Reading Vital Records from the Russian Empire

Have you been stumped when trying to read original birth or death records in Russian? Vital records recorded in Russian can be tricky to navigate, especially for the non-Russian speakers. However, with the proper tools you can learn to identify ancestral surnames and common vocabulary, and record format. An extensive handout complete with column heading translations, examples of handwritten key vocabulary, common given names, and resources to help you determine the handwritten forms of your surname will be included with the presentation. Ellie Vance Christensen’s presentation, “Reading Vital Records from the Russian Empire,” will provide us with practical tips on how to read Russian records.


Ellie Vance Christensen graduated from Brigham Young University with degrees in Russian and Family History and Genealogy. She worked as the Slavic research specialist for the FamilySearch Library, as a technical historical records expert at FamilySearch, and currently spends her days as a stay-at-home mom.…