2,030
edits
Finding Jewish Ancestors in Ukraine (view source)
Revision as of 11:38, 14 October 2021
, 14 October 2021→Historical Photos
Elliealiese (talk | contribs) |
Elliealiese (talk | contribs) |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
[[File:Miriam Weiner in the Kiev Historical Archives in Ukraine points to boxes of historic documents dating back several hundred years, Aug 1991.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|400x400px|Miriam Weiner at the Kiev Historical Archives in Ukraine. Miriam Weiner Archives, [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/index.shtml https://www.rtrfoundation.org].]] | [[File:Miriam Weiner in the Kiev Historical Archives in Ukraine points to boxes of historic documents dating back several hundred years, Aug 1991.jpg|alt=|left|thumb|400x400px|Miriam Weiner at the Kiev Historical Archives in Ukraine. Miriam Weiner Archives, [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/index.shtml https://www.rtrfoundation.org].]] | ||
The Routes to Roots Foundation was created by Miriam Weiner, who is a genealogist specializing in the research of Jewish roots in Poland and the former Soviet Union. In her 30+ years of experience in Eastern European archives, she collected vast amounts of information and material. Much of her data was originally published in ''Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova'' and ''Jewish Roots in Poland,'' but 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! {{Ukraine-sidebar}} | The Routes to Roots Foundation was created by Miriam Weiner, who is a genealogist specializing in the research of Jewish roots in Poland and the former Soviet Union. In her 30+ years of experience in Eastern European archives, she collected vast amounts of information and material. Much of her data was originally published in ''Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova'' and ''Jewish Roots in Poland,'' but 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! {{Ukraine-sidebar}} | ||
== Find the Town == | == Find the Town == | ||
In order to research your family in Ukraine, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from. It is not enough to know only ‘Ukraine;' you must know the town name and the district/province name. The name of a nearby larger town can also be very helpful. | In order to research your family in Ukraine, it is essential that you have identified the place where they came from. It is not enough to know only ‘Ukraine;' you must know the town name and the district/province name. The name of a nearby larger town can also be very helpful. | ||
| Line 17: | Line 14: | ||
One of the best ways to determine information about your ancestor's pre-immigration origins is to investigate records in the country of immigration. Records that might give clues about your ancestor's birthplace include vital records like marriage or death, vital records of children or spouses, census, synagogue records, obituaries, naturalization/immigration and so on. Find a Wiki page for the country, state, or county that your ancestor immigrated to in order to discover what types of records might be available for the area they lived in. See [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/archdta11.shtml this page] on Miriam Weiner's Routes to Routes page for additional tips on finding your ancestor's hometown. | One of the best ways to determine information about your ancestor's pre-immigration origins is to investigate records in the country of immigration. Records that might give clues about your ancestor's birthplace include vital records like marriage or death, vital records of children or spouses, census, synagogue records, obituaries, naturalization/immigration and so on. Find a Wiki page for the country, state, or county that your ancestor immigrated to in order to discover what types of records might be available for the area they lived in. See [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/archdta11.shtml this page] on Miriam Weiner's Routes to Routes page for additional tips on finding your ancestor's hometown. | ||
In your research to find your ancestor's hometown, you may come across terms such as "gubernia," "wies," "rajon," etc. These are not names of towns, but rather terms for administrative divisions, such as province, town, district, etc. For help understanding these terms, see the [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/admindist.shtml Administrative Districts and Divisions] article on Routes to Roots Foundation. | |||
===Maps of your Ancestor's Town=== | ===Maps of your Ancestor's Town=== | ||
Miriam Weiner's website offers select '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/tiled.shtml historical maps of Ukraine]''', as well as a variety of '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/imagesearch.php historical images]''' from towns in Ukraine that may prove useful in your family history. | Miriam Weiner's website offers select '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/tiled.shtml historical maps of Ukraine]''', as well as a variety of '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/imagesearch.php historical images]''' from towns in Ukraine that may prove useful in your family history. | ||
'''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/soviet.shtml Soviet-era Town Plan Maps]''' are also available. This collection consists of street maps of individual towns and cities within the current borders of Ukraine. Many of the town maps consist of 1-4 separate maps. The maps are in color and about half of them include a "legend" – primarily an alphabetical listing of street names. The maps are in the Russian language (Cyrillic alphabet). This map collection includes more than 40 localities in present-day Ukraine. | '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/soviet.shtml Soviet-era Town Plan Maps]''' are also available. This collection consists of street maps of individual towns and cities within the current borders of Ukraine. Many of the town maps consist of 1-4 separate maps. The maps are in color and about half of them include a "legend" – primarily an alphabetical listing of street names. The maps are in the Russian language (Cyrillic alphabet). This map collection includes more than 40 localities in present-day Ukraine. | ||
Click '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/soviet.shtml HERE]''' to see these map lists. | Click '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/soviet.shtml HERE]''' to see these map lists. | ||
Maps will help you locate places where your ancestors lived and give you context for the records you are using. Maps can identify political boundaries, place names, geographical features, cemeteries, synagogues, etc. Historical maps are especially useful for understanding boundary changes or | |||
Maps will help you locate places where your ancestors lived and give you context for the records you are using. Maps can identify political boundaries, place names, geographical features, cemeteries, synagogues, etc. Historical maps are especially useful for understanding boundary changes or locating tiny villages that don't often appear on most maps. For help locating these tiny villages, see the '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/maps.shtml Join Operations Graphic (JOG) maps.]''' | |||
===Surname Databases=== | ===Surname Databases=== | ||
Over her 30+ years of working in Eastern European archives, Miriam Weiner collected vast amounts of material that can be searched using the '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/lnintro.shtml Surname Databases.]''' There are two surname databases - the Standard Surname Database and the OCR Surname Database. You may also be able to use the surname databases to help narrow down a more specific location for where individuals lived who shared your ancestor's surname. [[File:Screen Shot 2021-09-30 at 3.57.22 PM.png|left|thumb|Standard Surname Database at Routes to Roots, Miriam Weiner Archives, [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/lnsearch.php https://www.rtrfoundation.org]. |alt=|400x400px]] | Over her 30+ years of working in Eastern European archives, Miriam Weiner collected vast amounts of material that can be searched using the '''[https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/lnintro.shtml Surname Databases.]''' There are two surname databases - the Standard Surname Database and the OCR Surname Database. You may also be able to use the surname databases to help narrow down a more specific location for where individuals lived who shared your ancestor's surname. [[File:Screen Shot 2021-09-30 at 3.57.22 PM.png|left|thumb|Standard Surname Database at Routes to Roots, Miriam Weiner Archives, [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/lnsearch.php https://www.rtrfoundation.org]. |alt=|400x400px]] | ||
| Line 66: | Line 65: | ||
See the '''[[Ukraine Jewish Records]]''' page for more information and resources for accessing genealogical records in Ukraine. | See the '''[[Ukraine Jewish Records]]''' page for more information and resources for accessing genealogical records in Ukraine. | ||
==Historical Photos== | ==Historical Photos== | ||
[[File:Drogobych.png|left|thumb|300x300px|Drogobych: Pharmacy on Stryjska Street (now Ukraine), c. 1917, Miriam Weiner Archives, https://www.rtrfoundation.org. ]] | [[File:Drogobych.png|left|thumb|300x300px|Drogobych: Pharmacy on Stryjska Street (now Ukraine), c. 1917, Miriam Weiner Archives, https://www.rtrfoundation.org. ]] | ||
[[File:Kiev babiyar.png|thumb|Kiev - Holocaust memorial at Babi Yar Ravine, 1997, photo credit: Miriam Weiner. ]] | |||
The [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/imagesearch.php Image Database] on Miriam Weiner's website contains photographs and postcard views of many towns and cities throughout Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Poland, and other select countries dating back to the early 1900s. These include pre-WWI and current town views, photos of synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, and Holocaust memorials. It's a great way to see what your ancestor's shtetl may have looked like at the time they lived there. | The [https://www.rtrfoundation.org/newwebsite/imagesearch.php Image Database] on Miriam Weiner's website contains photographs and postcard views of many towns and cities throughout Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Lithuania, Poland, and other select countries dating back to the early 1900s. These include pre-WWI and current town views, photos of synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, and Holocaust memorials. It's a great way to see what your ancestor's shtetl may have looked like at the time they lived there. | ||
[[Category:Ukraine]] | [[Category:Ukraine]] | ||