Vilna Gubernia Church Records

Introduction
One of the predominant faiths in the Vilna Gubernia was that of Roman Catholisim, although there were also groups of Russian Orthodox, Jews, Evangelical Lutherans/Protestants and Old Believer Orthodox. These churches acted as both religious and civil agents in recording vital events. Transcripts of metrical (church) records were sent to the ecclesiastical court or provincial administration, and Jewish records were filed with the local town council. Years of record coverage vary depending upon religion and location. See below for some general guidelines: Metrical records may be stored in the State Historical Archive in Vilnius or the Central State Historical Archives of Belarus (Minsk or Grodno branches). Some of these records are available online as digital images or indexed records. Others may only be accessible via an archive. Find your ancestor's religion below to learn more about how to find metrical records.
 * Roman Catholic records began as early as 1613, with transcripts beginning in 1826
 * Russian Orthodox records began in 1722
 * Greek Catholic records began in 1796
 * Jews were required to keep records beginning in 1835. Prior to this point, you may find them recorded in the church books of other religious denominations. For more information about Jewish records see Vilna Religious Records.
 * Evangelical Lutheran/Protestant records began as early as 1641, with transcripts beginning in 1833
 * Old Believers records began in 1874
 * Old Believers records began in 1874

Roman Catholic
Catholicism has been the majority religious denomination since the Christianization of Lithuania in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

Digital Copies of Roman Catholic Church Records through FamilySearch
Digital images of Roman Catholic metrical records for several uyezdi of the former Vilna gubernia are available online. Records may be available for your ancestor's parish, or they may be included in an uyezd wide collection of metrical records. You should check both places for records. Follow the instructions below for more information.

How to Locate Parish Records

 * 1) Go to https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog
 * 2) In the Place box, type in the name of the parish. Or click here and follow the instructions below to use the places within feature.
 * 3) Click on Places within Russia, Vil'na.
 * 4) From the list that appears, select the uyezd that your ancestor lived in.
 * 5) Next, click on Places within Russia, Vil'na, [Uyezd].
 * 6) Browse the list to locate the name of your ancestor's parish.
 * 7) Once you have located your parish, look for the heading entitled Church Records. Click on that. Then, look for titles that include "Metrical books" and have the Roman Catholic Church listed as the author.
 * 8) Once you have located your desired record, click on it.
 * 9) This will take you to the catalog entry page for your desired record. Scroll down to the Film/Digital Notes section. Locate the type of record and time frame you are in need of.
 * 10) The final Format column will let you know how the record can be accessed. A digital camera indicates the records are available online, while a digital camera with a key indicates the record is available, but with additional viewing restrictions. You may be able to view the record at a Family History Center. Click here to locate a Family History Center near you. Finally, a microfilm icon indicates the record is only accessible at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. View the Family History Library website for more information about the record look-up service. Be sure to take note of item numbers found in the Film section. Occasionally, microfilms were divided into separate items to conserve space. Look for black "title" cards with a large number on them that indicate the beginning and end of an item. This will help you find the location of the proper records on the film.

How to Locate Uyezd Records
Uyezd, or district level metrical records are available through FamilySearch for the Lida and Vilna uyezds. These records are typically organized by uyezd, year and record type, and then within the film, by parish.

Digital Copies of Roman Catholic Church Records through ePaveldas
ePaveldas Lithuanian Cultural Heritage Collection is a digital repository containing almost 4,000 Roman Catholic metrical books, with many for areas within the former Vilna gubernia.

To learn how to use the records available at ePaveldas, see the Online Catholic Church Records: ePaveldas "How to" Guide.

Digital Copies of Roman Catholic Church Records through Bažnytiniai dokumentai Lietuvoje (Church Documents in Lithuania)
The Bažnytiniai dokumentai Lietuvoje Wiki page contains records for various location throughout Lithuania and Poland. There are several parishes with documents in the former Vilna Gubernia, most notably in the Troki and Vileĭka districts. The Wiki page is organized by location. Simply click on the name of your parish (keep in mind the parish names are in genitive case, so they may appear a bit differently than you are used to). Simply click on your parish name, and then select the year and record type desired.

Indexed Roman Catholic Church Records through Geneteka
Geneteka contains over 30 million indexes from many regions of Poland. Although it is a Polish website, and focuses on indexing Polish records, it contains indexes for areas that were part of the former Vilna Gubernia. To learn how to use the site, see the Geneteka Indexed Records and Geneteka: Accessing Records "How to" Guides. For records specific to Vilna gubernia, search by parish, or choose Lithuania (Litwa) or Belarus (Białoruś).

Indexed Roman Catholic Church Records through Metrikai
Metrikai is a Lithuanian site that indexes metrical records from throughout Lithuania. It's a newer website and is constantly being updated with new indexes and information, so check back often. The website is only available in Lithuanian; however, for non-Lithuanian speakers, you can use Google Translate to help you navigate the site.

Website Translation For help using the site, follow the instructions below.
 * If you use the Google Chrome browser, simply right click anywhere on the page and select the option Translate to English.
 * If you prefer to use another browser, just go to https://translate.google.com/, and change the language settings to translate from English to Russian. Copy and paste the URL of the website you want translated into the English box and click on the link that appears in the Russian box. This will take you to a translated version of the site.
 * In the upper right hand corner, above Powered by Google Translate, click on Select Language and find your language of choice.


 * 1) Go to https://www.metrikai.lt/index.php
 * 2) If needed, translate the website into English (or your preferred language) using the information above.
 * 3) Check to see if records for your parish location have been indexed by looking at the list of parishes on the left hand side (the black column with locations followed by RKB (Roman Catholic), and a number). The number following each parish name represents the number of records indexed from that location. If you do not see your parish in the list, check back in the future. If you do not know the name of the parish, you can search using just a surname in the search box on the main page.
 * 4) If your parish does appear in the list, click on it.
 * 5) In the search box that appears at the top of the page, type in the surname in the Keyword (Raktinis žodis) box. If desired, you can add additional search terms or filter by record type.
 * 6) Press enter or click Search (leškoti).
 * 7) Search results will appear in a columnar format. Keep in mind that Google Translate may not correctly translate all information. See the table below to help you navigate some of the common information that may appear in the columns.

Roman Catholic Metrical Books in Archives
In some cases, metrical books may still remain in archives. See the following archival finding aids to help you locate records. For help writing to an archive, see Russia Archives and Libraries.

State Historical Archives of Belarus Finding Aids

 * Vileĭka Uyezd
 * Disna Uyezd
 * Oshmiany Uyezd
 * Sventsiany Uyezd

State Historical Archives of Lithuania in Vilnius Finding Aids

 * Lida Uyezd
 * Lists of fonds in the State Historical Archives of Lithuania - look for fonds with "metrical books" or "Roman Catholic" in the title. Download the PDF and search for information about records your town or uyezd. See especially "Churches of the former Roman Catholic Diocese of Vilnius, an index of metric books now in the territory of Belarus."
 * О Вильнюсе - Russian and Lithuanian language list of fonds in the Lithuanian State Historical Archives. Use Google Translate to help you navigate the site.

Archival Finding Aid - Radzima ($)
Radzima is a Belarusian genealogy website that can be used to help you determine the location of records in an archive (as a member of the paid premium plan). The website is available in Polish, English, Belarusian, and Russian. To change the language to English, click on ENG in the upper right hand corner. To locate metrical records, use the gazetteer, found by clicking on the Find the Place tab. There you will find an image of the town on a map (top of page), historical jurisdictions over time (left sidebar) and a forum page (center) where you can ask questions and connect with others researching in the same area. If you scroll down on the page, you may find a heading called Parishes located towards the bottom of the left side bar. Clicking on the name of the parish(es) that appear under that heading will take you to a page about that parish. Parish pages sometimes include pictures, a brief history, and information about Metrical books. The Metrical books section will tell you the years the records are available for, the record type, and the archive they are located in. The fond, opis, and delo number are also often listed. Keep in mind this site doesn't link you to the records - it just informs you where they are located. You can then use that information to contact the respective archive.

Reading Roman Catholic Metrical Books
Below are examples and translations of typical column headings in Roman Catholic Metrical books in Lithuania. Keep in mind that the format of the information within the columns may vary.

Birth Record - Russian


1. Surname: the surname of the father is usually written out horizontally in this column. Rotate the page, and scan for your surname on each entry.

2. Entry number

3. Entry number

a. Male

b. Female

4. Date

a. Birth date

b. Baptism date

5. Baptismal information: when [date is written out long in a year, month, and day format] where [typically parish], who [name of child], and by whom baptized [priest].

6. Birth information: who were the parents [(social estate of father), (father's name) and (mother's name) (mother's maiden name) (father's surname) when [date is written out long in a year, month, and day format] and where [birthplace].

7. Witnesses: there are typically two witnesses.

8. Optional Notes

Marriage Record - Russian


1. Entry number: the surname of the groom and/or the bride are written out horizontally in this column. Rotate the page and scan for your surname(s) on each entry.

2. Date of marriage: just the date (numeral) is recorded in this column. In some cases, you may find the month written out on the first entry of the month, otherwise, you will find the full date recorded in column three.

3. Date and location of marriage and marriage banns: when [date is written out long in a year, month, and day format], where [typically parish], by whom married [name of priest].

4. Information about the bride and groom - groom: [social estate/standing/occupation], [groom's name], [marital status - bachelor or widower], [age], [residence]; bride: [residence or parish (genitive case)] [marital status - maiden or widow], [bride's name], [age].

5. Information about the parents of the bride and groom - [social estate/standing/occupation], son of  [father's given name (genitive case)] and [mother's given name (genitive case)] born as [mother's maiden name (genitive case)] [father's surname (genitive case)]; with the daughter of [social estate/standing/occupation], [father's given name (genitive case)] and [mother's given name (genitive case)] born as [mother's maiden name (genitive case)] [father's surname (genitive case)]; names of witnesses.

Death Record - Russian


1. Entry number: in addition to the entry number, the surname of the deceased is usually written out horizontally in this column. Rotate the page, and scan for your surname on each entry.

2. Date of death: just the date (numeral) of the death is recorded in this column. In some cases, you may find the month written out on the first entry of the month, otherwise, you will find the full date recorded in column three.

3. Age: age is recorded in years, watch for abbreviations such as г. (year), мец. (month), нед. (week), д./дней (day), ч. (hours)

4. Name of the deceased and information about the date, location, and cause of death: when [date is written out long in a year, month, and day format], where [location of death], from [cause of death (may be in genitive case)], who [name of deceased], whether they received the holy sacrament.

5. Information about the deceased and those they left behind: [social estate/standing/occupation], [name], [age], left behind [name of children or spouse-

6. Name of the priest and when/where buried: [name of priest], [date of burial], [place of burial].

Russian Orthodox
Orthodoxy is the second-largest majority religious denomination in Lithuania. Historically, it was followed almost entirely by ethnic minorities, particularly Russians. Russian Orthodox churches existed in the city of Vilnius as early as the fourteenth century. The faith grew and expanded to other areas of Lithuania after the annexation of Lithuania by the Russian Empire in 1795.

Digital Copies of Russian Orthodox Church Records through FamilySearch
Digital images of Russian Orthodox metrical records for several uyezdi of the former Vilna gubernia are available online. Records may be available for your ancestor's parish, or they may be included in an uyezd wide collection of metrical records. You should check both places for records. Follow the instructions below for more information.

How to Locate Parish Records

 * 1) Go to https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog
 * 2) In the Place box, type in the name of the parish. Or click here and follow the instructions below to use the places within feature.
 * 3) Click on Places within Russia, Vil'na.
 * 4) From the list that appears, select the uyezd that your ancestor lived in.
 * 5) Next, click on Places within Russia, Vil'na, [Uyezd].
 * 6) Browse the list to locate the name of your ancestor's parish.
 * 7) Once you have located your parish, look for the heading entitled Church Records. Click on that. Then, look for titles that include "Метрические книги (Metrical books)" and have "Православная Церковь (Orthodox Church)" as the author.
 * 8) Once you have located your desired record, click on it.
 * 9) This will take you to the catalog entry page for your desired record. Scroll down to the Film/Digital Notes section. Locate the type of record and time frame you are in need of.
 * 10) The final Format column will let you know how the record can be accessed. A digital camera indicates the records are available online, while a digital camera with a key indicates the record is available, but with additional viewing restrictions. You may be able to view the record at a Family History Center. Click here to locate a Family History Center near you. Finally, a microfilm icon indicates the record is only accessible at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. View the Family History Library website for more information about the record look-up service. Be sure to take note of item numbers found in the Film section. Occasionally, microfilms were divided into separate items to conserve space. Look for black "title" cards with a large number on them that indicate the beginning and end of an item. This will help you find the location of the proper records on the film.

How to Locate Uyezd Records
Uyezd, or district level metrical records are available through FamilySearch for the Vileĭka uyezd. These records are typically organized by uyezd, year and record type, and then within the film, by parish.

Russian Orthodox Metrical Books in Archives
In some cases, metrical books may still remain in archives. See the following archival finding aids to help you locate records. For help writing to an archive, see Russia Archives and Libraries.

State Historical Archives of Belarus
Note that Orthodox Churches and Uniate (Greek Catholic) have been combined into one archival finding aid.
 * Vileĭka Uyezd
 * Vilna Uyezd
 * Disna Uyezd
 * Lida Uyezd
 * Oshmiany Uyezd
 * Sventsiany Uyezd

State Historical Archives of Lithuania in Vilnius

 * О Вильнюсе - Russian and Lithuanian language list of fonds in the Lithuanian State Historical Archives. Use Google Translate to help you navigate the site.

Archival Finding Aid - Radzima ($)
Radzima is a Belarusian genealogy website that can be used to help you determine the location of records in an archive (as a member of the paid premium plan). The website is available in Polish, English, Belarusian, and Russian. To change the language to English, click on ENG in the upper right hand corner. To locate metrical records, use the gazetteer, found by clicking on the Find the Place tab. There you will find an image of the town on a map (top of page), historical jurisdictions over time (left sidebar) and a forum page (center) where you can ask questions and connect with others researching in the same area. If you scroll down on the page, you may find a heading called Parishes located towards the bottom of the left side bar. Clicking on the name of the parish(es) that appear under that heading will take you to a page about that parish. Parish pages sometimes include pictures, a brief history, and information about Metrical books. The Metrical books section will tell you the years the records are available for, the record type, and the archive they are located in. The fond, opis, and delo number are also often listed. Keep in mind this site doesn't link you to the records - it just informs you where they are located. You can then use that information to contact the respective archive.

Greek Catholic
The history of the Greek Catholic church in Lithuania has its roots in the times of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. For a history of the Greek Catholic church in Lithuania, read At the Crossroads: The History of the Greek-Catholic Church in Lithuania by Francesco La Rocca.

Digital Copies of Greek Catholic Metrical Books through FamilySearch
Digital images of Greek Catholic metrical records for several uyezdi of the former Vilna gubernia are available online. Records may be available for your ancestor's parish, or they may be included in an consistory wide collection of metrical records. You should check both places for records. Follow the instructions below for more information.

How to Locate Consistory Records
The metrical books for the Lithuanian Greek-Uniate (Greek-Catholic) Consistory (1718-1850) are available through FamilySearch.

How to Locate Parish Records

 * 1) Go to https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog
 * 2) In the Place box, type in the name of the parish. Or click here and follow the instructions below to use the places within feature.
 * 3) Click on Places within Russia, Vil'na.
 * 4) From the list that appears, select the uyezd that your ancestor lived in.
 * 5) Next, click on Places within Russia, Vil'na, [Uyezd].
 * 6) Browse the list to locate the name of your ancestor's parish.
 * 7) Once you have located your parish, look for the heading entitled Church Records. Click on that. Then, look for titles that include "Metrical books" and have the Greek Catholic Church listed as the author.
 * 8) Once you have located your desired record, click on it.
 * 9) This will take you to the catalog entry page for your desired record. Scroll down to the Film/Digital Notes section. Locate the type of record and time frame you are in need of.
 * 10) The final Format column will let you know how the record can be accessed. A digital camera indicates the records are available online, while a digital camera with a key indicates the record is available, but with additional viewing restrictions. You may be able to view the record at a Family History Center. Click here to locate a Family History Center near you. Finally, a microfilm icon indicates the record is only accessible at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. View the Family History Library website for more information about the record look-up service. Be sure to take note of item numbers found in the Film section. Occasionally, microfilms were divided into separate items to conserve space. Look for black "title" cards with a large number on them that indicate the beginning and end of an item. This will help you find the location of the proper records on the film.

Greek Catholic Metrical Books in Archives
In some cases, metrical books may still remain in archives. See the following archival finding aids to help you locate records. For help writing to an archive, see Russia Archives and Libraries.

State Historical Archives of Belarus
Note that Orthodox Churches and Uniate (Greek Catholic) have been combined into one archival finding aid.
 * Vileĭka Uyezd
 * Vilna Uyezd
 * Disna Uyezd
 * Lida Uyezd
 * Oshmiany Uyezd
 * Sventsiany Uyezd

State Historical Archives of Lithuania in Vilnius

 * О Вильнюсе - Russian and Lithuanian language list of fonds in the Lithuanian State Historical Archives. Use Google Translate to help you navigate the site.

Archival Finding Aid - Radzima ($)
Radzima is a Belarusian genealogy website that can be used to help you determine the location of records in an archive (as a member of the paid premium plan). The website is available in Polish, English, Belarusian, and Russian. To change the language to English, click on ENG in the upper right hand corner. To locate metrical records, use the gazetteer, found by clicking on the Find the Place tab. There you will find an image of the town on a map (top of page), historical jurisdictions over time (left sidebar) and a forum page (center) where you can ask questions and connect with others researching in the same area. If you scroll down on the page, you may find a heading called Parishes located towards the bottom of the left side bar. Clicking on the name of the parish(es) that appear under that heading will take you to a page about that parish. Parish pages sometimes include pictures, a brief history, and information about Metrical books. The Metrical books section will tell you the years the records are available for, the record type, and the archive they are located in. The fond, opis, and delo number are also often listed. Keep in mind this site doesn't link you to the records - it just informs you where they are located. You can then use that information to contact the respective archive.

Digital Copies of Evangelical Lutheran Metrical Books through FamilySearch
Digital images of Evangelical Lutheran metrical records for several uyezdi of the former Vilna gubernia are available online.

How to Locate Parish Records

 * 1) Go to https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog
 * 2) In the Place box, type in the name of the parish. Or click here and follow the instructions below to use the places within feature.
 * 3) Click on Places within Russia, Vil'na.
 * 4) From the list that appears, select the uyezd that your ancestor lived in.
 * 5) Next, click on Places within Russia, Vil'na, [Uyezd].
 * 6) Browse the list to locate the name of your ancestor's parish.
 * 7) Once you have located your parish, look for the heading entitled Church Records. Click on that. Then, look for titles that include "Metrical books" and have the "Evangelical Church" or "Evangelical Reformed Church" listed as the author.
 * 8) Once you have located your desired record, click on it.
 * 9) This will take you to the catalog entry page for your desired record. Scroll down to the Film/Digital Notes section. Locate the type of record and time frame you are in need of.
 * 10) The final Format column will let you know how the record can be accessed. A digital camera indicates the records are available online, while a digital camera with a key indicates the record is available, but with additional viewing restrictions. You may be able to view the record at a Family History Center. Click here to locate a Family History Center near you. Finally, a microfilm icon indicates the record is only accessible at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. View the Family History Library website for more information about the record look-up service. Be sure to take note of item numbers found in the Film section. Occasionally, microfilms were divided into separate items to conserve space. Look for black "title" cards with a large number on them that indicate the beginning and end of an item. This will help you find the location of the proper records on the film.

Evangelical Lutheran Metrical Books in Archives
In some cases, metrical books may still remain in archives. See the following archival finding aids to help you locate records. For help writing to an archive, see Russia Archives and Libraries.

State Historical Archives of Lithuania in Vilnius

 * О Вильнюсе - Russian and Lithuanian language list of fonds in the Lithuanian State Historical Archives. Use Google Translate to help you navigate the site.

Reading Records
Metrical books for Vilna Gubernia may have been recorded in Russian, Latin, Polish, or German. More recent metrical records (not Vilna Gubernia era) may be recorded in Lithuanian. Lithuanian did not serve as the official language of the country until Lithuania's independence 1918-1940, and more recently, 1991 to present day. Although most Vilna Gubernia records will not be in Lithuanian, many websites and repositories will use Lithuanian in their interface. Use the word list and Google Translate to help you navigate sites that might be in Lithuanian.

Use the resources below to help you read records. For free translation help, consider the FamilySearch Community - a place where you can get research and translation assistance (in many languages). Be sure to place your translation request in the Russian Empire Genealogy Research Group.

Russian

 * The Russian Alphabet "How To" Guide


 * Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar "How To" Guide
 * Russian Genealogical Word List
 * Reading Russian Documents FamilySearch Learning Center Course
 * Russian Alphabet, Language, and Handwriting FamilySearch Learning Center Course
 * Deciphering the Handwriting and Understanding the Grammar FamilySearch Learning Center Course

Latin

 * Latin Genealogical Word List
 * Latin Handwriting FamilySearch Learning Center Course
 * Latin for Genealogists FamilySearch Learning Center Course

Polish

 * Polish Genealogical Word List
 * Polish Paleography Seminar Handout

German

 * German Genealogical Word List
 * German Paleography Seminar FamilySearch Learning Center Course
 * Old German Script FamilySearch Learning Center Course

Lithuanian

 * Lithuanian Genealogical Word List

Additional Research Assistance
Need additional research assistance with metrical records? Get help through Virtual

Genealogy Consultations, a free service provided by the Family History Library, or via the FamilySearch Community, an online research community hosted by FamilySearch.
 * To meet with a research specialist who can provide you with research assistance and next steps, schedule a free 20-minute consultation. To sign up for a consultation, see Virtual Genealogy Consultations.
 * To ask a question via the FamilySearch Community, an online forum where you can get free research assistance from the broader genealogical community, click here. Be sure to join the Russian Empire Genealogy Research Group!