List of Latvians

This list of prominent Latvians includes:

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

A

• Valerians Abakovskis (1895–1921) – inventor of a propeller-powered railcar, the aerowagon
• Rutanya Alda (Rutanya Alda Skrastiņa, born 1942) – actress (Mommie Dearest, The Deer Hunter)
• Lidiia Alekseeva (1909–1989), Latvian poet and writer of short stories
• Viktor Alksnis (born 1950) – Soviet military officer and Russian communist politician known as "the Black Colonel"
• Juris Alunāns (1832–1864) – writer and philologist
• IngrÄ«da Andriņa (1944–2015) – actress
• Iveta Apkalna (born 1976) – organist
• Fricis ApÅ¡enieks (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, pseudonym of MiÄ·elis Krogzemis (1850–1879) – poet, author and translator of German poets

B

• Ainars Bagatskis (born 1967) – basketball player
• Helmuts Balderis (born 1952) – ice hockey player, forward
• Jānis Balodis (1881–1965) – army officer and politician
• Kārlis Balodis (1864–1931) – economist, financist, statistician and demographist
• KriÅ¡jānis Barons (1835–1923) – "the father of Latvian folk songs"; compiled and edited the first publication of Latvian folk-song texts, Latvju Dainas (1894–1915)
• Mikhail Baryshnikov (born 1948) – ballet dancer
• Kārlis Baumanis (1835–1905) – composer, author of the national anthem of the Republic of Latvia "Dievs, svētÄ« Latviju!" ("God Bless Latvia!")
• Vizma BelÅ¡evica (1931–2005) – author, candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature
• Eduards Berklavs (1914–2004) – politician, leader of Latvian national-communists
• KriÅ¡jānis BerÄ·is (1884–1942) – general
• Dairis Bertāns (born 1989) – basketball player
• Isaiah Berlin (Jesaja Berlins, 1909–1997) – philosopher
• Lilita Bērziņa (1903–1983) – actress
• Eduards Bērziņš (1894–1938) – soldier in the Red Army, later head of Dalstroy, the Kolyma forced-labour camps in North-Eastern Siberia
• Yan Karlovich Berzin (1889–1938) – Soviet military intelligence officer
• Kaspars Bērziņš (born 1985) – basketball player
• Kārlis Bētiņš (1867–1943) – chess player
• Andris Biedriņš (born 1986) – basketball player
• Gunārs Birkerts (1925–2017) – architect
• Miervaldis Birze (1921–2000) – writer
• Ernests Blanks (1894–1972) – publicist, writer, historian, the first to publicly advocate for Latvia's independence
• RÅ«dolfs Blaumanis (1863–1908) – writer and playwright
• Himans BlÅ«ms (1913–2009) – painter
• Jānis BlÅ«ms (born 1982) – basketball player
• Ārons Bogoļubovs (born 1938) – Olympic medalist in judoka
• Mairis Briedis (born 1985) – world boxing champion
• Baiba Broka (born 1973) – actress
• Baiba Broka (born 1975) – lawyer and politician
• IngÅ«na Butāne (born 1986) – fashion model

C

• FrÄ«drihs Canders (1887–1933) – pioneer of rocketry and spaceflight
• Valters Caps (1905–2003) – designed first Minox 8 x 11 photo cameras
• Aleksandrs Cauņa (born 1988) – footballer
• Gustavs Celmiņš (1899–1968) – fascist politician, leader of Pērkonkrusts movement
• Vija Celmins (born 1938) – American painter born in Latvia
• Tanhum Cohen-Mintz (1939–2014) – Latvian-born Israeli basketball player

Č

• Māris Čaklais (1940–2003) – poet
• Aleksandrs Čaks (1901–1950) – poet
• Jānis Čakste (1859–1927) – first President of Latvia

D

• Roberts DambÄ«tis (1881–1957) – general and politician
• Jānis Dāliņš (1904–1978) – athlete, race walker
• EmÄ«ls Dārziņš (1875–1910) – composer
• Volfgangs Dārziņš (1906–1962) – composer, pianist, and music critic
• 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
• ElÄ«na Dikaioulaku (born 1989) – basketball player for Israeli team Elitzur Ramla
• Leor Dimant (born 1972) – DJ for the rap metal group Limp Bizkit
• Anatols Dinbergs (1911–1993) – diplomat
• Aleksis Dreimanis (1914–2011) – geologist
• Inga Drozdova (born 1975) – model and actress
• Domenique Dumont – music producer
• Oļģerts Dunkers (1932–1997) – actor and film director
• Christine Dzidrums (born 1971) – author

E

• Mihails EizenÅ¡teins (1867–1921) – architect
• Sergejs EizenÅ¡teins (1898–1948) – film director
• Modris Eksteins (born 1943) – Canadian historian and writer
• Ēriks EÅ¡envalds (born 1977) – composer
• Andrievs Ezergailis (1930–2022) – historian of the Holocaust

F

• MovÅ¡a 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 for Foreign Affairs

G

• Inese Galante (born 1954) – opera singer; soprano
• Gints Gabrāns (born 1970) – artist
• ElÄ«na Garanča (born 1976) – opera singer; mezzo-soprano
• Zemgus Girgensons (born 1994) – ice hockey centre
• Kārlis Goppers (1876–1941) – general; founder of Latvian Boy Scouts
• Andrejs Grants (born 1955) – photographer
• Kristers Gudļevskis (born 1992) – ice hockey goaltender
• Ernests Gulbis (born 1988) – tennis player
• Natālija Gulbis (born 1983) – Latvian-descent LPGA golfer
• Pāvels Gumennikovs (born 1986) – Latvian film director, actor, writer, and producer

Ä¢

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

H

• Moriss Halle (1923–2018) – linguist
• Filips Halsmans (1906–1979) – Latvian-American photographer
• Juris Hartmanis (1928–2022) – computer scientist; Turing Award winner
• Uvis Helmanis (born 1972) – basketball player

I

• ArtÅ«rs Irbe (born 1967) – ice hockey player, goalkeeper
• Kārlis IrbÄ«tis (1904–1997) – aviation inventor, engineer, designer

J

• Gatis Jahovičs (born 1984) – basketball player
• Mariss Jansons (1943–2019) – conductor
• Inese Jaunzeme (1932–2011) – athlete

K

• Aivars Kalējs (born 1951) – organist, composer
• Konrāds Kalējs (1913–2001) – alleged war criminal
• 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
• Arturs KriÅ¡jānis Kariņš (born 1964) – politician; Prime Minister of Latvia
• Mārtiņš Karsums (born 1986) – ice hockey player
• Reinis KaudzÄ«te (1839–1920) – writer and journalist
• Renārs Kaupers (born 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 KÅ«ks (1864–1935) – chief rabbi, Jewish thinker, statesman, diplomat, mediator and scholar
• Aleksandrs Kovaļevskis (1840–1901) – zoologist
• Ilsa Konrads (born 1944) – Olympic swimmer
• John Konrads (1942–2021) – Olympic swimmer
• Gidons Krēmers (born 1947) – violinist and conductor
• MiÄ·elis Krogzemis (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 KÅ«la (born 1959) – athlete (Olympic gold medal in javelin)
• Alberts Kviesis (1881–1944) – President of Latvia

L

• Vilis Lācis (1904–1966) – author and politician
• Aleksandrs Laime (1911–1994) – explorer
• Ginta Lapiņa (born 1989) – fashion model
• Yan Larri (1900–1977) Soviet children's and utopian fiction writer
• Natālija LaÅ¡enova (born 1973) – gymnastics Olympic champion (team)
• 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
• Vita Liberte (living) – lawyer, art collector, patron and entrepreneur
• Māris Liepa (1936–1989) – ballet dancer
• Peggy Lipton (1946–2019) – Latvian-American actress
• Nikolajs Loskis (1870–1965) – philosopher
• Jānis LÅ«sis (1939–2020) – athlete; Olympic champion

Ä»

• Jevgēnija Ä»isicina (born 1942) – organist

M

• Māris Martinsons (born 1960) – film director, producer, screenwriter and film editor
• 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
• Arnis Mednis (born 1961) – singer
• ZigfrÄ«ds Anna Meierovics (1887–1925) – first Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Mareks Mejeris (born 1991) – basketball player for Hapoel Jerusalem of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Alan Melikdjanian (born 1980) – independent filmmaker, YouTuber
• Leo Mihelsons (1887–1978) – artist
• Arnolds Mikelsons (1922–1984) – artist
• Mikhail Tal (1936–1992) – chess player Grandmaster (GM)
• Jevgēņijs Millers (1867–1938) – tsarist Russian general
• Kārlis MÄ«lenbahs (1853–1916) – linguist

N

• Arkādijs Naidičs (born 1985) – chess player; now resident in Germany
• Andris Nelsons (born 1978) – conductor, Boston Symphony Orchestra
• Andrievs Niedra (1871–1941) – pastor, writer, prime minister of German puppet government (1919)
• Arons Nimcovičs (1886–1935) – chess player
• Reinis NitiÅ¡s (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)
• Jeļena Ostapenko (born 1997) – tennis player (Grand Slam champion)
• Vilhelms Ostvalds (1853–1932) – received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1909 for his work on catalysis, chemical equilibria and reaction velocities
• ElvÄ«ra Ozoliņa (born 1939) – athlete (Olympic gold medal in javelin)
• Sandis Ozoliņš (born 1972) – ice hockey player, defense
• Valdemārs Ozoliņš (1896–1973) – composer, conductor
• Auseklis Ozols (born 1941) – artist

P

• Artis Pabriks (born 1966) – Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs (2007–2007)
• Ināra Petrusēviča (born 1969) – artist
• Kārlis Padegs (1911–1940) – graphic artist, painter
• Marians Pahars (born 1976) – soccer player
• Raimonds Pauls (born 1936) – composer; widely known in Russia
• LÅ«cija Peka (1912–1991) – artist of the Latvian diaspora
• KonstantÄ«ns Pēkšēns (1859–1928) – Art nouveau architect
• Jēkabs Peterss (1886–1938) – revolutionary and Soviet Cheka leader
• KristÄ«ne Petrikina (born 1985) – footballer
• Kaspars Petrovs (born 1978) – serial killer
• Vladimirs Petrovs (1907–1943) – chess player
• Oskars Perro (1918–2003) – soldier and writer
• Andris Piebalgs (born 1957) – politician and diplomat; European Commissioner for Energy
• Jānis Pliekšāns (1865–1929) – writer; author of a number of poetry collections
• Juris Podnieks (1950–1992) – film director, producer
• Nikolajs Poļakovs (1900–1974) – circus performer; creator of Coco the Clown
• Jānis Poruks (1871–1911) – writer
• Kristaps Porziņģis (born 1995) – basketball player, Boston Celtics
• Rosa von Praunheim (1942–2025) – German film director, author, painter and gay rights activist
• Sandis PrÅ«sis (born 1965) – athlete, bobsleigh
• Uldis PÅ«cÄ«tis (1937–2000) – actor, director
• Boris Pugo (1937–1991) – Soviet communist politician
• Jānis Pujats (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
• Dan Rapoport (born 1970) – American financier and philanthropist
• Laura Rizzotto (born 1994) – Latvian-Brazilian singer
• Lauris Reiniks (born 1979) – singer-songwriter, actor and television personality
• Einars RepÅ¡e (born 1961) – politician
• Jānis Rieksts (1881–1970) – photographer
• Lolita Ritmanis (born 1962) – orchestrator, composer
• Iļja Ripss (born 1948) – inventor of the Bible code
• Fricis Rokpelnis (1909–1969) – author
• Markuss Rotkovičs (1903–1970) – abstract expressionist painter
• Elza Rozenberga (1865–1943) – poet, playwright; married to Jānis Pliekšāns
• Margaret Romans (1912–2025), supercentenarian and oldest Latvian-born person in history
• Juris Rubenis (born 1961) – Lutheran pastor
• Mārtiņš Rubenis (born 1978) – athlete; bronze medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
• Brunis Rubess (1926–2009) – businessman
• Inta Ruka (born 1958) – photographer
• Wolf Ruvinskis (1921–1999) – versatile actor, a memorable face of the Cinema of Mexico
• The Roberts — never dies

S

• Rudolfs Saule (1903–1975) – ballet master; performer with the Latvian National Ballet
• Uļjana Semjonova (born 1952) – basketball player
• Haralds Silovs (born 1986) – short track and long track speed skater
• Kārlis Skalbe (1879–1945) – poet
• Kārlis Skrastiņš (1974–2011) – ice hockey player
• Baiba Skride (born 1981) – violinist
• Andrew Smith (born 1992) – American-Latvian basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• KonstantÄ«ns Sokoļskis (1904–1991) – romance and tango singer
• Ksenia Solo (born 1987) – Latvian-Canadian actress
• Serge Sorokko (born 1954) – art dealer and publisher
• Raimonds Staprans (1926–2026) – Latvian-American painter
• Jānis Å teinhauers (1705–1779) – industrialist, entrepreneur, and civil rights activist
• Gotthard Friedrich Stender (1714–1796) – first Latvian grammarian
• LÄ«na Å terna (1878–1968) – biologist and social activist
• Roze Stiebra (1942–2024) – 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 (1950–2021) – chess player
• Staņislavs Svjanevičs (1899–1997) – economist and historian

ÅÂ

• Viktors Ščerbatihs (born 1974) – athlete, weightlifter
• Pauls Å Ä«manis (1876–1944) – Baltic German journalist, politician, activist defending and preserving European minority cultures
• Vestards Å imkus (born 1984) – pianist
• Aleksejs Å irovs (born 1972) – chess player
• Andris Šķēle (born 1958) – politician; Prime Minister of Latvia
• Armands Šķēle (born 1983) – basketball player
• Ainārs Å lesers (born 1970) – politician, chairman of Latvia First
• Ernests Å tālbergs (1883–1958) – architect, ensemble of the Freedom Monument
• Īzaks Nahmans Å teinbergs (1888–1957) – politician, lawyer and author
• Māris Å trombergs (born 1987) – 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 of Latvia; President of Latvia
• Juris Upatnieks (born 1936) – physicist and inventor; pioneer in the field of holography
• Andrejs UpÄ«ts (1877–1970) – poet and writer

V

• Ojārs Vācietis (1933–1983) – writer
• Romāns VainÅ¡teins (born 1973) – cyclist, World Road Champion in 2000
• KriÅ¡jānis Valdemārs (1825–1891) – public figure, writer, publicist and economist
• Pauls Valdens (1863–1957) – chemist
• MiÄ·elis Valters (1874–1968) – state official, journalist, diplomat
• Valdis Valters (born 1957) – basketball player
• Aleksandrs Vanags (1918–1986) – footballer
• Jānis Vanags (born 1958) – Lutheran archbishop
• JÅ«lijs Vanags (1903–1984) – author and translator
• Deniss Vasiļjevs (born 1999) – figure skater
• Pēteris Vasks (born 1946) – contemporary composer
• Jukums Vācietis (1873–1938) – first commander of the Soviet Army
• Ojārs Vācietis (1933–1983) – poet
• Kaspars Vecvagars (born 1993) – basketball club BC Žalgiris player
• 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 VÄ«toliņš (1946–1997) – chess master
• Vaira VÄ«Ä·e-Freiberga (born 1937) – former President of Latvia
• Jāzeps VÄ«tols (1863–1948) – composer
• Māris Verpakovskis (born 1979) – footballer
• Aleksandrs Voitkevičs (1963–2006) – chess player

Z

• Kārlis Zāle (1888–1942) – sculptor; author of the Freedom Monument in Riga
• 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 of Latvia
• Elmārs Zemgalis (1923–2014) – chess player
• Gustavs Zemgals (1871–1939) – former President of Latvia
• Imants Zemzaris (born 1951) – contemporary composer
• Valdis Zeps (1932–1996) – author and linguist; pseudonym Jānis Turbads
• Imants Ziedonis (1933–2013) – poet and folklorist
• Mārtiņš ZÄ«verts (1903–1990) – playwright
• Kaspars Znotiņš (born 1975) – stage and film actor

Ž

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

See also

• Latvian Americans
• Latvian Canadians

References