Russia Genealogical Records

Russia Birth & Baptism Records

Russian Lutheran Church Books (1833-1885)

An index to and images of books recording the baptism, marriage and burial of around 1 million people. The records cover people of German extraction.

Russia Birth & Baptism Index (1755-1917)

An index to over 170,000 various birth and baptism records, listing parents' names.

Miscellaneous Births & Baptisms Index (1534-1983)

A small index to several-hundred-thousand records from select countries.

Russia Marriage & Divorce Records

Russian Lutheran Church Books (1833-1885)

An index to and images of books recording the baptism, marriage and burial of around 1 million people. The records cover people of German extraction.

Russia Marriage Index (1793-1919)

An index to more than 30,000 marriage records, including personal details, names of relations and particulars of marriage.

Miscellaneous Marriage Index (1662-1945)

An index to more than 30,000 marriage records, including personal details, names of relations and particulars of marriage.

Russia Death & Burial Records

Russian Lutheran Church Books (1833-1885)

An index to and images of books recording the baptism, marriage and burial of around 1 million people. The records cover people of German extraction.

Jewish Online Worldwide Burial Registry (1550-Present)

A searchable database of over 1 million Jewish burials with photographs of the matzevot.

Russia Death & Burial Index (1815-1917)

An index of around 100,000 death and burial records. The index may include names of relatives and details of the death.

Newspapers Covering Russia

Name Card Index to AP Stories (1905-1990)

An index to over 2.1 million people mentioned in Associated Press stories, including name, subject, location, date and a reference to the article.

Subject Card Index to AP Stories (1937-1985)

An index to around 500,000 Associated Press articles.

AP Stories & Newsfeatures (1937-1985)

An index to and digital images of hundreds-of-thousands of world newspaper articles.

Russia Immigration & Travel Records

Irish Famine Immigrants (1846-1851)

A record of over 600,000 immigrants arriving in the United States; being predominantly those escaping the Irish famine. Records may contain numerous useful details, such as age or year of birth, native county and intended destination.

Swedish Emigration Records (1783-1951)

Abstracts of details found in passenger lists, passport records, correspondence and seaman records, which may list name, age, gender, birthplace, occupation, residence, destination, emigration date and more. Most passengers were traveling to North America.

Germans from Russia Obituaries (1899-2012)

Indexed images of over 400,000 obituaries of Germans from Russia who died in North America.

Russians to America Index (1834-1897)

Transcripts of passenger lists recording over 500,000 Russians who arrived in New York. Includes ages, birthplaces and other details.

Russia Military Records

Prisoners of War (1715-1945)

An index to and images records detailing the incarceration of 1.34 million military personnel, civilians, diplomats, missionaries & merchant seamen who were held as prisoners of war. The records cover British prisoners held by foreign powers and non-British prisoners held by Britain.

Holocaust Victims Testimonials (1942-1951)

Created by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II to document German crimes during the occupation, the Soviet Extraordinary Commission compiled testimonial information gathered from the evidence of neighbors, eyewitnesses, and survivors.

US State Department Records for Russia (1930-1939)

Official reports relating activities of American interest in the Soviet Union, prior to World War II, including accounts of conferences, communist activities, living conditions, oil interests, trade unions, the railway, and collective farms. Other countries, including Germany and China are featured in some of the correspondence.

Russia Directories & Gazetteers

CIA World Factbook (1994)

A statistic and descriptive gazetteer of nations.

World Foreign Gazetteer (1998)

Useful for locating places, this searchable gazetteer gives brief details, latitude and longitude for more than 1.5 million features, places and regions throughout the world.

Russia Cemeteries

Billion Graves (1200-Present)

Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.

Russia Obituaries

Germans from Russia Obituaries (1899-2012)

Indexed images of over 400,000 obituaries of Germans from Russia who died in North America.

Russia Histories & Books

Ancestry Member Stories (6000 BC-Present)

Over 7 million remembrances and historic details submitted by Ancestry members. Useful for local historians.

Ancestry Member Photos & Documents (6000 BC-Present)

Over 60 million historic photographs and documents submitted to Ancestry. This rich collection contains many rare sources of interest to local historians and will be relevant to most genealogical research.

Holocaust Victims Testimonials (1942-1951)

Created by the Soviet Union at the end of World War II to document German crimes during the occupation, the Soviet Extraordinary Commission compiled testimonial information gathered from the evidence of neighbors, eyewitnesses, and survivors.

US State Department Records for Russia (1930-1939)

Official reports relating activities of American interest in the Soviet Union, prior to World War II, including accounts of conferences, communist activities, living conditions, oil interests, trade unions, the railway, and collective farms. Other countries, including Germany and China are featured in some of the correspondence.

Russia Occupation & Business Records

Cricket Archive (1844-Present)

A database of cricket scores and players.

Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Russia

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Lineages of Medieval Russian Nobility (860-1600)

The lineages of Russian royalty and nobility, with biographical details and extracts from historic documents.

Ancestry Member Family Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A compilation of lineage-linked family trees submitted by Ancestry users. The database contains over 2 billion individuals and is searchable by numerous metrics.

Genealogics (1400 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked families. It largely covers royalty and nobility, but also contains actors, footballers and American presidents.

Ancestry World Tree (6000 BC-1997)

A collection of legacy trees submitted by Ancestry users containing nearly 400 million individuals.

Russia Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records

FamilySearch Community Trees (6000 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.

Lineages of Medieval Russian Nobility (860-1600)

The lineages of Russian royalty and nobility, with biographical details and extracts from historic documents.

Genealogics (1400 BC-Present)

A searchable database of linked families. It largely covers royalty and nobility, but also contains actors, footballers and American presidents.

Russia Church Records

Russian Lutheran Church Books (1833-1885)

An index to and images of books recording the baptism, marriage and burial of around 1 million people. The records cover people of German extraction.

Russia Maps

Old Maps Online (1497-2010)

An interactive index to thousands of maps covering the world, continents, countries and regions. The majority of maps cover Britain and Ireland.

Russia Reference Works

Dictionary of Jewish Surnames in Russian Empire (1500-1900)

A work which list the history and etymology of Jewish surnames found in the Ukraine, Belorussia, Bessarabia, Lithuania, and Russia.

Jewish Name Database (1400-Present)

A database containing variants of 100,000s of given names used by Jews.

Historical Description

Owing to the war and to two revolutions, the old Russian Empire is now in a state of upheaval and anarchy, and it is impossible to foretell what will be its ultimate frontiers and kind of Government. For the present, one can only be fairly certain that future Russia will not include either Poland or Finland, which will remain independent States. But even without these two States, Russia occupies an immense territory in Europe and Asia, with unlimited resources and with an enormous population (roughly 180 millions), which will ensure an ample supply of comparatively cheap labour.

Russia is predominantly an agricultural country, and though some parts of its territory are unsuitable for cultivation, it possesses on the other hand in the South an immense belt of very fertile land-the so-called black soil, and an equally fertile and still larger wheat growing area in Siberia. Russia grows wheat, rye, flax (chiefly in the Northern provinces), hemp, cotton (in Central Asiatic provinces), tobacco, sugar beet, etc. Cattle raising is also an important industry, as there are very rich grazing lands, for instance in the Don region.

Russia exported grain, butter, eggs, poultry, bacon and other produce, hides, hemp, flax, timber, sugar, etc.

The timber wealth of Russia is practically unlimited, and though Russia has been exporting very large quantities of it, it may be safely said that its export could be enormously increased as soon as many districts in the North are tapped, which have been left untouched, owing to the absence of proper ways of communication.

The output of oil in Russia-a commodity which assumes a greater and greater importance-formed a very large part of the total world output of oil. The chief oil bearing areas are in the Caucasus near the Caspian Sea, but there are also other still unexplored large deposits of oil in other regions, so that supplies of oil from Russia are likely to play a great part in the future.

Large deposits of coal-without which no industry can exist -are found all over Russia and Siberia. The best known are those in the Donetz region and in Poland, and before the war their output was practically sufficient to cover the home requirements.

It would be impossible to give an adequate idea of the mineral wealth of Russia in the space available. It may be mentioned however that, besides being the chief source of supply of platinum for the world, Russia possesses inexhaustible deposits of gold, silver, iron, manganese, copper, rare metals, etc., etc.

Russian manufacturing industry reached a very high degree of development before the war. It has a large number of engineering and metallurgical works, shipbuilding yards, spinning and weaving mills, paper mills, boot factories, sugar mills, breweries and distilleries, chemical works, glass works, etc., etc. Although Russian engineering industry was highly developed, it could not supply even a small part of the machinery required for home consumption, so that Russia formed an excellent market for foreign manufacturers.

Germany had a lion’s share in the Russian trade partly on account of lower prices, but chiefly on account of the extended credit which German manufacturer were able to give owing to their knowledge of the Russian conditions. Another factor which weighed is their favour was that they quoted prices for . goods delivered to the consumer’s place, duty paid. As British manufacturers would only quote in most cases prices F.O.B, British port, Russians declined to have the trouble of calculating shipping and railway freight, duty, etc.

In view of the present unsettled conditions in Russia and of the utter collapse of Russian currency (the rate of exchange being 30.000—40.000 roubles to £, instead of 9.40—9.60 before the war), trade with Russia is practically out of the question, but as soon as more normal conditions prevail, Russia will be for a long time a market that will greedily absorb all kinds of goods.

Among the goods for which there will be an unlimited demand for years to come may be mentioned agricultural machinery and implements, rolling stock, rails, tools and machine tools, cutlery, mining machinery, spinning and weaving machinery, sugar machinery, electrical machinery motor vehicles of all kinds, cotton and woollen goods leather, stationery, soap, perfumery, etc., etc.

Preparations ought to be made, therefore, to begins business as soon as it becomes possible, so as to forestall foreign competitors, and it might be a good plan to have catalogues ready, printed in Russian.

In preparing catalogues for Russia, it must be born in mind that Russian measurements differ but little from the English ones. Below will be found a short table Russian weights and measures.

Note.-Russian inches and feet are the same a English :—

1 vershok = 1 ¾ inches.

1 arsheen = 16 vershok = 28--inches.

1 sagen = 7 ft. = 3 arsheen.

1 verst = 500 sagen = 3,500--ft.

1 Russian lb. = 32 lots = 96--zolotnik = 0.9 lb. English.

(1 lb. Russian = 409 gr., 1 lb. English = 454 gr.) 1 pound = 40 lbs. Russian = 36 lbs.

Before the war, the number of ordinary newspapers and trade and technical publications in Russia, though by no means in proportion to the size of the population was fairly large and rapidly increasing. With the exception of a few sheets published by the various Soviets and generally called “lzvestia” (News), there is now practically no Press.

The Newspaper Press Directory and Advertisers' Guide (1922)

Most Common Surnames in Russia

RankSurnameIncidenceFrequency
1Ivanova927,6951:155
2Ivanov881,4611:164
3Kuznetsova454,0511:317
4Kuznetsov436,7301:330
5Petrov429,8961:335
6Smirnova428,0551:337
7Magomedov385,0861:374
8Petrova383,2081:376
9Smirnov366,2471:394
10Popov365,9251:394
11Popova365,7781:394
12Volkova303,9091:474
13Novikova257,6291:559
14Morozova240,2561:600
15Sokolova230,1201:626
16Pavlova223,2261:646
17Romanova221,9631:649
18Volkov219,1011:658
19Shevchenko218,1701:661
20Andreeva215,7231:668
21Vasilev211,4871:681
22Vasileva209,5261:688
23Mikhaylova209,4201:688
24Novikov205,6991:701
25Makarova205,0481:703
26Morozov194,9931:739
27Sergeeva188,8771:763
28Pavlov188,4951:765
29Zaytseva187,5191:769
30Sokolov186,2521:774
31Aliev182,1091:791
32Mikhaylov181,2621:795
33Nikolaeva179,3341:804
34Romanov179,0551:805
35Zakharova178,5911:807
36Makarov177,1251:814
37Stepanova176,1941:818
38Lebedeva173,5291:831
39Kozlova173,0811:833
40Nikitina172,4191:836
41Egorova171,1741:842
42Egorov168,7091:854
43Kozlov165,3741:871
44Nikolaev163,5071:881
45Stepanov161,5341:892
46Andreev159,9231:901
47Yakovleva156,7751:919
48Zakharov155,3491:928
49Kovalenko154,5021:933
50Frolova154,0731:935
51Orlova153,3331:940
52Sergeev149,8361:962
53Bondarenko148,5531:970
54Nikitin145,8441:988
55Zaytsev144,9721:994
56Medvedev143,3211:1,006
57Kotova141,8951:1,016
58Orlov140,4631:1,026
59Belova138,5001:1,041
60Kravchenko138,1391:1,043
61Borisova137,9711:1,045
62Mironova137,5051:1,048
63Alekseeva137,1511:1,051
64Frolov135,4521:1,064
65Kuzmina134,8121:1,069
66Kuzmin128,2461:1,124
67Yakovlev128,2171:1,124
68Magomedova125,0391:1,153
69Medvedeva124,2651:1,160
70Antonova123,2731:1,169
71Belov122,6931:1,175
72Lebedev122,4511:1,177
73Alekseev120,1871:1,199
74Dmitrieva119,4611:1,206
75Borisov119,2321:1,209
76Semenova116,7101:1,235
77Tarasova116,6361:1,236
78Melnikova115,5911:1,247
79Matveeva114,8641:1,255
80Vlasova113,1081:1,274
81Fedorova112,2811:1,284
82Polyakova111,1641:1,296
83Antonov110,2471:1,307
84Zhukova109,6061:1,315
85Tkachenko108,9241:1,323
86Tarasov107,9531:1,335
87Sidorov106,6521:1,351
88Ilina105,4251:1,367
89Filippova104,8721:1,374
90Kim104,6171:1,378
91Mironov103,5961:1,391
92Aleksandrova103,2941:1,395
93Dmitriev103,2481:1,396
94Sorokina103,1221:1,398
95Isaev102,8071:1,402
96Kolesnikova102,6661:1,404
97Guseva102,2341:1,410
98Danilova102,0351:1,412
99Kotov101,1121:1,425
100Matveev99,3791:1,450
101Sorokin99,1021:1,454
102Sidorova99,0061:1,456
103Timofeeva98,1241:1,469
104Maksimova98,0721:1,470
105Bogdanova98,0531:1,470
106Semenov97,4091:1,480
107Kazakova97,0131:1,486
108Fedorov96,7451:1,490
109Zhukov95,5961:1,508
110Abramova94,9951:1,517
111Grigoreva94,8251:1,520
112Melnikov94,6321:1,523
113Kalinina94,2531:1,529
114Osipova94,1581:1,531
115Vasilyeva93,4111:1,543
116Grigorev93,2431:1,546
117Karpova92,9251:1,551
118Nazarova92,8921:1,552
119Akhmedov92,2211:1,563
120Karpov92,0951:1,565
121Kulikova90,9201:1,585
122Goncharova90,2991:1,596
123Chernova90,2731:1,597
124Semyonov89,8391:1,604
125Gusev89,7281:1,606
126Danilov88,7481:1,624
127Vlasov88,4691:1,629
128Fyodorov88,2861:1,632
129Titova88,0221:1,637
130Filippov87,8021:1,641
131Semyonova87,5081:1,647
132Baranova87,4281:1,648
133Denisova87,3001:1,651
134Polyakov86,8791:1,659
135Davydova86,5671:1,665
136Isaeva85,7571:1,681
137Fomina85,4051:1,688
138Boyko85,3921:1,688
139Kolesnikov85,2861:1,690
140Fyodorova84,7091:1,701
141Bogdanov84,4281:1,707
142Belyaeva84,3951:1,708
143Titov83,4171:1,728
144Baranov83,1691:1,733
145Markova82,7121:1,742
146Timofeev82,5731:1,745
147Savchenko82,5301:1,746
148Abramov81,9781:1,758
149Efimova81,6511:1,765
150Kulikov81,5421:1,767
151Maksimov81,4071:1,770
152Fomin81,2511:1,774
153Tikhonova80,2351:1,796
154Ramazanov80,0581:1,800
155Marchenko79,9301:1,803
156Osipov79,0851:1,822
157Ibragimov78,4641:1,837
158Fedotova78,3221:1,840
159Kalinin78,3211:1,840
160Nazarov78,1041:1,845
161Gadzhiev77,9171:1,850
162Gavrilov77,9151:1,850
163Konovalova77,8591:1,851
164Gavrilova77,8501:1,851
165Aleksandrov77,7401:1,854
166Belyaev77,6171:1,857
167Chernov77,5161:1,859
168Kovaleva77,3911:1,862
169Sergeevna76,7681:1,877
170Ermakova76,4701:1,885
171Gerasimova76,4681:1,885
172Goncharov76,2541:1,890
173Vinogradova75,8841:1,899
174Alieva75,8321:1,901
175Gorbunova75,5671:1,907
176Filatova74,9821:1,922
177Kazakov74,6811:1,930
178Maltseva74,4081:1,937
179Chernykh74,3701:1,938
180Kiseleva73,6101:1,958
181Koroleva73,2781:1,967
182Kurbanov72,2691:1,994
183Konovalov70,9771:2,031
184Denisov70,9621:2,031
185Filatov70,7031:2,038
186Efimov69,9411:2,061
187Tikhonov69,8911:2,062
188Naumova69,5501:2,072
189Komarova69,2551:2,081
190Ovchinnikova69,0231:2,088
191Efremova68,9251:2,091
192Klimova68,5091:2,104
193Gerasimov68,1521:2,115
194Malysheva67,9461:2,121
195Fedotov67,8351:2,125
196Markov66,9421:2,153
197Potapova66,9251:2,154
198Davydov66,0411:2,182
199Vasilyev65,4471:2,202
200Kiselyov65,1651:2,212