Research resources

Ukrainian Genealogy-related Websites and Social Media

The big genealogy search sites

  • ancestry.com - The behemoth. Requires paid registration, but can be accessed for free from many public libraries
  • familysearch.org - The genealogy research site of the Mormon/LDS Church. Access is free but requires registration. The LDS Church has been microfilming records throughout the world (including Ukraine and Poland) for decades, and have amassed a massive library of materials. Microfilms can be viewed at local "Family History Centers" for a nominal fee.

Ellis Island

If your ancestor came through the Port of New York before 1920, then these sites may be helpful. Searching is free, but access requires registration, and high-resolution scans must be purchased from the official Ellis Island site.

Searchable archives of Ukrainian-American newspapers

Websites on Ukrainian and East European Genealogy

  • halgal.com - Matthew Bielawa's website for Halychyna/Eastern Galicia genealogy
  • Find Lost Russian & Ukrainian Family - An excellent blog written by Vera Miller for those researching in modern Ukraine and the former Russian Imperial "Guberniyas" ("Governates") of Eastern Ukraine.
  • Finding Eastern European Records - Collection of Posts - Blogger Lara Diamond has published a seven-part series that provide detail on “Finding Eastern European Records” from a variety of repositories – FamilySearch, JewishGen, Ancestry.com, Archives, and more.  If you don’t follow her blog on a regular basis, you can subscribe via email to be kept “in the loop” of her research progress and helpful articles.
  • Galizien German Descendants: Researching our German Ancestors in Galicia - Beginning in 1774 the rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire issued Settlement Charters which invited 'foreign' settlers into its newly acquired province of Galicia ('Galizien' in German). German settlers attracted by offers of transportation and special status emigrated from Germany to Galicia.
  • www.infoukes.com/genealogy - A Ukrainian Canadian web site with useful genealogy information

Websites on the Carpathian, Lemko and Boiko regions

  • carpatho-rusyn.org - Web site by Greg Gressa which includes a Lemko village resource guide and parish information
  • BukowskoTriangle - Web site by Phil Semanchuk on the area immediately south of Sanok, Poland
  • lemko.org - All things Lemko by Walter Maksimovich
  • Lemko Magazine - The Herald of the World Federation of Ukrainian Lemko Organizations, long published in Ukrainian, is now being made available free online in English translation.  The journal includes articles about modern-day Lemko life around the world as well as articles on literature, culture, and, most importantly, pieces of historical and genealogical interest.  The most recent issue featured articles on the late medieval robbers' movement in Lemkivshchyna as well as an in-depth overview of the various migrations of Lemkos to Croatia/Serbia in the 18th and 19th centuries.  In many cases, specific villages are referenced, helping you to learn more about your own Lemko heritage.  Another recent article provided helpful genealogical sites of interest.  This new English-language resource is currently being posted as a free link on the "Lemko Connections - English" Facebook group as it comes out.

Social media forums

These Facebook groups (particularly the first two) are quite active, and have a very knowledgeable and helpful user community. If you are stuck, need help finding a place name, can't read a document, or have any other question, we highly encourage you to post to one or more of these groups. Members of the "Nashi Predky" and "Ukrainian Genealogy" forums include professional genealogists and genealogical researchers, historical and archival experts, and experienced amateurs throughout the United States, Canada, Ukraine, and elsewhere.

Other Ukrainian genealogy interest groups

Archives in Ukraine and Poland

General information sites

  • While personal information sites like superpages.com and whitepages.com are not intended for genealogy, they can still be surprisingly useful.
  • The New York Public Library: Digital Collections - Explore 672,299 items digitized from The New York Public Library's collections. This site is a living database with new materials added every day, featuring prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, streaming video, and more.  Search keywords such as Ukraine, Galicia, Poland, Russia or others of interest. It is important to use the "keyword" search engine in the upper right corner of the webpage to obtain the most comprehensive search results.

Books related to Ukrainian genealogy, history, and culture