Germans from Russia Search Strategies: Difference between revisions

== '''Step 1. Identify What You Know about Your Family''' ==

Begin your research with family and home sources. Look for names, dates, and places in certificates, family Bibles, obituaries, diaries, and similar sources. Ask your relatives for any additional information they may have. It's very likely that your second cousin, great-aunt, or other relative already has some family information. Organize the information you find and record it on pedigree charts and family group record forms.

== '''Step 2. Decide What You Want to Learn''' ==

Select a specific relative or ancestor, born in Russia for whom you know at least a name, the town or parish where he or she lived in Russia, and an approximate date when he or she lived there. It's very helpful to also know his religion and the names of other family members born in Russia  or Germany.

If you don't have enough information on your German-from-Russia ancestor, review the sources mentioned in step one which may give his birthplace or residence. For suggestions on how to find the name of his birthplace, see the “Emigration and Immigration” section of this outline. The Tracing Immigrant Origins Research Outline (34111) may also help.

Next, decide what you want to learn about your ancestor, such as where and when he or she was married, or the names of his parents. You may want to ask an experienced researcher or a librarian to help you select a goal that you can successfully achieve.

It is usually best to begin by verifying information about the ancestor for whom you know the most, and then continue searching from there. It is often hard to find an ancestor’s records when you know only a name and country of birth. With so little information, your research is limited to a few general indexes like the International Genealogical Index® and Ancestral File™.

== '''Step 3. Select a Record to Search''' ==

Read this outline to learn about the types of records used for Germans from Russia research. To trace your family, you may need to use some of the records described in each section. Several factors can affect your choice of which records to search. This outline provides information to help you evaluate the contents, availability, ease of use, time period covered, and reliability of the records, as well as the likelihood that your ancestor will be listed. The table on page # can also help you decide which records to search.

Effective researchers begin by obtaining some background information. Then they survey previous research. Finally, they search original documents.

Background Information Sources. You may need some geographical and historical information. This can save you time and effort by helping you focus your research in the correct place and time period.

• Locate the town or place of residence. Examine maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids to learn as much as you can about each of the places where your ancestors lived. Identify the major migration routes, nearby cities, county boundaries, other geographical features, and government or ecclesiastical jurisdictions. Place-finding aids are described in the “Maps,” “Gazetteers,” “Historical Geography,” and “History” sections of this outline.

• Review local history. You will need to understand Russia's and Germany’s history because they have greatly affected the development of records of genealogical value. If possible, study a history of the areas where your ancestors lived. Look for clues about the people, places, religions, and events that may have affected their lives and the records about them. Records with information about migration and settlement patterns, government jurisdictions, and historical events are described in the «???be sure they really are described in these sections, or don't list the section here» [“Church History,”] [“Gazetteers,”] [“History,”] [“Minorities,”] and [“Periodicals,”] sections of this outline.

• Learn about jurisdictions. You will need to know about how the nations where your ancestor lived are divided into political subdivisions. The United States are divided into states, counties, towns, and townships. Canada is divided into provinces, counties, towns and townships. The Russian Empire is divided into ???true? provinces and counties. See the “Historical Geography” section of this outline, the Germany Research Outline (34061), and the research outline of the nation where your ancestor settled.

• Use language helps. The records and histories of German from Russia are often written in German. You do not need to speak or read German to search the records, but you will need to learn some key words and phrases. You may also need to use Russian gazetteers to locate some German settlements. A few records were kept in Russian about German settlers. Some helpful sources are described in the “Language and Languages” section of this outline.

• Understand naming patterns. Many families that moved from  German-speaking areas to Russia followed distinct naming patterns. Understanding these customs can help you locate missing ancestors. See the “Names, Personal” section of this outline for more information.

Previous Research Sources. Most genealogists do a survey of research previously done by others. This can save time and give you valuable information. You may want to look for:

• Articles in genealogical periodicals.

• Printed family histories and genealogies.

• Biographies.

• Local histories.

• The International Genealogical Index®.

• Ancestral File™.

• The Family Group Records Collections.

Records containing previous research are described in the “Biography,” “Genealogy,” “History,” “Periodicals,” and “Societies” sections of this outline. Remember that the information in these sources may contain some inaccuracies. Therefore, you will want to verify the information you find in such records with other records.

Original Research Sources. After surveying previous research, you will be ready to begin original research. Original research is the process of searching through original documents, often copied on microfilm, which are usually handwritten in the native language. These documents can provide primary information about your family because they were generally recorded at or near the time of an event by a reliable witness. To do thorough research, you should search records of:

• Each place where your ancestor lived.

• The time period when he or she lived there.

• All jurisdictions that may have kept records about him (town, parish, province, and nation).

Many types of original documents are described in this outline. Most Germans from Russia family information is found in the records described under:

• Church Records.

• Civil Registration.

• Land and Property. ???

• Naturalization and Citizenship. ???

== '''Step 4. Obtain and Search the Record''' ==

Suggestions for Obtaining Records. You may be able to obtain the records you need in the following ways:

• Family History Library. You are welcome to visit and use the records at the Family History Library. The library is open to the public. There are no fees for using the records. If you would like more information about its services, contact the library at the following address:

Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3400

• Family History Centers. Copies of most of the records on microform at the Family History Library can be loaned to more than 2,400 Family History Centers. There are small duplication and postage fees for this service.

The library's books cannot be loaned to the centers, but copies of many books not protected by copyright are available on microfilm or microfiche. You can get a list of the Family History Centers near you by writing to the Family History Library at the address above.

• Archives and local churches. Some of the original documents you will need are at state, church, and local archives or in local parish offices in Russia, the Ukraine, Moldavia, etc. While the Family History Library has many records on microfilm, additional records are available only at these archives. You can request searches in their records through correspondence. (See the “Archives and Libraries” section of this outline for more information.) Complete instructions on writing to Germany and on how to prepare a genealogical letter in German are in the German Letter-Writing Guide (34066).

• Libraries and interlibrary loan. Public, academic, and other research libraries may have some published sources for Germans from Russia research. Many libraries also provide interlibrary loan services that allow you to borrow records from other libraries.

• Professional researchers. You can employ a private researcher to search the records for you. A few researchers specialize in Germans from Russia records. You may want to ask researchers on the Family History Library’s International Accredited Genealogists (?????) list who work with records of neighboring countries, such as Germany, Switzerland, or Austria about their services for German-speaking people from Russia.

Be very cautious when hiring professional researchers in the former Russian Empire and “let the buyer beware!” The two most reputable research organizations are:

???Address

Research in archives in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine can also be arranged through the Russian-American Genealogical Archive Service (RAGAS). They are more helpful for Jewish research. You may request bilingual research application forms by contacting:

1929 18th Street N.W.

Washington, D.C. 20009

Follow these principles as you search the records for your ancestor:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[[Category:Germans from Russia]]