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Russian Genealogy

Russia Genealogy Introduction

Welcome to our extensive guide on Russian genealogy, crafted to help you trace your Russian ancestry with ease. This page serves as a central hub for anyone interested in exploring their Russian roots, offering a comprehensive collection of Russian genealogy resources. Here, you’ll find valuable links to various tools and information, including detailed guides on accessing Russian military service records, engaging with Russian genealogy forums, and exploring databases on repressed individuals in Russian history.

In addition to these resources, we provide Russian archives contact details, making it easier for you to obtain essential documents and records. Whether you’re seeking birth, marriage, death certificates, or more specialized records, our curated list will guide you to the right sources.

Our page also features links to relevant articles that delve into specific aspects of Russian genealogy, offering insights and tips to enhance your research. From understanding the historical context of your ancestors’ lives to navigating the complexities of Russian naming conventions, these articles are invaluable resources for both beginners and seasoned genealogists.

We are committed to keeping this guide up-to-date with the latest information and newly discovered resources. New links and articles are added regularly, so we encourage you to check back often to stay informed about the latest developments in Russian genealogy.

 

Content

Please refer to the Table of Contents below to easily navigate through this page. Our selection of Russian genealogy links covers a wide range of topics, ensuring you have access to the best resources for tracing your Russian ancestry. Within this section, you will find links dedicated to Russian military service records, active Russian genealogy forums, including Russian Jews and Russian Germans forums and more!

Table of Contents

Links

War records
Resource Name Website Description
Pamyat Naroda "Memory of the People" www.pamyat-naroda.ru The database contains information about Soviet soldiers in WW2, including awards, hospital and death records, mobilization records and more.
OBD Memorial obd-memorial.ru The database of Soviet soldiers who died or went missing during the WW2.
Podvig Naroda "The Feat of the People" podvignaroda.ru The database of documents about awards given to Soviet soldiers during and after WW2.
Doroga Pamyati "The Road of the Memory" 1418museum.ru The database which contains information about Soviet soldiers in WW2.
Bessmertniy Polk "Immortal Regiment" moypolk.ru A memory-based social movement with a website that contains profiles of Soviet soldiers, where you can add profile of a veteran or search for existing one.
Memory of the Heroes of the WW1 gwar.mil.ru The section "Heroes of the War" allows searching for Russian soldiers who participated in WW1. Website also contains useful information about WW1, chronology of the battles and more.
Cavalier cavalier.rusarchives.ru The database of Georgian Cavaliers (award) of the WW1.
Numismat numismat.ru The database of Russian soldiers who received various awards in WW1.
Russian Civil War (White Army) swolkov.org The database of people who participated in White Movement during Civil War in Russia.
Russian Civil War (Red Army) t.ly/Z19Go Losses of the Red Army in the Russian Civil War.
Russian Civil War (Red Army) t.ly/VC2w2 A list of participants in the Civil War who were awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Listed in four volumes of the collection.
Russian Civil War (Red Army) t.ly/D5mZp Monument to the fighters of the proletarian revolution who died in 1917–1921.
OST-West ost-west.memo.ru Lists of individuals deported to work in Germany during the WW2.
Stalingrad stalingrad.rusarchives.ru The "Stalingrad" online project is a virtual exhibition featuring over 450 documents and multimedia that commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet counteroffensive and the city's defense.
STSG ru.stsg.de Databases with information about Soviet soldiers who died in captivity in Germany.
STSG ru.stsg.de Database of Soviet citizens/soldiers buried in Saxony.
RF Poisk rf-poisk.ru Books which list Soviet soldiers who died in WW2, with names identified through medallions, personal items, and archive research.
Polk polk.ru The database includes information on missing persons, unawarded medals, and soldiers found by search teams, covering not only WWII but also conflicts in Afghanistan, the Caucasus, and other local conflicts.
Repressed and executed
Resource Name Website Description
Openlist ru.openlist.wiki The most comprehensive database of victims of political repression in the USSR (1917–1991)
Memorial lists lists.memo.ru Victims of Political Terror in the USSR
Memorial base base.memo.ru Victims of Political Terror in the USSR
Bessmertny Barak "Immortal Barrack" bessmertnybarak.ru Victims of Political Terror in the USSR
Stalin lists stalin.memo.ru Stalin's Execution Lists
Returned Names visz.nlr.ru Victims of Political Terror in the USSR
Posledny Adres "Last address" poslednyadres.ru Search by Address of the Repressed
Sakharov Center sakharov-center.ru List of Victims of Political Repressions, Executed and Buried in Moscow and the Moscow Region from 1918 to 1953
Moscow lists mos.memo.ru Executed people in Moscow
Forums
Resource Name Website Description
VGD www.vgd.ru The largest Russian genealogy forum, covering information about all countries that were once part of the Russian Empire or the Soviet Union.
J-roots www.forum.j-roots.info Jewish Russian genealogy forum, which covers information about all countries that were once part of the Russian Empire or Soviet Union.
Wolgadeutsche https://forum.wolgadeutsche.net History of the Volga Germans: Historical, Local History, and Genealogical Forum
Yar Genealogy https://forum.yar-genealogy.ru/ The Forum of the Yaroslavl Historical and Genealogical Society
Ural Genealogy https://rodgersforum.borda.ru/ The Forum of the Ural Historical and Genealogical Society
Genoua http://forum.genoua.name/ Ukrainian genealogy forum which has section of Russian genealogy
Records Online
Resource Name Website Description
Myheritage www.myheritage.com Family tree builder with various records.
Familysearch www.familysearch.org Millions of global records including naturalization, immigration, birth, death, and marriage records.
Ancestry www.ancestry.com Millions of global records including naturalization, immigration, birth, death, and marriage records.
Geni www.geni.com Family tree builder with connections to other trees.
SPB Archives spbarchives.ru Saint Petersburg archive with digitalized vital records, accessible only to Russian citizens.
Archives of Canada library-archives.canada.ca Records of immigrants from the Russian Empire to Canada.
Geneteka geneteka.genealodzy.pl Database of records from Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and some from Russia.
Genealogy Indexer genealogyindexer.org Indexed and scanned records from Russia and Eastern Europe.
Yandex Archive yandex.ru/archive/search Millions of scanned and indexed vital records from various Russian regions.
Altarchives altarchives.ru/census1917 1917 census records from the Altai region.
GAKO Kirov gako-kirov.ru 1857-1859 census records from the Kirov region.
RSL search.rsl.ru Russian library with thousands of scanned documents, including dissertations.
SHPL elib.shpl.ru Electronic Library of the State Public Historical Library of Russia, containing documents on history, genealogy, and heraldry.
CBS NOVOCH cbs-novoch.ru Digitized records of the Don Cossacks at the Novocherkassk Library.
Altai Krai Archives archiv.ab.ru Documents on WWII evacuation to the Altai Territory.
Altai Krai Archives altarchives.ru/reestr Unique documents from the Altai Krai Archives.
Regional Studies of the Republic of Bashkortostan basharchive.ru Historical and documentary project of the Society of Regional Studies of Bashkortostan.
State Archive of Ivanovo Region af.ivarh.ru Plan to upload over 300,000 pages of records online in 2023.
Izhevsk Archives udmkorni.ru Portal opened in 2022 with registry office books (1918-1924) and other records.
State Archive of Kemerovo Oblast arhiv42.ru Free access to scanned records (registration required).
Kostroma Regional Archives chitalnyj-zal.kosarchive.ru Registration and payment required for scanned documents in the online reading room.
Belogorod Records belarchive.ru Belogorod Regional Registry Records from 1925.
Belogorod Records belarchive.ru Belogorod Regional Revision Tales.
Chelyabinsk Regional Archives ais.archive74.ru Portal with fully scanned metric records (registration required).
Moscow Archives cgamos.ru Nearly 7 million pages scanned from various religious metric books (1744-1920).
Tambov Regional Archives tambovarchiv.ru "Patriotic Initiative of the Tambov Collective Farmers" project.
Tver Regional Archives archives.tverreg.ru Registration required and payment accepted by credit card.
Tomsk Regional Archives pereselenie.gato.tomica.ru Name search available for 5,800 scanned records.
Novgorod Regional Archive gano.altsoft.spb.ru Over 1,500 fonds available online.
Tambov Regional Archives tambovarchiv.ru "Childhood Taken Away by the War" project.
Oryol Regional Archive catalog.gaorel.ru Advanced search capabilities for archive records.
Perm Regional Archives pokolenia.permkrai.ru Scanned metric records and revision tales (registration required).
Saint Petersburg Civil Registration Books spbarchives.ru Birth, marriage, and death records (1918-1924) scanned from over 7,700 books.
Saint Petersburg Metric Books spbarchives.ru Pre-1917 birth, marriage, and death records scanned from over 7,700 books.
Samara Regional Archives archive.samregion.ru Online reading room with birth, marriage, and death records (1780-1918).
Vologda Regional Archives gosarchive.gov35.ru Some records available on the portal (registration required).
Tula Regional Archives gato.tularegion.ru Only 10% of records are online. Registration and payment required for the online reading room.
Vologda Regional Archives arhiv-vologda.ru WWII evacuation records.
Ulyanovsk Regional Archives ogugauo.ru Online records searchable by keyword, listed page by page.
Cemeteries
Resource Name Website Description
Cemeteries of Russia kladbisharossii Burial records
Find a Grave findagrave.com Burial records
Pomnim pomnim.online Burial records
Billion Graves billiongraves.com Burial records

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