Picking up where we left off last week, talking about ancient names for Latvian territory – and now we’re moving into the Middle Ages, and then medieval and early modern eras! After the German crusaders invaded and gradually conquered the
Mappy Monday – Ancient Names for Latvian Territory
Latvia wasn’t always called Latvia – and for most of history, you won’t have found a place called “Latvia” on a map. Only in the 20th century did Latvia become an independent country. This also means that if you are
Mappy Monday – Ethnic and Religious Enclaves
Latvia is not and has never been one monoethnic entity. Certainly, Latvians – and Luteran Latvians, at that – have made up the majority, but they are not the only ones living in Latvia. Throughout the years, there have been
Finnic Influences in Latvia: Population Crossover
This is the third post in a series about Finnic influences in Latvia. You can read the first one about place names here and the second one about personal names here. Today we will be looking at population crossover. But
Wordless Wednesday – Abandoned Estonian Church in Lincoln County, Wisconsin
I know this is a blog about Latvian genealogy, but I’ve decided to make this post about our friends and neighbours, the Estonians. At the end of April and beginning of May, I was in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Lincoln County,
Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus from Discovering Latvian Roots!
Merry Christmas, or, as you would say in Latvian, Priecīgus Ziemassvētkus! Hope you and yours have a good holiday! And what would be a Latvian Christmas without pīrāgi (bacon buns)? Here is my dad, making pīrāgi yesterday… And here is
Where Could They Be From?
What do you do if you have little to go on when it comes to researching your Latvian ancestors? What if they emigrated in the late 1800s or early 1900s, and the only information that passenger lists or naturalization records
Ē is for Ērģeles
So what does the third Latvian letter of the Family History Through the Alphabet challenge get us? Ērģeles! I’ll admit, this one is a bit of a stretch. But there aren’t many Latvian words that start with Ē (a long
B is for Baptists and Brazil
Now up on the Family History through the Alphabet challenge… B is for Baptists and Brazil Now, you may be wondering what Baptists have to do with Brazil, and what either have to do with Latvia. Quite a lot actually!
“Who Do You Think You Are?” – Rashida Jones Episode Review
I never thought that this was something I’d end up doing on this blog – reviewing a Who Do You Think You Are? episode. But it has happened – last weekend’s episode took place partially in Latvia! The celebrity in