I previously wrote about the 1935 and 1941 censuses, but there is an older census as well. It took place in 1897 in the Russian Empire,...

Passports are among the most coveted documents for family historians because they contain photographs. Where and how to search for...

These are the books I most frequently use when doing a genealogical research. Some are available online, but most can be found in...

Did your family members leave Latvia during World War II? Then the first place to look for information is the Arolsen Archives in...

Yesterday, in the family researchers club, we talked about creating family history books. How to create them? What to include and what...

In my previous post, I briefly mentioned criminal cases. This time I want to write more about them. What are criminal cases and where to...

Were your parents or grandparents students? If they studied during the interwar period, then search for their alumni records. It is rare...

Reading and interpreting the records of Riga's church books can be more complicated than those of rural congregations. This is due to the...

This week, at the Local Family Researchers Club, we discussed the use of DNA tests in genealogy, and I will also share some insights in...

I have always been more interested in how my ancestors lived or what they were like than the number of them I can add to my family tree....

Last time, I wrote about the 1941 census, and for the sake of completeness, I'll also share information about the 1935 population census....

When people inquire about where to begin researching their family history, I recommend starting with documenting known information. Do...

In 1874, universal conscription was introduced in the Russian Empire. Prior to this, recruits were either conscripted forcibly or chosen ...

Latvians were not only peasants but also townspeople. A significant number of future residents of Riga moved to the city in the late 19th...

This week, I had the chance to delve into the records of Mazsalaca Lutheran Church, and twice was not able to find the baptismal record I...

This week, I took a research detour into the history of the Līgatne paper mill village. Typically focused on family histories, I agreed...

I want to tell you more about Arvīds Pūrs, about whom I have already written here and here. He was conscripted in the German Army in 1944...

Last time I wrote about the Kurzeme and Vidzeme address books, but what about Latgale? Latgale was part of the Vitebsk Governorate, had a...

Did my ancestors have an estate? No, of course not. But life in the countryside in the 19th century was closely linked to the estate....

Now and then, in church books, you come across words that you don't find in modern dictionaries. How to understand their meaning? Where...