Latvia Jewish Records: Difference between revisions

*The [https://www.jewishgen.org/communities/search.asp town finder] is a useful online gazetteer for locations in Eastern Europe. Note that wild card searches are not supported. To view an entry page, click on the '''Jewish star''' to the left of the town name. Entry pages provide jurisdictions for before WWI, the interwar period, after WWII and modern-day. Alternate names and Yiddish and Russian spellings are also included.  In the center, you'll find a map and a list of additional Jewish communities located nearby. Finally, under '''Additional Information''' and '''in the green box''' at the top, you'll find links to references and additional resources that may help you in your research.

These records are indexed through JewishGen and can be accessed via the [https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Latvia/ JewishGen Latvia Database]. The indexes contain links to original images; however, many of the links are outdated. To access images of the original records, use [https://www.raduraksti.arhivi.lv/collections/1:8 Raduraksti], the Latvian State Archive's virtual reading room. To learn how to read 1897 Census records, see the [[Latvia "How to" Guides|Reading the 1897 Census "How to" Guide]].

For more information about 1897 Census in Latvia, see the [https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/latvia/allrussia.htm?gclid=CjwKCAiAnvj9BRA4EiwAuUMDf3ztJaRH9rLlkOVLmU6wpPgE1tQvcUl-dPz9Wx84l63aQ24PqXQenBoCSyEQAvD_BwE 1897 All-Russia Census - Latvia] article from JewishGen.   

Many Latvian revision list records have been indexed and are available through the [https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Latvia/ JewishGen Latvia Database].   

Original revision list records are available through [https://www.raduraksti.arhivi.lv/collections/1:5 Raduraksti]. See the [[Latvia "How to" Guides|''Raduraksti:'' Online Latvian Revision Lists "How to" Guide]] to learn how to access these records. Use the [https://www.jewishgen.org/latvia/holdingsatlsha.html Jewish Holdings in the Latvian State Historical Archives inventory] from the JewishGen Latvia SIG to determine if there are records available for your desired location.  

Vital records, or records of birth, marriage, and death, for many shtetl in Latvia have been indexed and are searchable via the [https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Latvia/ JewishGen Latvia Database.] Use the [https://www.jewishgen.org/latvia/holdingsatlsha.html Jewish Holdings in the Latvian State Historical Archives inventory] from the JewishGen Latvia SIG to determine if records from your area have been indexed, or if they are accessible through [https://www.raduraksti.arhivi.lv/collections/1:4:13:2022 Raduraksti]. See the section below to learn more about Raduraksti.

     <li>Višķi  </li>

There may also be records available through the [[Introduction to the FamilySearch Catalog|FamilySearch Catalog]].

:a. Click [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=116&query=%2Bplace%3ALatvia here] to access catalog entries for Latvia.

:e. Some combination of these icons will appear at the far right of the listing for the record. The magnifying glass indicates that the record is indexed. Clicking on the magnifying glass will take you to the index. Clicking on the camera will take you to an online digital copy of the records. A camera with a key on top means the record is viewable but with certain restrictions that may mean the record can only be viewed at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, a Family History Center, or FamilySearch Affiliate Library. Take a look at the [https://www.familysearch.org/help/fhcenters/locations/ Family History Center Finder] to discover a location near you.

*1854-1909: [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61883/ Latvia Births, Marriages and Deaths 1854-1909] at Ancestry ($), images

*1876-1917: [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1481/ Latvia, Jewish Family Lists from Dvinsk, c. 1876-1917] at Ancestry ($), index

*1896-1914: [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1496/ Latvia, Jewish Family Lists from Rezekne, c. 1896-1914] at Ancestry ($), index

*1942-1943: [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60828 Riga, Latvia, Austrian, Czech, and German Jews, 1942-1943] at Ancestry ($), index

*[https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/5521/ Liepaja, Latvia, Holocaust Memorial Wall] at Ancestry ($), index

*[http://www.balticgen.com/cemeteries_index.htm BalticGen] has a Latvian Jewish Cemetery Index available, which includes names of people buried in select Latvian Jewish cemeteries. Some tombstones do not have surnames, and the indexes provide only the given name, patronymic and the year of death.

*[http://www.lo-tishkach.org/ Lo Tishkach European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative] has a large database of European Jewish cemeteries and mass graves.

*[https://jguideeurope.org/en/region/latvia/latvias-jewish-cemeteries/ Latvia's Jewish Cemeteries] inventory was put together by the Cultural Guide to Jewish Europe. The website shows locations of various Jewish cemeteries throughout Latvia and provides details and information on existing tombstones.

*[https://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Cemetery/ JewishGen Online Worldwide Burial Registry] contains more than three million names from cemeteries and burial records worldwide.

During the interwar period (1918 and 1940), all Rīga residents over the age of fifteen were required to have an internal passport that acted as an identification card. Internal passports included information such as birthdate and place, name of father, residential address and a photograph. Original records are available via [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&placeId=116&query=%2Bkeywords%3Alatvia%20%2Bkeywords%3Apassport FamilySearch] (In the Catalog, type '''Latvia, Rīga''', hit enter and then look for the heading '''Emigration and immigration'''. Passports are categorized alphabetically by surname.  

*[http://www.ciltskoki.lv/index.php/lv/uzvardu-saraksti-pases Ciltskoki Pases] Latvian indexed records site (free, but requires registration). The indexes link directly to FamilySearch images.

*[http://pases.arhivi.lv/index.php?temavb=lv Latvijas iedzīvotāju pases] from Raduraksti, provides a basic index to passport records.

*[https://www.myheritage.com/research/collection-10756/latvia-riga-internal-passport-holders-index-1918-1940 Latvia, Riga Internal Passport Holders Index, 1918-1940], MyHeritage (usually a subscription site, but this collection is free).

*[http://names.lu.lv/en.html Jews of Latvia: A Project, Names and Fates 1941-1945] The Latvian Names Project, under the direction of the Centre of Judaic Studies at the University of Latvia, seeks to identify and preserve the memory of those that were lost during the Holocaust. The website is available in English, Latvian, or Russian. To access the database, click on '''Surnames''' and select your surname from the list. A prewar residence city is required, but given name and year of birth are optional. Search results can include information such as birth date and place, death date, prewar residence and additional details about their fate between 1941-1945. For additional instructions about using the database and the type of information you might find, click [http://names.lu.lv/en.html#mekl here]. The project is not yet complete, so check back often if you do not find what you are looking for.

*[https://portal.ehri-project.eu/ European Holocaust Research Infrastructure Online Portal] offers information on Holocaust archival material held in institutions in Europe and throughout the world.

*[https://arolsen-archives.org/en/search-explore/search-online-archive/ Arolsen Archives,] also known as the International Center on Nazi Persecution, is one of the largest archives on the victims of Nazi persecution. Many of their holdings are available to research online.

*[https://yvng.yadvashem.org/index.html?language=en Yad Vashem Central Database of Shoah Victims' Names] is a database of victims of the Holocaust.

Yizkor books are memorial books commemorating a Jewish community that was destroyed during the Holocaust. Books are usually published by former residents and records the remembrance of homes, people and ways of life lost during World War II. Most books are written in Yiddish or Hebrew, but in recent years, many have been translated and made available online. Take a look at the [https://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ JewishGen Yizkor Book Project] to locate a translation or Yizkor book for your locality of interest.

*The [https://www.jewishgen.org/jgff/ Family Finder] is a database of both ancestral hometowns and surnames that have been researched by their descendants world wide. The Family Finder allows you to connect with others who are researching similar ancestors and origins and collaborate your research. To add the surnames and locations you are researching, click on '''Modify (Edit your existing entries)''' or '''Enter (Add new entries)'''. Type in the surnames and/or locations of interest and hit '''Submit'''. To search the database and see if you can connect to family members and other researchers, choose '''Search (Search the database)''' from the Town Finder home page. You can search for a surname and/or a town. Search results will appear in a chart format giving you the surname, town, country, and researcher information (often includes contact information) and the date they last logged into JewishGen.

== Additional Records - Finding Aids and Records Inventories ==

*[https://www.jewishgen.org/Latvia/ Latvia Special Interest Group]

*[https://www.jewishgen.org/Courland/ Courland Research Group]

*[https://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/latvia.html JewishGen Kehila Links]

*[https://www.cjh.org/pdfs/Latvia.pdf Latvia: Jewish Family History Research Guide]