enkurs Gabbans (Gabans) Galds
Gals Garrohsis (Garozs) Gehrbs (Ģērbs) Gredsens (Gredzens)
Grihsts (Griests) Ihlens (Īlens) Iskapts (Izkapts) Jummis (Jumis)
Kabats Kahts (Kāts) Kakls Kalts
Kammans (Kamanas) Kammesis (Kamiesis) Kammolsch (Kamols) Karrohgs (Karogs)
Karrohte (Karote) Kaschoks (Kažoks) Katls Kauls
Kausis Keegels (Ķieģelis) Klehpis (Klēpis) Klehts (Klēts)
Knohpis (Knopis) Kohklis (Koklis) Kohks (Koks) Krahsnis (Krāsns)
Krampis Krasts Krehsls (Krēsls) Krettuls (Kretuls)
KrohÄ·is (KroÄ·is) Kuhkuls (Kukuls) Kummoss (Kumoss) Kurwis (Kurvis)
Kuschķis (Kušķis) Laidars Lauks Lauschnis (Laušnis)
Leddus (Ledus) Leeschkers (Liešķeris) Lemmesis (Lemesis) Lezeklis (Leceklis)
Lihgotnis (LÄ«gotnis) Lohgs (Logs) Lohks (Loks) Lohzeklis (Loceklis)
Luhks (LÅ«ks) Lukturs Maiss Maks
Makschkeris (Makšķeris) Meeseris (Mieseris) Meets (Miets) Mehrs (Mērs)
Mehtels (Mētels) Mesch (Mežs) Muhris (Mūris) Nams
Nasis Niedris Pagalms Pagrabs
Pahlis (Pālis) Pakuls (Pakulas) Pamats Pameslis (Pamesls)
Papihrs (Papīrs) Paspahrnis (Paspārnis) Pawehnis (Pavēnis) Pellus (Pēlis)
Pihlars (Pīlārs) Pihtnis (Pītnis) Pils Plauksts
Plazzis (Plācis) Plezzis (Plecs) Pohds (Pods) Prahmis (Prāmis)
Puhrs (PÅ«rs) Pulks Pulkstens Pumpurs
Rags Raksts Rats Rausis
Reschģis (Režģis) Rihks (Rīks) Rihtenis (Ritenis) Rinķis (Riņķis)
Rittens (Ritenis) Rohbs (Robs) Rohzis (Rocis) Rullis
Sahbaks (Zābaks) Sakne Sakts Salms
Sars SchÄ·eets (Å Ä·iets) Schkede (Å Ä·Ä“de) Schkeps (Å Ä·eps)
Schkirsts (Šķirsts) Schkuhnis (Šķūnis) Schnoris (Šņoris) Schohgs (Žogs)
Seddels (SÄ“dels) Seeds (Zieds) Seegelis (ZÄ“Ä£elis) Seeks (SÄ«ks)
Seemels (Ziemelis) Seens (Siens) Seets (Siets) Sehdeklis (SÄ“deklis)
Sehgelis (ZÄ“Ä£elis) Sils Sislis Skabbargs (Skabarga)
Skaischķis (Skaišķis) Skaitlis Skurstins (Skurstens) Sneegs (Sniegs)
Sohbins (Zobens) Sohbs (Zobs) Spahrns (Spārns) Spals
Speegelis (Spīģelis) Spihdeklis (Spīdeklis) Spihkeris (Spīķeris) Spilwens (Spilvens)
Spohsts (Spožs) Stahds (Stāds) Stenders Stohbrs (Stobrs)
Stohps (Stops) Striķķis (Striķis) Stuhris (Stūris) Sturmis
Susseklis (Suseklis) Swahrguls (Zvārgulis) Swahrpsts (Svārpsts) Swammis (Svamis)
Swans (Zvans) Swars (Svars) Teegels (TÄ«Ä£elis) Telts
Tihkls (TÄ«kls) Tilts Tinneklis (Tineklis) Tirgus
Trauks Trummetis (Trumetis) Tscheekurs (Čiekurs) Tschuhplis (Čūplis)
Urbeklis Wadmals (Vadmala) Wahrds (Vārds) Waigs (Vaigs)
Wainaks (Vainags) Wakts (Vakts) Walgs (Valgs) Walnis (Valnis)
Wasks (Vasks) Weesulis (Viesulis) Wehjsch (Vējš) Wehsts (Vēsts)
Wellens (Velēna) Widdus (Vidus) Wihns (Vīns) Wilnis (Vilnis)
Zaurums (Caurums) Zeems (Ciems) Zeļsch (Ceļš) Zehrtnis (Cērtnis)
Zeplis (Ceplis) Zeppets (Cepetis) Zimds (Cimds) Zirwis (Cirvis)
Zukkurs (Cukurs)

Surname Saturday – Government Approved, Part 4
Tagged on:         

3 thoughts on “Surname Saturday – Government Approved, Part 4

  • Pingback: Latvian Surnames: Overview | A Latvian Canadian Story

  • November 30, 2011 at 10:58 pm
    Permalink

    I wold like to compliment you on the fine work you are doing — I also have a question. My grandfather was from the city of Riga, his name was Adolph Siman. Is Siman a proper Latvian surname?

  • May 6, 2012 at 7:23 am
    Permalink

    My father was born in Latvia. Sadly he died some years ago and I have been trying to research our family tree but cannot find any Glome (Now spelt Glomé). My grandparents were Line Mikela and Petris Hermana GLOME. We believe they lived in Bauska/Riga?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Please prove that you\'re a human! *