Izhorian

Izhorian refers to the Izhorians, a Finnic ethnic group native to Ingria, a historic coastal region on the western shore of the Gulf of Finland, in present-day northwestern Russia near Saint Petersburg. The term is also used for the Izhorian language, the Finnic tongue traditionally spoken by the community.

The Izhorian language belongs to the Finnic branch of the Uralic language family. It is closely related to Karelian and Votic and has several dialects. Most speakers are bilingual in Russian, and the language is considered endangered, with only a small number of fluent native speakers remaining. Documentation projects, dictionaries, and modest revitalization efforts have been undertaken by linguists and community groups in and around Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Oblast.

Geographically, Izhorian communities have long inhabited coastal Ingrian settlements around the Neva River and along the Gulf of Finland. Today, native speakers are concentrated in parts of Leningrad Oblast and Saint Petersburg, with diaspora communities in Finland and elsewhere.

Historically, Izhorians were present in Ingria from medieval times, under various states including Novgorod, Sweden, and Russia. The community experienced assimilation pressures and population decline in the 19th and 20th centuries, compounded by wars and migration. Culturally, Izhorians maintained distinctive folklore, crafts, and religious practices, with Orthodox Christianity playing a major role in later centuries.

Today the Izhorian identity is maintained by a small, often bilingual community. In Russia, the language and culture are the focus of minority and heritage activities, while some Izhorians have joined international Finnic and Baltic diaspora networks. Scholars describe the group as indigenous to Ingria, with ongoing efforts to preserve language, place names, and cultural heritage.