List of Latvians

This is an incomplete list that may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

This is a list of prominent Latvians with Wikipedia articles. It includes:

• persons who were born in the historical territory of what is now Latvia, regardless of ethnicity, citizenship, or time period; and
• persons of Latvian descent regardless of their place of birth or citizenship.

A

• Augusts Vilis Abakuks (1914–1994) – a leader of the British Latvian community in exile
• Valerians Abakovskis (1895–1921) – inventor of a propeller-powered railcar, the aerowagon.
• Rutanya Alda (Rutanya Alda Skrastiņa, born 1942) – actress (Mommy Dearest, Deer Hunter)
• Viktors Alksnis (born 1950) – Soviet military officer and Russian communist politician known as "the Black Colonel"
• Juris Alunāns (1832-1864) - writer and philologist
• Iveta Apkalna (born 1976) – organist
• Fricis Apšenieks (1894–1941) – chess player
• Vija Artmane (1929–2008) – actress
• Aspazija, pen-name of Elza Pliekšāne (1865-1943), poet and playwright
• Gunārs Astra (1931–1988) – dissident, fighter for human rights
• Auseklis see Miķelis Krogzems

B

• Ainars Bagatskis (born 1967) – basketball player
• Helmuts Balderis (born 1952) – ice hockey player, forward
• Jānis Balodis (1881–1965) – army officer and politician
• Jānis Balodis (born 1950) – Latvian/Australian playwright
• Kārlis Balodis (1864–1931) – notable economist, financist, statistician and demographist
• Krišjānis Barons (1835–1923) – "the father of Latvian folk songs", who compiled and edited the first publication of Latvian folk-song texts "Latvju Dainas" (1894–1915)
• Mihails Barišņikovs (born 1948) – ballet-dancer
• Kārlis Baumanis (1835–1905) – composer, author of the national anthem of the Republic of Latvia "Dievs, svētī Latviju!" (God bless Latvia!)
• Vizma Belševica (1931–2005) – author, candidate for Nobel Prize in Literature
• Eduards Berklavs (1914–2004) – politician, leader of Latvian national-communists
• Krišjānis Berķis (1884–1942) – general
• Dairis Bertāns (born 1989) – basketball player
• Isaiah Berlin (Jesaja Berlins, 1909–1997) – philosopher
• Eduards Bērziņš (1894–1938) – soldier in the Red Army, later Head of Dalstroy, the Kolyma forced-labour camps in North-Eastern Siberia
• Kaspars Bērziņš (born 1985) – basketball player
• Kārlis Bētiņš (1867–1943) – chess player
• Andris Biedriņš (born 1986) – basketball player
• Gunārs Birkerts (born 1925) – architect
• Miervaldis Birze (1921–2000) – writer
• Ernests Blanks (1894–1972) – Latvian publicist, writer, historian, the first to publicly advocate for Latvia's independence
• Rūdolfs Blaumanis (1863–1908) – writer and playwright
• Himans Blūms (1913–2009) – painter
• Jānis Blūms (born 1982) – basketball player
• Ārons Bogoļubovs (born 1938) – Olympic medalist judoka
• Baiba Broka (born 1973) – actress
• Inguna Butāne – fashion model

C

• Valters Caps (1905–2003) – designed first Minox 8 x 11 photocameras
• Aleksandrs Cauņa (born 1988) – footballer
• Gustavs Celmiņš (1899–1968) – fascist politician, leader of Pērkonkrusts movement
• Vija Celmins (born 1938) – American painter born in Latvia

Č

• Māris Čaklais (1940–2003) - poet.^[1]
• Aleksandrs Čaks (1901–1950) – poet
• Jānis Čakste (1859–1927) – first Latvian president
• Tanhum Cohen-Mintz (1939), Latvian-born Israeli basketball player

D

• Roberts Dambītis (1881–1957) – general and politician
• Jānis Dāliņš (1904–1978) – athlete, race walker
• Emīls Dārziņš (1875–1910) – composer
• Kaspars Daugaviņš (born 1988) – ice hockey player
• Jacob Davis (1834–1908) – inventor of denim
• Johans Aleksandrs Heinrihs Klapje de Kolongs (1839–1901) – naval engineer
• Eliass Eliezers Desslers (1892–1953) – Orthodox rabbi, Talmudic scholar, and Jewish philosopher
• Leor Dimant (born 1972) – the DJ for the rap metal group Limp Bizkit
• Anatols Dinbergs (1911–1993) – diplomat
• Aleksis Dreimanis (born 1914) – geologist
• Inga Drozdova (born 1975) – model and actress
• Oļģerts Dunkers (1932–1997) – actor and film director

E

• Mihails Eizenšteins (1867–1921) – architect
• Sergejs Eizenšteins (1898–1948) – film director
• Modris Eksteins (born 1943) – Canadian historian and writer
• Andrievs Ezergailis (born 1930) – historian of the Holocaust

F

• Movša Feigins (1908–1950) – chess player
• Gregors Fitelbergs (1879–1953) – conductor, composer and violinist
• Vesels fon Freitāgs-Loringhofens (1899–1944) – colonel and member of the German resistance against German dictator Adolf Hitler
• Laila Freivalds (born 1942) – former Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs

G

• Inese Galante (born 1954) – opera singer (soprano)
• Gints Gabrāns (born 1970) – artist
• Elīna Garanča (born 1976) – opera singer (mezzo-soprano)
• Kārlis Goppers (1876–1941) – general, founder of Latvian Boy Scouts
• Andrejs Grants (born 1955) – photographer
• Ernests Gulbis (born 1988) – tennis player
• Natālija Gulbis (born 1983) – Latvian-descent LPGA golfer

Ģ

• Uldis Ģērmanis (1915–1997) – historian, under the alias of Ulafs Jāņsons a social commentator
• Aivars Ģipslis (1937–2000) – chess player

H

• Moriss Halle (born 1923) – linguist
• Filips Halsmans (1906–1979) – Latvian/American photographer
• Juris Hartmanis (born 1928) – computer scientist, Turing Award winner
• Uvis Helmanis – basketball player

I

• Artūrs Irbe (born 1967) – ice hockey player, goalkeeper
• Kārlis Irbītis (1904–1997) – aviation inventor, engineer, designer

J

• Gatis Jahovičs – basketball player
• Mariss Jansons (born 1943) – conductor
• Inese Jaunzeme (born 1932) – athlete
• Rashida Jones (born 1976) -- Latvian-American actress

K

• Aivars Kalējs (born 1951) - organist, composer
• Sandra Kalniete (born 1952) – politician, diplomat, former Latvia's EU commissioner
• Bruno Kalniņš (1899–1990) – Saeima member, Red Army General
• Imants Kalniņš (born 1941) – composer, politician
• Oskars Kalpaks (1882–1919) – colonel, first Commander of Latvian National Armed Forces
• Kaspars Kambala (born 1978) – basketball player
• Mārtiņš Karsums (born 1986) – ice hockey player
• Reinis Kaudzīte (1839-1920) - writer and journalist.^[1]
• Renārs Kaupers (1974) – musician
• Jēkabs Ketlers (1610–1682) – Duke of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
• Gustavs Klucis (1895–1938) – painter and graphic designer
• Aleksandrs Koblencs (1916–1993) – chess player
• Ābrams Izāks Kūks (1864–1935) – chief rabbi, Jewish thinker, statesman, diplomat, mediator and a renowned scholar
• Aleksandrs Kovaļevskis (1840–1901) – zoologist
• Gidons Krēmers (born 1947) – violinist and conductor
• Miķelis Krogzems (1850–1879) – poet, author and translator of German poets
• Juris Kronbergs (born 1946) – poet, writer, free-lance journalist, translator
• Atis Kronvalds (1837–1875) – teacher and journalist, reformed the Latvian language, organized the first Latvian Song and Dance Festival
• Dainis Kūla (born 1959) – athlete (Olympic gold medal in javelin)
• Alberts Kviesis (1881–1944) – president of Latvia

L

• Aleksandrs Laime (1911–1994) – explorer
• Vilis Lācis (1904–1966) – author and politician
• Ginta Lapiņa (born 1989) – fashion model
• Natālija Lašenova – gymnastics Olympic champion (team)
• Ed Leedskalnin (Edvards Liedskalniņš, 1887–1951) – builder of Coral Castle in Florida, claimed to have discovered the ancient magnetic levitation secrets used to construct the Egyptian pyramids.
• Jēkabs Mihaels Reinholds Lencs (1751–1792) – author
• Marija Leiko (1887–1937) – actress
• Aleksandrs Liepa (1919–2000) – inventor, artist
• Maris Liepa (1936–1989) – ballet-dancer
• Maksims Ļihačovs (born 1975) – professional football player
• Peggy Lipton (born 1946) -- Latvian-American actress
• Nikolajs Loskis (1870–1965) – philosopher
• Jānis Lūsis (born 1939) – athlete, Olympic champion

Ļ

• Jevgēnija Ļisicina (born 1942) – organist

M

• Māris Martinsons (born 1960) – professor of strategic management, international business consultant
• Hermanis Matisons (1894–1932) – chess player
• Zenta Mauriņa (1897–1978) – writer, literary scholar, culture philosopher
• Juris Māters (1845–1884) – author, lawyer and journalist, translated laws to Latvian and created the foundation for Latvian law
• Jānis Medenis (1903-1961) - poet^[1]
• Arnis Mednis - singer
• Zigfrīds Anna Meierovics (1887–1925) – first Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Leo Mihelsons (1887–1978) – artist
• Arnolds Mikelsons (1922–1984) – artist
• Jevgēņijs Millers (1867–1938) – czarist Russian general
• Kārlis Mīlenbahs (1853–1916) – linguist
• Comrade Milda (born 1949) - Official dictator of Mildagrad

N

• Arkādijs Naidičs (born 1985) – chess player, now resident in Germany
• Andris Nelsons (born 1978) – conductor of The Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Andrievs Niedra (1871–1941) – pastor, writer, prime minister of German puppet government (1919)
• Arons Nimcovičs (1886–1935) – influential chess player
• Reinis Nitišs (born 1995) - World Rallycross driver
• Fred Norris (born 1955) – Radio personality, The Howard Stern Show.

O

• Staņislavs Olijars (born 1979) – athlete (European champion in 110m Hurdles)
• Vilhelms Ostvalds (1853–1932) – received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1909 for his work on catalysis, chemical equilibria and reaction velocities
• Elvīra Ozoliņa (born 1939) – athlete (Olympic gold medal in javelin)
• Sandis Ozoliņš (born 1972) – ice hockey player, defense
• Valdemārs Ozoliņš (1896–1973) – composer, conductor

P

• Artis Pabriks (born 1966) – Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2007)
• Karlis Padegs (1911–1940) – Graphic artist, painter
• Marians Pahars (born 1976) – soccer player
• Raimonds Pauls (born 1936) – popular composer, widely known in Russia
• Lūcija Peka (1912–1991) – Artist of the Latvian Diaspora
• Jēkabs Peterss (1886–1938) – revolutionary and Soviet Cheka leader
• Brita Petersone – American model
• Kaspars Petrovs (born 1978) – serial killer
• Vladimirs Petrovs (1907–1943) – chess player
• Oskars Perro (1918–2003)- Latvian soldier and writer
• Andris Piebalgs (born 1957) – politician, diplomat, European Commissioner for Energy
• Jānis Pliekšāns, (1865–1929) – distinguished Latvian writer, author of a number of poetry collections
• Juris Podnieks (1950–1992) – film director, producer
• Nikolajs Poļakovs (1900–1974) – Coco the Clown
• Jānis Poruks (1871-1911) - writer.^[1]
• Rosa von Praunheim (born 1942) – film director, author, painter and gay rights activist
• Sandis Prūsis (born 1965) – athlete, bobsleigh
• Uldis Pūcītis (1937-2000) - actor, director
• Jānis Pujāts (born 1930) – Roman Catholic cardinal
• Andrejs Pumpurs (1841–1901) – poet, author of Latvian national epic Lāčplēsis

R

• Rainis, pseudonym of Jānis Pliekšāns (1865-1929) - poet and playwright
• Dans Rapoports (1970) - American financier and philanthropist
• Lauris Reiniks (1979) – singer, songwriter, actor and TV personality
• Einars Repše (born 1961) – politician
• Lolita Ritmanis (born 1962) – orchestrator, composer
• Iļja Ripss (born 1948) - inventor of the Bible Code
• Fricis Rokpelnis (1909–1969) – author
• Marks Rotko (1903–1970) – abstract expressionist painter
• Elza Rozenberga (1865–1943) – poet, playwright, married to Jānis Pliekšāns
• Juris Rubenis (born 1961) – famous Lutheran pastor
• Mārtiņš Rubenis (born 1978) – athlete, bronze medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
• Brunis Rubess (born 1926) – businessman
• Inta Ruka (born 1958) – photographer
• Taņa Rusova (born 1974) – pornographic actress

S

• Rudolfs Saulē (born 1903) - ballet master, performer with the Latvian National Ballet
• Uļjana Semjonova (born 1952) – basketball player
• Haralds Silovs – short track and long track speed skater
• Kārlis Skalbe (1879–1945) – poet
• Kārlis Skrastiņš (1974–2011) – ice hockey player
• Baiba Skride (born 1981) – violinist
• Konstantīns Sokoļskis (1904–1991) – romance and tango singer
• Ksenia Solo (born 1987) - Latvian-Canadian actress
• Raimonds Staprans (born 1926) – Latvian/American painter
• Jānis Šteinhauers (1705–1779) – Latvian industrialist, entrepreneur, and civil rights activist
• Gotthard Friedrich Stender (1714-1796) – the first Latvian grammarian
• Līna Šterna (1878–1968) – biologist and social activist
• Roze Stiebra (born 1942) - animator
• Henrijs Stolovs (1901–1971) – stamp dealer
• Jānis Streičs (born 1936) – film director, screenwriter, actor
• Jānis Strēlnieks (born 1989) – basketball player
• Pēteris Stučka (1865–1932) – author, translator, editor, jurist and educator
• Jānis Sudrabkalns (1894-1975), poet and journalist
• Jevgēņijs Svešņikovs (born 1950) – prominent chess player
• Staņislavs Svjanevičs (1899–1997) – economist and historian

Š

• Viktors Ščerbatihs (born 1974) – athlete, weightlifter
• Pauls Šīmanis (1876–1944) – Baltic German journalist, politician, activist defending and preserving European minority cultures
• Vestards Šimkus (born 1984) – pianist
• Aleksejs Širovs (born 1972) – chess player
• Andris Šķēle (born 1958) – politician, Prime Minister of Latvia
• Armands Šķēle – basketball player
• Ksenia Solo (born 1987) – actress
• Ernests Štālbergs (1883–1958) – architect, ensemble of the Freedom Monument
• Īzaks Nahmans Šteinbergs (1888–1957) – politician, lawyer and author
• Māris Štrombergs – BMX cyclist, gold medal winner at 2008 and 2012 Olympics

T

• Esther Takeuchi (born 1953) – materials scientist and chemical engineer
• Mihails Tāls (1936–1992) – the 8th World Chess Champion
• Jānis Roberts Tilbergs (1880–1972) – painter, sculptor

U

• Guntis Ulmanis (born 1939) – president of Latvia
• Kārlis Ulmanis (1877–1942) – prime minister and president of Latvia
• Juris Upatnieks (born 1936) - physicist and inventor, and pioneer in the field of holography
• Andrejs Upīts (1877-1970) - poet and writer

V

• Ojārs Vācietis (1933-1983) - writer
• Romāns Vainšteins (born 1973) – cyclist, World Road Champion in 2000
• Krišjānis Valdemārs (1825–1891) – public figure, writer, publicist and economist
• Pauls Valdens (1863–1957) – chemist
• Miķelis Valters (1874–1968) – state official, journalist, diplomat
• Valdis Valters – basketball player
• Aleksandrs Vanags (1918–1986) – footballer
• Jānis Vanags (born 1958) – Lutheran archbishop
• Jūlijs Vanags (1903–1984) – author and translator
• Pēteris Vasks (born 1946) – contemporary composer
• Jukums Vācietis (1873–1938) – first commander of the Soviet Army
• Ojārs Vācietis (1933–1983) – poet
• Eduards Veidenbaums (1867–1892) – poet and translator
• Makss Veinreihs (1893–1969) – linguist
• Ed Viesturs (Edmunds Viesturs, born 1959) – mountaineer
• Igors Vihrovs (born 1978) – gymnast, gold medalist at Sydney Olympics in 2000
• Edvarts Virza (1883–1940) – writer
• Alvis Vītoliņš (1946–1997) – chess master
• Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (born 1937) – former president
• Jāzeps Vītols (1863–1948) – composer
• Eduards Veidenbaums (1867–1892) – Latvian poet
• Māris Verpakovskis (born 1979) – footballer
• Aleksandrs Voitkevičs (1963–2006) – chess player

Z

• Kārlis Zāle (1888–1942) – sculptor, author of the Freedom Monument in Riga
• Frīdrihs Canders (1887–1933) – pioneer of rocketry and spaceflight
• Juris Zariņš (born 1945) – archaeologist and professor at Missouri State University
• Kārlis Zariņš (Charles Zarine) (1879–1963) – diplomat
• Rihards Zariņš (1869–1939) – graphic artist
• Valdis Zatlers (born 1955) – former president
• Elmārs Zemgalis (born 1923) – chess player
• Gustavs Zemgals (1871–1939) – former president
• Imants Zemzaris (born 1951) – contemporary composer
• Valdis Zeps (1932–1996) – author and linguist, pseudonym Jānis Turbads
• Imants Ziedonis (1933-2013) – Latvian poet and folklorist
• Mārtiņš Zīverts (1903-1990) - playwright
• Kaspars Znotiņš (born 1975) – stage and film actor

Ž

• Sergejs Žoltoks (1972–2004) – ice hockey player, forward

See also

• Latvians
• Latvian American

References