Germans from Russia Compiled Genealogies

The term genealogy is used in this article and in the Family History Library Catalog to describe a variety of records containing family information gathered by individuals, other researchers, societies, or archives. These records may include pedigree charts, compiled information on families, correspondence, ancestor lists, research exchange files, record abstracts, and collections of original or copied documents. These can be excellent sources of information that can save you valuable time. Because they are compiled from other sources of information, they must be carefully evaluated for accuracy.

Additional sources of genealogy for noble German families in Russia are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under RUSSIA - NOBILITY.

Major Collections and Databases

The Family History Library has several sources that contain previous research or can lead you to others who are interested in sharing family information. These sources include:

• International Genealogical Index.® The index provides names and vital information for thousands of deceased Germans from Russia. This valuable research tool lists birth, christening, or marriage dates as well as Latter-day Saint temple ordinance information. The indexes for Germany and Poland include names extracted from parish registers by volunteers and names submitted by other researchers. Descendants of Germans from Russia have submitted some of the names.

The International Genealogical Index is available on microfiche and on compact disc as part of FamilySearch. If you are using the microfiche, you need to know which county to search. If you are using the compact disc edition, however, the computer will search the entire country for any name. For more information on FamilySearch, see page # «refer to FamilySearch under “Records at the Family History Library».

• Ancestral File. This file, part of FamilySearch (see p. # «refer to FamilySearch under “Records at the Family History Library»), contains family history information linked in family groups and pedigrees that has been contributed since 1979. As of 1992, the file contains the names of millions of persons, including hundreds of families of Germans from Russia. Ancestral File can print pedigree charts, family group records, and individual summary sheets for any person in the file.

• Family Group Records Collection. More than 8 million family group record forms have been microfilmed in the Family Group Records Collection. This includes many Germans from Russia. There are two major sections: the Archive Section and the Patrons Section. The film numbers for both sections are listed in the Author/Title Search of the Family History Library Catalog under family group records collection.

Societies. Societies (see right sidebar on Portal page) that support German genealogy in Russia maintain databases of names, families, and vital statistics for thousands of people. The American Historical Society of Germans from Russia has hundreds of genealogies arranged alphabetically by surname and by village. The Germans from Russia Heritage Society maintains numerous collections with thousands of entries in each. The main database of the Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe contains over 450,000 entries with thousands more in other databases. Access to this data is usually through membership in the Society or by payment of a fee.

Fragenbogen from Bessarabia filmed in Koblenz (???ask Lorraine)

Family Histories

Many families of Germans from Russia have produced histories or newsletters that may include genealogical information, biographies, photographs, and other excellent information. These usually include several generations of the family

The Family History Library has a limited number of published Germans from Russia family histories and newsletters. Copies at the Family History Library are listed in the Surname Search of the Family History Library Catalog. Not every name found in a family history will be listed in the Family History Library Catalog. Only the major surnames discussed in the family history are included in the catalog.

Unpublished family histories are sometimes found in the possession of private individuals in Germans from Russia heritage societies. These private individuals may have collected a variety of unpublished records pertaining to their own families. But such materials are generally inaccessible for research unless you can establish contact with the appropriate individuals.

Many Germans from Russia family histories are listed in a helpful bibliography including two chapters on family histories. This is:

Miller, Michael M. Researching Germans from Russia pages 61-67, and 192-97. (Full citation given in “Other Records” section at the end of this outline.) Includes family histories at the North Dakota Institute for Regional Studies, and Germans from Russia Heritage Society Library in Bismark.

A large collection of family histories for Germans from Russia is:

Aberle, George P. Pioneers and Their Sons: One Hundred Sixty Five Family Histories. 2 vols. Bismark, N. Dak.: Tumbleweed Press, 1980. (FHL book 978.4 D3a; film 1035608 item 1-2). Vol. 2 subtitle: One hundred twenty family histories.

Genealogical Collections

The Family History Library has some collections of genealogical material for families of Germans from Russia. These may include published and unpublished collections of family histories and lineages, as well as the research files of recognized genealogists. Some of the major genealogical collections are:

Descendants of Russian-German Immigrants, 1858-1956. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1977. (FHL film 1045450, 1045451, and 1045453.)

Geschlechterbuch der Deutschen am La Plata (German Families in the River Plate Regions of South America). Montevideo: Genealogischen Forschungsstelle am La Plata, 1937. (on 2 FHL fiche 6030601.) Text in German.

Scheck, Floyd. Genealogy Records of Families of Germans from Russia. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1992. (FHL film 1183665-72.) Includes two alphabetical card indexes, family groups, genealogies, correspondence, newspaper extracts, obituaries, and centennial celebration records.

Seuberlich, Erich. Materialen zur baltischen deutschen Personen- und Familienkunde aus baltischen est- liv- und kurlaendischen Archiven (Genealogical Records of Baltic Germans in Estonia, Livonia, and Kurland). [N.p., 19--?] (FHL film 1058075-85.) Alphabetical card files.

Village Lineage Books

A special type of local history book called a village lineage book [Ortsippenbuch] is available for many towns in Germany and a few towns in Russia. These give extensive genealogical information on almost all inhabitants of the town. Examples of such books for Germans from Russia are:

Gnadenberg Mennonite Church (Whitewater, Kansas). Family Register, ca. 1811-ca. 1940 of Gnadenberg Mennonite Church, Whitewater, Kansas. Salt Lake City: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978. (FHL film 1036239 item 4; computer number 283406). Text in German. Register begun in Michalin and Fransthal in Volhynia (now in the Ukraine) including births, marriages, deaths, and German place of origin.

Fieß, Christian. Chronik und Familienbuch der Gemeinde Mannsburg, Kreis Akkerman, Bassarabien, 1863-1964 (History and List of Families in the German Community of Mannsburg, Bessarabia, 1863-1964). Heimatmuseum der Deutschen aus Bessarabien. Schriftenreihe B; Nr. 5. Mühlacker: Heimatmuseum der Deutschen aus Bessarabien, 1981. (FHL book 947.71/M2 D4fc.) Text in German.

Bergthal Gemeinde Buch (Parish Book): Consisting of Bergthal Gemeinde Buch, 1843-1876 . . ., Chortitzer Gemeinde Buch Indexes for Volumes Started in 1878, 1887 and 1907, Passenger Lists, 1874-1880 of Mennonite Immigrants to Manitoba . . ., the 1881 Federal Census Data on Residents in Manitoba Mennonite Communities. Steinbach, Manitoba: Hanover Steinbach Historical Society, 1993. (FHL book 971.27 F2b). Family-by-family births, baptisms, marriages and deaths. Includes separate indexes to Bergthal and Chorititz, and combined index to Quebec passenger lists and 1881 census.

Genealogical collections and village lineage books are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under headings such as:

     GERMANY - GENEALOGY
     RUSSIA (EMPIRE) - GENEALOGY
     RUSSIA (EMPIRE), [COUNTY] - GENEALOGY
     RUSSIA (EMPIRE), [COUNTY], [TOWN] - GENEALOGY

For further information see the “Genealogy” sections of the Germany Research Outline (34061), Canada Research Outline (34545), United States Research Outline (30972), and the state and provincial outlines where your ancestor settled.

Germans from Russia village home pages (computer Internet sites), village coordinators, and e-mail lists of individual family history researchers are described in the “Archives and Libraries” computer section of this outline under American Historical Society of Germans from Russia (AHSGR).

If you find your surname in any of the sources described in this section, determine whether the entry actually pertains to your family. All persons with the same surname are not necessarily related. Often, you will have to do some original research before you can connect your ancestry to families listed in these sources.

International Genealogical Index (FamilySearch) - free

Family History Library (FHL); now called, FamilySearch Library (FSL)