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[[Image:800px-Baltic Sea (Darlowo).jpg|right|200x200px]] | [[Image:800px-Baltic Sea (Darlowo).jpg|right|200x200px|800px-Baltic Sea (Darlowo).jpg]] | ||
== Population Profiles == | |||
''' | '''Estonia'''. 1.4 million people (64% Estonian, 29% Russian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Finn) traditionally Lutheran. <br> | ||
''' | '''Latvia'''. 2.4 million people (57% Latvian, 30% Russian, 4% Belarusian, 4% Ukrainian, 3% Pole, 1% Lithuanian) traditionally Lutheran. <br> | ||
'''Lithuania'''. 3.7 million people (81% Lithuanian, 8% Russian, 7% Poles, rest Belarusian and Ukrainian) predominantly Roman Catholic. <br> | |||
== Language Profiles == | |||
<br> | '''Estonia'''. Estonian language closely related to Finnish (state language in 1988). Records in German and Russian. <br> | ||
'''Latvia'''. Latvian language related to Lithuanian (state language in 1989). Records in German and Russian. | '''Latvia'''. Latvian language related to Lithuanian (state language in 1989). Records in German and Russian. <br> | ||
<br> | '''Lithuania'''. Lithuanian, oldest extant Indo-European language (state language in 1989). Records in Latin, Polish, Russian, etc. <br> | ||
== Historical Context == | |||
German crusading orders subjugated the territory of modern-day '''Estonia''' and '''Latvia''' in the 13th century. Later, Sweden dominated the northern area and Poland-Lithuania the southern. Russia gained control during the 18th century. From 1918-1945, Estonia and Latvia enjoyed an interlude of independence before the Red Army imposed Soviet power. The Soviets brought in masses of Russians to industrialize the area. The Estonian share of the population decreased from 90% to 61% in 1989 and the Latvian portion of the population dropped from a high of 76% in 1935 to 57% in 2005. With the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, both states regained their independence. | |||
[[Image:Latvia.jpg|thumb|right|250x250px|<center>Latvia</center>]] | |||
Under Grand Duke Vytautas, 1392-1430, '''Lithuania''' became a large and powerful state, its boundaries extending from the Baltic to the Black Sea. It merged with Poland in 1569. Russia annexed Lithuania at the end of the 18th century. In 1918, it regained its independence. In 1920, Poland occupied a portion of eastern Lithuania around Vilnius. In 1923 Lithuania seized the area of Klaipeda (Memel) on its western edge, formerly part of East Prussia. The Red Army established Soviet rule in 1944. It regained it independence in 1991. | |||
[[Image:Lithuaniahis.jpg|thumb|right|250x250px|<center>Lithuania</center>]] | |||
== Places/Jurisdiction Reference Aids == | == Places/Jurisdiction Reference Aids == | ||
The administrative structure of the Baltics under Imperial Russia consisted of:<br>''derevniya'' (village/town/hamlet/farm)<br>''volost'' (district)<br>''uezd'' (county) or ''gorod'' (city)<br>''guberniya'' (province or state).<br> | The administrative structure of the Baltics under Imperial Russia consisted of:<br>''derevniya'' (village/town/hamlet/farm)<br>''volost'' (district)<br>''uezd'' (county) or ''gorod'' (city)<br>''guberniya'' (province or state).<br> | ||
[[Image:Estonia Historical.jpg|thumb|right|250x250px|<center>Estonia - 1917</center>]] | |||
Modern Estonia includes the Estonia Guberniya and the northern half of Livonia Guberniya; modern Latvia the Kurland Guberniya, the southern half of Livonia, and a small piece of the Vitebsk Guberniya; modern Lithuania the Kovno Guberniya, half of Vilno, and half of Suwalki (Polish) Guberniyas. | Modern Estonia includes the Estonia Guberniya and the northern half of Livonia Guberniya; modern Latvia the Kurland Guberniya, the southern half of Livonia, and a small piece of the Vitebsk Guberniya; modern Lithuania the Kovno Guberniya, half of Vilno, and half of Suwalki (Polish) Guberniyas. | ||
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'''Estonia and Latvia'''. Feldmann, Hans. Baltisches Historisches Ortslexikon (Baltic Historical Dictionary). Wien: Böhlau, 1985. Teil 1: Estland (Estonia), Teil 2: Lettland (Latvia). 947.4 E5fh. Historical jurisdictions (German and native names), parishes, name changes. | '''Estonia and Latvia'''. Feldmann, Hans. Baltisches Historisches Ortslexikon (Baltic Historical Dictionary). Wien: Böhlau, 1985. Teil 1: Estland (Estonia), Teil 2: Lettland (Latvia). 947.4 E5fh. Historical jurisdictions (German and native names), parishes, name changes. | ||
'''Estonia'''. Spisok naselennykh mest Estliandskoi gubernii (List of populated places in the Province of Estonia). Revel | '''Estonia'''. Spisok naselennykh mest Estliandskoi gubernii (List of populated places in the Province of Estonia). Revel : Estliandskoi Gubernskoi Statisticheskoi Komitet, 1913. Film 2212971 item 8. Russian place names. | ||
'''Lithuania'''. U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Gazetteer of Lithuania. Washington DC: Defense Mapping Agency, 1994. 947.5 E5g. Place names and geographic coordinates. | '''Lithuania'''. U.S. Board on Geographic Names. Gazetteer of Lithuania. Washington DC: Defense Mapping Agency, 1994. 947.5 E5g. Place names and geographic coordinates. | ||
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''Metrical books'' begin in early 1700s. When the Baltics became independent in the 1920s they each continued the system of clergy registering births, marriages and deaths. The original was kept locally and the transcript sent to the civil registrar office. Lutheran records (Estonia and Latvia) are normally in German, Catholic records (Lithuania) in Latin or the native language. In 1892 the state required they be kept in Russian. Orthodox records (Estonia and Latvia) are in Russian. Jewish records are in Hebrew and Russian. Each country established the native tongue as the language of the registers in the 1920s. In 1940 the Soviet Union absorbed the Baltics and replaced ecclesiastical registration with civil registration. The records are in the native language and Russian. Divorces are also recorded. Civil registers are located in civil registration and not state archives. | ''Metrical books'' begin in early 1700s. When the Baltics became independent in the 1920s they each continued the system of clergy registering births, marriages and deaths. The original was kept locally and the transcript sent to the civil registrar office. Lutheran records (Estonia and Latvia) are normally in German, Catholic records (Lithuania) in Latin or the native language. In 1892 the state required they be kept in Russian. Orthodox records (Estonia and Latvia) are in Russian. Jewish records are in Hebrew and Russian. Each country established the native tongue as the language of the registers in the 1920s. In 1940 the Soviet Union absorbed the Baltics and replaced ecclesiastical registration with civil registration. The records are in the native language and Russian. Divorces are also recorded. Civil registers are located in civil registration and not state archives. | ||
''Revision lists (Seelenlisten)'' were kept in the Baltics from 1795-1858 to support a national poll tax. Peter I originated the poll tax throughout imperial Russia in 1719. The first revision in Estonia was 1782 and elsewhere in the Baltics was 1795. They list individuals with their name, age and relationship to head of household. The last three revisions noted changes in families during the interim between revisions. Because the tax was imposed on male persons of the lower classes, nobility, clergy, officialdom, army, and higher strata of urban population were absent from the lists-about 5-10 | ''Revision lists (Seelenlisten)'' were kept in the Baltics from 1795-1858 to support a national poll tax. Peter I originated the poll tax throughout imperial Russia in 1719. The first revision in Estonia was 1782 and elsewhere in the Baltics was 1795. They list individuals with their name, age and relationship to head of household. The last three revisions noted changes in families during the interim between revisions. Because the tax was imposed on male persons of the lower classes, nobility, clergy, officialdom, army, and higher strata of urban population were absent from the lists-about 5-10 % in the 19th century. Separate volumes were kept by social class: merchant (kuptsy), town dweller (meshchane), peasant (krest'iane), and others, so may be more than a single volume to check. | ||
''1897 census'' was the only universal census in tsarist Russia. It was conducted on January 28, in the middle of the winter because when the populace was least mobile. Census lists name, sex, relationship, age, marital status, social class, birthplace, registration place, residence, religion, native tongue, literacy, occupation, and military status. Provincial copies of the census exists partially for Estonia and Latvia, very little for Lithuania. | ''1897 census'' was the only universal census in tsarist Russia. It was conducted on January 28, in the middle of the winter because when the populace was least mobile. Census lists name, sex, relationship, age, marital status, social class, birthplace, registration place, residence, religion, native tongue, literacy, occupation, and military status. Provincial copies of the census exists partially for Estonia and Latvia, very little for Lithuania. | ||
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Three basic approaches: | Three basic approaches: | ||
1) access information online<br>2) use the microfilms of the | 1) access information online<br>2) use the microfilms of the FamilySearch Library<br>3) visit, correspondence or hire an agent | ||
All historical archives are open to genealogical researchers. Latvia and Lithuania respond to research requests by correspondence, however, expect delays and charges vary significantly. Research service has improved considerably in the last few years for those who go there. Civil Registry Offices are not easy places to do research but they have records not found in the Archives, such as post-World War I records, church record transcripts and civil registers. | All historical archives are open to genealogical researchers. Latvia and Lithuania respond to research requests by correspondence, however, expect delays and charges vary significantly. Research service has improved considerably in the last few years for those who go there. Civil Registry Offices are not easy places to do research but they have records not found in the Archives, such as post-World War I records, church record transcripts and civil registers. | ||
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State Archive--Tallinn, Maneezi tänav 8. Resident books, 1918-1940. | State Archive--Tallinn, Maneezi tänav 8. Resident books, 1918-1940. | ||
[https://www.ra.ee/ National Archives]. Databases, digitized archival materials, images. Under Databases (access through the self-service option on main page), a number may have value to genealogists; for example: | |||
* | *Register of revision lists of the population. This is an inventory of census records. Search for a county (maakond) and the parish or place (kihelkond) by using the options in the dropdown boxes. Search at the county level if you do not know the specific place. | ||
* | *SAAGA - Digitized family history sources. This provides images of the original records. Currently the only images are for Lutheran and Orthodox church records and early tax records known as Wackenbuch (contract books). The images were digitized from the films created by the cooperation of the Archive and the Genealogical Society of Utah (now known as FamilySearch Record Services). | ||
*Personal name indexes of parish registries. This looks promising, but none of the text is in English, so it is not possible to decipher details about the extent of the index. However, an entry for a surname indicates in what parish register it may be found. A researcher then can go to the images and look at the original entry.<br> | |||
* | Also accessed through the self-service option are Local History and Genealogy research helps. | ||
[http://www.genealoogia.ee/English/english.html Estonian Genealogical Society]<br> | |||
[https://www.vabamu.ee/ Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom] | |||
== Latvia == | == Latvia == | ||
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Latvian Archives of the Registry Department (Latvijas Republikas Tieslietu Ministrija Dzimtsarakstu Departaments) Kalku Street 24, Riga, LV-1623, Latvia; and local civil registry offices. Vital statistics since 1921. | Latvian Archives of the Registry Department (Latvijas Republikas Tieslietu Ministrija Dzimtsarakstu Departaments) Kalku Street 24, Riga, LV-1623, Latvia; and local civil registry offices. Vital statistics since 1921. | ||
[http://www.arhivi.lv/index.php?&3 The Latvia State Archives] and [http://www.arhivi.lv/index.php?&110 The Latvian State Historical Archives] provide a search engine for archival collections and a database of images. On the State Archives pages search for collections by using the link Database of the Central Fond Register in the lower right hand corner of the screen. Scroll down the dropdown list in the Sphere of creator's activity field to the "Y" category and select the religion of interest. Selecting Catholic, for instance, retrieves five collections. Clicking on the collection title provides additional information. '''NOTE: These two websites are searchable but are being replaced by a single site: [https://www.arhivi.gov.lv/default.aspx?lang=EN National Archives of Latvia].''' The images are found at [https://www.raduraksti.arhivi.lv/ Raduraskati (Genealogy)]. Currently, there are over a million images of Lutheran church books. One must register to see the images but the registration is free. | |||
[http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Latvia All Latvia Database] | |||
== Lithuania == | == Lithuania == | ||
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Central Civil Registry Office (Lietuvos Centrinis Metriku Archyvas), K.Kalinausko g. 21, 2000 Vilnius, Lithuania / Phone (+370 2) 637846; and local civil registry offices. Vital statistics since 1915. | Central Civil Registry Office (Lietuvos Centrinis Metriku Archyvas), K.Kalinausko g. 21, 2000 Vilnius, Lithuania / Phone (+370 2) 637846; and local civil registry offices. Vital statistics since 1915. | ||
The Lithuanian | [http://www.archyvai.lt/archyvai/selectLanguage.do?language=en The Lithuanian archives] website offers a search of record groups in all of the state archives. Genealogists need only search for records in the State Historical Archive. From the home page, click the tab at the top for State Archives and select Lithuanian State Historical Archives. Contact information is provided on this page. In the left-hand column is a link to the database (National Archival Database) to search for collection descriptions. Descriptions of religious records in the historical archive can be retrieved by selecting “…(LVIA)” from the dropdown list under Repository and one of the topics under Tikyba (religion) in the dropdown under Subject. In the case of Catholic records, the result list is not only in Lithuanian but also in Latin, which is a little more understandable to English speakers. | ||
[http://lithuaniangenealogy.org/ Lithuanian Global Genealogical Society] <br> | |||
[http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Lithuania/ All Lithuania Database] | |||
[[Category:Estonia]] [[Category:Latvia]] [[Category:Lithuania]] | [[Category:Estonia]] [[Category:Latvia]] [[Category:Lithuania]] | ||
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