To Begin Your Own Family Search

To  search for the family roots, one needs an entry point 

1. If you know the SURNAME 

Begin your search with a basic query 

1. 1. • JewishGen/Family Search: query with the first and last names could yield census records (birth/death/parents/spouse, etc.)

      • Yad Vashem: query with the first and last names could yield entire family lists, evacuation address, professions, family's address during evacuation

      • Russian site 'Pamiat Naroda': query with surname and/or town, the search might yield names and military service details, including place of birth, pre-war residency, last known address, address of relatives (including evacuation address)    

2. If you only know the TOPONYM 

Begin your search with a basic query 

2. 1. • JewishGen/Family Search: the toponym query will return {long} list of surnames  

      • Yad Vashem: geographical query could yield family lists, evacuation address, professions 

      • Ukrainian/Belorussian Geographical Dictionary could help narrow down the search

      • Geographical Dictionary of Polish Towns : a query with a town/hamlet names would yield historical-demographical details ( population, settlement time, land owners names, etc.)  

3. If you only know a GENERAL AREA

   1. • DO NOT despair - use your name & surname  

      • If it is a toponym - see subclause #2 above  

      • If your surname is NOT a toponym - look for your surname distribution in the region of interest 

        1. • You will still learn a lot about your Jewish ancestors 

Refer to 'Basic Words Dictionary' : Russian , Ukrainian and Polish   

Use Google translate to convert your surname into 'slavic' or 'ashkenasic' format 

3. 1. • Belorussian

      • Ukrainian

      • Old Church Slavonic - Old Russian alphabet  

      • Russian speling of Ashkenazi surnames  

      • Polish