About the project

The project utilizes its own Automated Information System (AIS).

It is designed for the accumulation and structuring of archival materials being worked on — primarily in the Latvian State Historical Archive, as well as in other archives.

At the current stage, we are populating the system with data obtained both from working with archival materials and from studying the scientific reference apparatus. In the future, this will serve as a basis for developing and applying tools that facilitate genealogical research.

The website presents the public part of the system. It is for reference purposes. The AIS is not an independent tool for establishing family relationships.

The main focus is on the territory that, during the period of the Russian Empire, belonged to the Baltic region. However, the project is not limited to this region: materials from archives in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, as well as Belarus, Poland, and Russia, are added to the system when they are related to the history of the Baltics and specific research tasks.

The public part of the AIS includes two interconnected sections:

1. Indexed archival materials — the result of processing sources during research work.
2. Information about populated places and administrative-territorial units: dates of existence, history of administrative subordination, changes in status.

This structure allows you to see archival materials related to a known populated place or administrative-territorial unit.

The data comes from the materials we have collected over years of working in archives and continue to collect. We also use digitized archival inventories and files available online. Before publishing on the website, we process this data: prepare images, recognize the records contained within them, correct, and translate them. In parallel, we are working on automating this process.

On the website, you may encounter mentions of individuals in the titles of archival files or in indexed materials. However, the presence of a name or surname alone does not imply a proven family relationship. To answer whether this information pertains to your ancestors, research work is required: comparing data from different sources, considering time, place, social and confessional context.

Materials are added as archival sources are processed. The main activity of the project is genealogical research, while data publication is a secondary process. Therefore, updates depend on the progress of current work in the archives.

Yes. Archival research and work with specific files are carried out on a fee-for-service basis within individual tasks. You can write to us and indicate which materials interest you. Depending on the availability of the files, it is possible to work with them in the archive's reading room. You can also contact the archive directly to obtain information or order copies of documents.

All information published on the website is freely available. The public part of the AIS is for reference and informational purposes and does not involve paid access to data. The research work — analysis of materials, comparison of sources, formulation of conclusions, and consultations on specific tasks — is fee-based.

You can support the project in several ways:

• financially — this helps continue the indexing of sources and the development of tools for effective work with them;
• by providing materials: images of archival inventories and files, transcriptions of documents, and your own findings.

Any help contributes to improving access to archival information and the development of the project.