Russian Research

Wars, revolution and lack of preservation have destroyed a significant part of Russia’s written records


Each person has a given name, a patronymic and a surname

  • The patronymic usually ends in -ovich for men or -ovna for women

  • Orthodox and Catholic families tended to name children for saints

  • Jews in Russia did not adopt surnames until the government required their use in the early 19th century

  • Many Russian immigrants Americanized their names

  • Dictionary of Period Russian Names



Archives from the former Soviet Union concentrate their holdings according to oblasts (provinces). You need to know both the old and new jurisdiction to search

  • Most records will have to be accessed in person at Russian archives

Germans From Russia

After the Seven Years War (1756-1763) Catherine the Great invited European colonists to found "closed cities" on the Russia steppe along the Volga River. Over 30,000 German speakers accepted the offer

Major groups included

  • Volga Germans

  • Black Sea Germans

  • Volhynians

  • Hutterites and Mennonites

Useful Websites

Useful Websites