Latvia Military Records

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Military Records

Online Resources

• 1800s-1900s Latvia Draft Registrations(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1800s-1900s Latvia Military Records(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1880s-1910s Latvia Mass Conscription Lists(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1880s-1910s Latvia Military Conscription Records(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1880s-1940s Latvia Military Service Records(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1900s Latvia Personnel Records(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1919-1940 Latvia Army Records(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images
• 1930s Latvia Military Identification Cards(*) at FamilySearch Explore Historical Images

Revision Lists

Revision lists are Population enumeration for the purpose of assessing a poll tax and identifying those for conscription into the military. These are an excellent source for identifying family groups. Due to the difficulty in using metrical books, the revision list provides the most information for the least amount of effort. The original returns are bound in volumes that are sometimes three to four feet thick, making them very difficult to handle except on microfilm.

Ten official revisions were conducted in the Russian Empire through 1859. Enumeration began in Latvia, after it was annexed by that empire, with the fifth revision (1795-1808), and continued with the sixth (1811), seventh (1815-1825), eighth (1833-1835), ninth (1850-1852) and tenth (1857-1859). There are some earlier revisions for portions of Livland that came under Russian rule at the beginning of the 18th century and were incorporated into Latvia. One copy was kept in the county treasury (uezdnoe kaznacheistvo) and the other was sent to the provincial fiscal chamber (gubernskaiia kazennaia palata). Separate lists were kept for the different social classes such as merchants (kupechestvo), townspeople (meshchane) and peasants (krestiane). Revision lists (skazski) are filed and bound by districts and large cities. Females were not recorded in the sixth revision. The fifth revision included information on the parentage of the females but this was dropped as of the sixth revision. Sometimes the lists are accompanied by supporting documentation.

Records exist from 1795 to 1859 and may contain the following information:

• Revision number of household
• Person's name
• Parentage
• Age
• Age at time of previous revision
• Sex
• Nationality
• Social rank
• Relationship to household head
• Change of status since the last revision

Records are deposited at the State Historical Archive in Riga. 132 rolls of revision lists up to 1834 were filmed in 1940 by the Germans and acquired in 1994 by the Library from the Herder Institute in Marburg, Germany. However, left and right hand pages were filmed separately, limiting their usefulness. It is estimated that about 75% of the population is recorded in these records. No revision lists were compiled for non-taxed classes: the nobility, high officials, clergy, military, and foreigners. Also, many people evaded enumeration.

Conscription Lists

These records were created to list the names of men conscripted for military service from 1874 to 1920. Records are hard to research because lists are arranged chronologically by district. However, they can be used as a census substitute for males. Drafting of selected groups began earlier but as of January 1, 1874, all 21-year-old males were subject to military service. Conscription occurred each year in October. Initially, the term of service was 6 years active and 9 years reserve. The length of active duty was reduced to 5 years in 1876 and then varied between 3-5 years thereafter. Deferments were granted for only sons, sole breadwinners, etc. Over 50 percent of the draftees were not inducted. Records may contain the following information:

• Name of the draftee
• Birth date
• Religion
• Marital status
• Literacy
• Later lists include names of parents, siblings and their ages

Only a limited number of these records have been preserved. Those that have survived are well preserved at the State Historical Archive in Riga. They were little used during the communist period, 1940-1990. Potentially 40% of the population can be identified in these records.