First identify the right archival collection
We first identify the institution that created a document and where it operated at the time. Today’s districts may differ from nineteenth-century counties, parishes and governorates.
I check finding aids, inventories, digital collections and indexes. The agreed plan can combine online research, archival enquiries and work with accessible files.
Sources I work with
Parish and civil registers, confession lists, censuses and revision lists help establish family links. Household and residence registers help trace families in the twentieth century.
For homes, land and farms I examine cadastral surveys, inventories, property and tax records. Military, migration, court and repression files may add to a biography where they survive.
First, a clear plan. Research begins once we agree the task, budget and deliverable.
When parish registers are missing
A lost register does not mean all information is gone. Duplicates, neighbouring parishes, confession lists and land records may help.
Indirect evidence requires careful comparison. If it cannot support a firm conclusion, the report will say so. Research can still narrow the uncertainty without a final answer.
How findings are recorded
Each finding includes its archive, collection, inventory, file and page or image number, so you or another researcher can return to the original.
We agree the result beforehand: a page copy, event search, family extracts or several files. Official certificates and certified copies come from the institution under its rules; a research report serves a different purpose.
What affects timing and cost
Starting information, file count, handwriting, language and access all matter. Undigitised files and institutional responses may take longer than open online collections.
A consultation on where to look costs UAH 1,000. For a practical search, send the person, event, place and approximate year so we can agree the scope.
Questions about this service
Do I need to visit the archive?
We can start remotely. I will check whether digital copies and enquiries suffice and explain access to the remaining sources.
Will I receive the archival reference?
Yes: collection, inventory, file and the relevant page or digital image.