Latvian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Latvia lies on the Baltic Sea between Estonia and Lithuania, with the historic city of Riga as its capital. Much of the country is covered by forest. Latvians in Birmingham include workers, families and students, many of whom arrived after Latvia joined the European Union in 2004.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 762 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Latvian; and 527 residents gave Latvian as their main language. Main language figures leave out the many bilingual residents who use English day to day, so the number who speak the language at home is higher still.

Working for Birmingham

Latvian residents work in logistics, manufacturing, construction, food production and care, and many are skilled tradespeople. Latvian professionals work in IT, healthcare and finance, and the community is known for its reliability and hard work.

The city's future rests on the same things as its past: skills, enterprise and people willing to put in the hours. Whether in a hospital, a classroom, a lecture theatre, a van full of tools or a shop on a busy high street, Latvian residents are helping to build that future, and to make Birmingham a stronger, fairer and more welcoming city.

Culture and community life

Jani, the midsummer festival, is the biggest celebration of the year, with bonfires, singing and crowns of oak leaves and flowers. The Latvian Song and Dance Festival is recognised by UNESCO, and rye bread and grey peas with bacon are much-loved tastes of home.

For anyone who wants to learn more, the best introduction is the simplest one: say hello. Birmingham's communities are at their best when they meet, share food and learn from one another, and the Latvian community is a warm part of that everyday exchange.