Russian Empire Websites

Russian Empire Websites
Use the following links and information to locate websites that may be useful to you in your research. For area specific links and information, refer to the respective "gubernia" or province page on the FamilySearch Wiki (return to the Russian Empire page and select the name of your ancestor's gubernia from the list).

Many of these websites are in Russian; however, for non-Russian speakers, you can use Google Translate to help you navigate the site.
 * 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.

Metrical Records

 * Metrical record inventory for Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus
 * Use this site to help you find which fond (section) of the archive metrical records are kept in. The site is organized by modern-day oblast.

1897 Census

 * Archival Fonds of the First All-Russian Empire Census 1897
 * Use this site to help you discover what remains of the 1897 Census (many census returns were destroyed after statistical data was gathered).

World War I

 * In Remembrance of the Heroes of the Great War (WWI)
 * Use this database to search for soldiers and war heroes.
 * The First World War, 1914-1918
 * Use this database to search for soldiers.

Jewish

 * JewishGen
 * JewishGen is a free Jewish genealogy site dedicated to preserving Jewish genealogy and history. Their databases are home to millions of records (many from the former Russian Empire), and their site is full of useful information including a gazetteer, helpful articles, and a translation service.


 * Special Interest Groups
 * Commonly associated with JewishGen, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are organizations specializing in research in a particular area or region (for example, the Latvia Special Interest Group, or Bessarabia Special Interest Group). Many SIGs are actively involved in seeking out Jewish records, indexing/translating them, and making them available for research. Search for these groups via JewishGen or Google. Their websites often have helpful information and links. It's also a good way to connect with other researchers, and contribute to the cause of locating, gathering, and indexing records.
 * Miriam Weiner's Routes to Roots
 * Throughout her 30+ years of experience in Eastern European archives, Miriam Weiner collected vast amounts of information and material, much of which is now available online through the Routes to Roots Foundation website. The site includes many resources to help you research your Jewish roots including a town-by-town index/inventory of surviving Jewish records in archives, maps, surname and Holocaust list databases, informative articles and much more!

Genealogical Forums

 * All-Russia Family Tree
 * In addition to some great learning articles and information, VGD is home to a wonderful forum. Find a forum page for your ancestor's surname, location (town, uyezd, or gubernia) or any research topic of interest. It's a great way to connect with others who are researching similar surnames and/or locations.
 * Wolga Deutsche
 * The forum via Wolga Deutsche is useful if you have Germans from Russia ancestors, particularly those who lived in the Volga region. The forum may also be useful to you even if your ancestors lived in the Black Sea or Volhynian regions. Find a forum page for your ancestor's surname and/or colony. Also check out the great gazetteer, library and historical information available on the site.
 * Jewish Roots
 * The forum found on Jewish Roots is a great way to connect with others researching the same Jewish surnames or shtetls. Occasionally, records and other information can be found within the forum itself. Be sure to check out their other resources, including the database which can help you locate extant records in Eastern European archives.

Archives

 * Portal of the Archives of Russia
 * Use this site to help you locate contact information for various archives in Russia and the former Soviet Union.