In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I do not have any further information on the people mentioned.
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Name: Air Force Warrant Officer August Lapiņš, born September 3, 1902, died August 29, 1931.
Location: Meža kapi, Rīga
This is part of my series of interesting newspaper articles that I find in the old Latvian newspapers available through Periodika. Most of the articles I post are in some way related to migration, wars or other events that are of particular genealogical note.
Source: Ventas Balss (Venta’s Voice), February 22, 1940
Surname changes without well-founded reasons
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has already received 1655 requests for changes of surname. Some of the applicants have already been granted their chosen surnames. However, it has been noted that many people, who already have Latvian surnames, want to change them for new ones. The Ministry has received a number of requests where residents with surnames such as ZaÄ·is, Gailis, etc. want to change their surname to something more common. There are even occasions where people with pleasant Latvian surnames, for example, Daija (meaning – a tool used to dam rivers), who want to call themselves Lazdiņš. NorÄ«tis wants to become Noriņš. The Ministry would like to remind people that if they already have Latvian surnames that are not demeaning, rude or obscene, they do not have a well-founded reason to change them.
As I already described with this news article, surname changes were very popular in early 1940. However, the strict rules in place meant that not everyone could do it – you could only change your name to an ethnic Latvian surname if you were an ethnic Latvian, you could not choose a very common surname, you could not choose a non-Latvian surname if you were an ethnic Latvian, you could not change your surname if it was considered to be a pleasant Latvian surname. As the article above indicates, you also couldn’t change the diminutive ending of your name (Noriņš vs. NorÄ«tis as above – both mean the same thing, just a different diminutive form). After the surname change process got under way, the authorities also began to limit the number of families who could change to any given surname – the newspapers tell me this number was originally 30 families, but it seems to have gone up to 50.
The first name to be restricted was Straume (meaning “river current”), followed in short order by Krauja, Veldre, Atvars, LÄ«dums, Strauts, Salna, Vilnis, Dzelme, Dzintars, Ritums, Klints, Avots, Austrums, Kalve, Krasts, BrÄ«vkalns, BajÄrs, Grava, Sarma, Selga, Zelmenis, Roga, VÄ“tra, EglÄjs, ArÄjs, KalnÄjs, Ziediņš, Grants, Aigars, Leja, Raits, Rasa, Ziemelis – and these, along with four others that I have not been able to identify yet, were already restricted by June 1. After June 1, eleven more were added to the list: Banga, Drava, Grauds, Lejnieks, Pumpurs, Rožkalns, SalnÄjs, Smilga, SÅ«na, TÄ“rauds, Vaivars. If names were restricted at 30 or 50 families, this gives you an idea of the scope of the surname changing frenzy in these few short months, since many other surnames were being chosen as well. These restrictions also do not include the most common surnames amongst Latvians, which were already restricted beforehand – names such as Kalniņš, BÄ“rziņš, Ozoliņš, KrÅ«miņš, etc.
Pick one of the names in your Latvian family tree. If you were living in Latvia in 1940, would you have been eligible to change your surname? If so, what would you have changed it to? If you know a meaning you’d like your name to have, but don’t know the Latvian word for it, just ask, or search the Latvian Surname Project to see if I have it in there!
This is part of my series of interesting newspaper articles and snippets that I find in the old Latvian newspapers available through Periodika. Most of the articles I post are in some way related to migration, wars or other events that are of particular genealogical or historical note.
Here we read about how early Latvian migrants to Brazil (that is, the migrants who went to Brazil before the large Baptist migration of the early 1920s) felt about the news they were getting from a Latvia in the midst of the War of Independence.
Source: Baltijas VÄ“stnesis (Baltic Herald), February 20, 1920
How Brazil’s Latvians feel about Latvia’s suffering
We just received word from our correspondent in Brazil, a letter from Mr. A. Schmidt (earlier a trader in CÄ“sis and LiepÄja), who provides an overview of the feelings and impressions of Brazil’s Latvians, after the takeover of RÄ«ga’s newspapers during the Bermontian attack on Latvia:
“The heart beats quickly, reading news of Latvia. The meeting of the People’s Council, patriotism, telegrams from the French mission, the Allied commission, the Danes mentioning RÄ«ga’s suffering! It stirred great feelings against the Bermontians and their terror, but the song of the people won’t disappear under their snarls: “That which the German did to me, I will do the German.” May they go off to the Fatherland. Latvia for Latvians!
I send you the Brazilian (Portuguese) newspapers and “Graudi” [NB:”Grain”] in Latvian. The latter is the only Latvian periodical in South America.
On November 11, 1918, a Latvian battalion arrived in Brazil from Archangelsk. The trip took almost two months, and difficulties along the way were great and there were many many delays, until they made it here from Archangelsk.
Brazil’s Latvians also ask that these attached letters make it to the addressed people: Mr. J. Schmiidt in Limbaži (JÅ«ras street), Mr. J. Blankenburg in LiepÄja (Graudu street), Mr. K. Schmidt in Moscow. It is not known if the aformentioned people stil live at these addresses, so we send them to you and ask that the addressees respond to receive them.
It is easy to forget in this world of instant communication that just a hundred years ago it was not possible. Transatlantic telephone calls only started to become possible in the 1920s, and it was decades after that before people could call internationally directly from their homes. People needed to send letters, or watch newspapers for news of loved ones. Latvian newspapers during the First World War were full of notices from readers looking for their lost relatives. If there is interest, I can start posting some of these notices as well. Yes? No?
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I usually don’t have any more information on the people mentioned, but on rare occasions, I do – like this one.
JÄnis Ducens was a member of Latvia’s first Saeima (Parliament), and later the Minister of Defense. He was born in Jaunpiebalga parish, studied at the RÄ«ga Alexander Gymnasium, then Moscow University, and also at the Petrograd Nicholas Engineer-Officer Academy until the Bolshevik takeover in 1917, at which point he left the army and returned to Latvia, joining the Latvian Farmer’s Union. He participated in Latvia’s declaration of independence on November 18, 1918 and later on served in the Kalpaks battalion in the Latvian War of Independence. From 1922 to 1923, he served in the first Saeima, and the following year served as the Minister of Defense. He died of a stroke in 1925 at the age of 37. (Biography from Latvian Wikipedia, summarized and translated by me.)
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Name: Defense Minister JÄnis Ducens, born January 17, 1888, died October 7, 1925.
Right Inscription: “MūžīgÄ mierÄ Å¡e dus Latvijas zemnieka dÄ“ls, kareivju aizstÄvis droÅ¡s, karavÄ«rs dižens un cÄ“ls” (“Resting here in eternal sleep is the son of the Latvian farmer, brave defender of soldiers, a soldier great and noble”)
Location: Meža kapi, Rīga
From the marks on the tombstone, it is evident that there used to be other decorations on it – probably related to the military in some way. These were likely destroyed during the Soviet era, as the Soviet government did not respect the graves of independent Latvia’s military or government personnel, and decorations or portraits that reminded people of independent Latvia were often removed. Some have since been restored, but unfortunately many graves are still in their damaged state.
I’ve run into a small problem here with the calendar giveaway…. five entries, but only four calendars.
So I’ve decided to resolve this situation by asking a series of questions… let’s see how much people have been paying attention!
Leave your answers here! First four responses to get the correct answers win!
This is part of my series of interesting newspaper articles that I find in the old Latvian newspapers available through Periodika. Most of the articles I post are in some way related to migration, wars or other events that are of particular genealogical note.
Source: Latvijas Sargs (Latvian Guard), February 15, 1922
Looking for Heirs
The Latvian delegation from the United States has announced that a Francis Pipins, son of Donats, belonging to the Izabelinska parish [NB: later known as Skaista parish], Daugavpils county, has died and left an inheritance. As heirs they are looking for Antons Pipiņš and Rosols Pipiņš. More information is available from the Foreign Ministry’s Western section.
The Latvian delegation in the United States is also looking for the relatives of deceased sailor Jose RozentÄls, so that they can be paid a $1500 insurance settlement. RozentÄls was serving on the ship SS Florence. Relatives of J. RozentÄls can turn to the Foreign Ministry’s Western section.
The Latvian consular agent in Vancouver has announced that they are looking for the heirs of a JÄnis Pasts (who died in Canada), and who are eligible to receive several hundred dollars by submitting notarized documents proving a relationship and a power of attorney to the Foreign Ministry, who will send the documents to the consular agent. The aforementioned JÄnis Pasts was in Siberia in about 1910, from there travelled to San Francisco, and in about 1915 moved to Canada. He was injured in a mine and died in the Prince Rupert city hospital on October 14, 1918. The deceased belonged to Laicene parish in Valka county.
The Foreign Ministry’s Western section is asking for the parents or close relatives of G. BÄ“rziņš to contact them to receive an inheritance. G. BÄ“rziņš died serving in the Australian army.
Heir hunting can be a big business in the modern era, but it was also important in years past. Here we have four separate cases – two of Latvians in the United States, one of a Latvian in Canada, and one of a Latvian in Australia, with varying amounts of information about the deceased. The information on the last one – a “G. BÄ“rziņš” – is particularly thin, especially when you consider that BÄ“rziņš is one of the most popular Latvian surnames. However, the website Russian Anzacs by Elena Govor provides some more information on someone who is quite likely this individual. The website tells us that his first name is George (in Latvian would be Juris or Georgs), he was born on January 31, 1892 in Valmiera. He arrived in Australia in 1911 on the ship Socotra and was a labourer in Broken Hill. He was killed in action on August 4, 1916, presumably in France, based on his place of burial (Serre Road Cemetery No. 2). I wonder if George’s parents knew that he had made it all the way to Australia, only to return to Europe and be killed in the First World War?
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I do not have any further information on the people mentioned.
This stone is interesting for two reasons – one, the surname is clearly an ethnic Latvian surname, but the stone was chosen to be written in German, even in the 1930s, so what their ethnicity was is a bit unclear. The second interesting feature is that it lists birthdates in the Old Style (Julian calendar), but death dates in the New Style (Gregorian calendar), marking them both as such. Usually in such cases where someone was born under the old calendar but died during the new calendar, the birthdate would be transitioned to the new calendar.
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Names: Jakob Heinrich Lejnieks, born July 10, 1875 [O.S.], died July 26, 1937 [N.S.]; Elisabeth Lejnieks (maiden name Narring), born February 3, 1876 [O.S.], died September 12, 1939 [N.S.]
Location:Meža kapi, Rīga
Welcome back to Surname Saturday at Discovering Latvian Roots!
Where did our surnames come from? That is always a question that we wonder. Since most ethnic Latvians got their surnames relatively recently (in terms of the entire scope of human history), a number of these stories have survived, so I’m going to share some with you!
These stories come from the book UzvÄrdu doÅ¡ana Vidzemes un Kurzemes zemniekiem (The Giving of Surnames to Peasants of Vidzeme and Kurzeme) by Kristaps Upelnieks, published in 1938.
Today’s story:
In 1826, when the people of Vidzeme were given surnames, many people in Patkule parish ended up with unusual surnames ending with “ons” (Naktons, Rudzons, KvieÅ¡ons, etc.), which aroes in this manner: The estate scribe had the surname “Laimons”, and after the giving of surnames he added “ons” to the ending of every other Patkulian surname. The people of Patkule do not use the “ons” ending in conversation.
-Submitted by A. Maldups in Patkule.
When I read this story, I immediately went to the revision lists for Patkule estate and yes, this is very much the case. I looked at the 1826 revision list, and, out of 46 names, 29 ended in “ohn” (the old style for “-ons” or “-onis”) and 7 ended in “ahn”, which could be a related ending. While this is not the “every Patkulian surname” described in the anecdote, it is pretty close, and also a significant percentage, because I have not seen the surname ending “ohn” so regularly or often, so this is an interesting story to explain it.
The -ohn surnames, written as they appear:
| Ackohn | Ardohn | Arklohn | Ehwelohn |
| Egglohn | Gohdohn | Graudohn | Kaltohn |
| Kannepohn | Kirsohn | Kweeschohn | Laimohn |
| Lehzohn | Leitohn | Mantohn | Meeschohn |
| Miglohn | Miltohn | Petersohn* | Puppohn |
| Rassohn | Rudsohn | Saulohn | Sibsnohn |
| Swaigsnohn | Swarpstohn | Wegohn | Wehjohn |
| Zirpohn |
(*Petersohn is starred because it is a patronymic-style surname, rather than one of the peculiarities we are examining here, but it does technically end in -ohn as well, so I’m mentioning it for clarity’s sake.)
Many of these names are quite common, when you take away the “ohn” ending – Egle (Egglohn), Grauds (Graudohn), Kaņeps (Kannepohn), Kviesis (Kweeschohn), Miezis (Meeschohn), Rudzis (Rudsohn), Saule (Saulohn), Zvaigzne (Swaigsnohn). Did the scribe do this so that the names of the people of Patkule would look different from other Latvian surnames? Or was it just his hubris regarding his own surname that he wanted to project on to others? That part we may never know.
Do all Latvians with surnames that end in “-ons” or “-onis” originate from Patkule? I don’t think so, but it is not a particularly common ending outside of its appearance in the “-sons” of patronymic-style surnames, so if you’re stuck and your surname does end in a non-patronymic “-ons” or “-onis”, then you can always give the Patkule records a look to see if your ancestors can be found there.
In this series, I am providing pictures of tombstones from Latvian cemeteries, all with death dates prior to 1945. I do not have any further information on the people mentioned.
Photo taken by me, October 2012. Click to enlarge.
Names: Valdis Mazpulis born August 6, 1921, died October 30, 1930; JÄnis Mazpulis, born September 29, 1885, died August 25, 1936.
Location: Meža kapi, Rīga
The First World War was a time of chaos across Europe. And yet, there was order as well, at least in Latvian territory and amongst Latvians residing elsewhere. The documentation surrounding Latvian refugees of the First World War is extremely comprehensive, though not easily accessible. But hopefully that will change over time.
During the First World War in Latvian territory, the front lines were mostly around the Daugava river, which mean that the German forces had occupied most of the Kurland province (modern-day Kurzeme and Zemgale provinces). While some residents of Kurland remained, estimates say that roughly two-thirds of the province’s inhabitants went north and east to avoid the war front. They went to the Livland province (modern-day Vidzeme and southern Estonia), but also further afield into inner Russia, Ukraine and points further east. I wrote about my family’s First World War story here. They were not from Kurland, but they lived in Krustpils, which was just on the other side of the Daugava from Kurland, so for safety’s sake, they left as well.
Where does the documentation on these refugees reside? As with most Latvian genealogical documents, at the Latvian State Historical Archives. None of it is currently online, with the exception of some church registers from a “refugee congregation” in Tallinn. The main document collections (fonds) you’ll want to look at at the archives are 5626 (Baltijas latvieÅ¡u bÄ“gļu apgÄdÄÅ¡anas komiteja – Baltic Latvian Refugee Relief Committee) and 3234 (abstracts 1a and 13 – refugee and prisoner of war documents).
The first fond, 5626, has these sorts of documents:
Fond 3234, in addition to having all sorts of other genealogically-related documents (citizenship acquisition/loss, name changes, etc.) has the following types of refugee documents in abstracts 1a and 13:
As you can see, there is a whole wealth of potential information. The documents that I have found most useful are the registration books of returning refugees. These will tell you when your Latvian ancestors returned to Latvia, and, often, where they were coming from. Your ancestors could have been living somewhere as close as Moscow, or as far afield as Tashkent or Omsk. If you’re not sure where in Latvia your ancestors were from, these can be pivotal documents – mostly dating from between 1920 and 1923, they will describe the family traveling together back to Latvia, where they were going in Latvia, where in Latvia they were from originally, and often mentions of supporting documents and their registration numbers – this can make life a lot easier when trying to hunt down other records!
However, these documents are not digitized, and the alphabetical registers that direct you to the proper registration book are in very poor condition, so the archival staff are reluctant to give them to visitors on a regular basis. Next time I’m there, I’ll see what I can do about asking them if I can digitize these valuable documents for them, to save on the wear-and-tear and make them more accessible.
Have you made use of the World War One-era refugee documents? Any tips of your own to share? Add them in comments!