Russian
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
Useful Websites
Russian Archives has contact information for all archives and links to each archive’s website, if one exists. The website is in Russian
- Russian Maps
- Free database containing descriptions of Russian archive holdings
- The Russians to American Passenger Data File, 1834-1897
- LI-RA-MA collection holds Jewish, Ukrainian and Finnish immigrants’ passport applications and questionnaires from 1898-1922