Genealogical research in Russia — family history restoration

In recent years, more and more people have become interested in their family origins, striving to restore their genealogy and confirm national identity. Genealogical research and archival search provide an opportunity to gain deeper knowledge of family history, restore family ties, and find information about past generations. Our center provides services for ancestor search in archives, genealogy reconstruction, and family tree creation. You can order genealogical research not only in Russia but also in countries of the former Russian Empire, as well as other regions of Europe. Rich archival materials are available for ancestor research in Russia, covering the period back to the 16th–17th centuries. In our search work, we turn to metric books, confessional lists, revision records, and other genealogical sources containing information about relatives. Based on documents from state and municipal archives, our specialists reconstruct family trees and perform onomastic surname analysis. We help to uncover information about places of residence, social and class status of ancestors, and restore the family story.

A special direction of our work is the preparation of documents for obtaining citizenship or repatriation status. We conduct targeted archival research to confirm Polish, Jewish, or other national origins, selecting documents that meet the requirements of consulates and immigration programs. When necessary, we obtain certificates, extracts, and certified archival copies confirming direct-line ancestry. The European Genealogical Center also creates genealogical books that include archival records, family stories, memoirs, photographs, and other materials. These books become not only memorable publications but also family documents reflecting the destinies of many generations. Archival research requires precise knowledge of sources and regional specifics — this is where the professionalism of our team lies. We approach each project individually, striving not only to collect documents but to reconstruct a vivid and holistic picture of family history. Therefore, if you have dreamed of reconstructing your genealogy, our experts are always ready to assist you in tracing your ancestors.

Searching for information about ancestors is carried out in various departments of the country. If a client only knows the names of grandparents born in the Soviet era, the search begins with civil registry offices. Depending on whether relatives lived in urban or rural areas, our experts study residence or household books. The latter are usually kept in district archives. Materials from the 1920s–1930s, as well as pre-revolutionary records, are held in regional (oblast, krai, or republican) archives. As a rule, these institutions contain the main local genealogical and historical sources for the entire 19th century and the second half of the 18th century. The first three Revision Lists (1719–1765), population censuses, cadastral books of the 17th century, and old maps are preserved in Moscow, at the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts (RGADA).

Other archives also hold highly valuable historical and biographical information. Genealogists and archivists of the European Genealogical Center work with the collections of the Russian State Historical Archive (RGIA) in St. Petersburg, which contains especially valuable records of the empire from the 18th–19th centuries. At the State Archive of the Russian Federation (GARF) and the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (RGASPI) in Moscow, there are numerous personal files, including archival-investigative materials on repressed Soviet citizens and documents on admission to the Communist Party of the USSR. If the person sought was an officer of the Tsarist army, we gather information at the Russian State Military Historical Archive (RGVIA). Additionally, we work with collections of museums and libraries.