Russian Genealogical Glossary
Word lists, glossaries, and similar tools can be helpful for identifying unfamiliar words in a document. These pages contain lists of words that you are likely to encounter in your research. You can use these pages to prepare and familiarize yourself with common vocabulary before you begin your research or as a reference if you come across a word that is difficult to decipher. Click on the corresponding link below to access word lists or continuing scrolling to access our comprehensive wordlist.
Comprehensive Word List
Abbreviation | Meaning | Abbreviation | Meaning |
| nom. | nominative case | masc. | masculine |
| acc. | accusative case | fem. | feminine |
| gen. | genitive case | neut. | neuter |
| prep. | prepositional case | plu. | plural |
| dat. | dative case | past | past |
| instr. | instrumental case | pres. | present |
| arch. | archaic | s.f. | short form (for adjectives) |
Click on the corresponding link below to see other word lists from this tutorial.
Russian | English | Topic |
А | ||
| а | and, while, yet, but (denotes a subtle contrast) | |
| адъютант | adjutant | |
| акт | document, record, certificate | |
| акты гражданского состояния | civil registration | Other |
| алфавитный список | alphabetical list or index | Other |
| апоплексия | apoplexy | Medical/Physical |
| армия | army | |
| артиллерист | artillery | |
| архив | archive | Places |
Б | ||
| бабушка | grandmother | |
| батальон (gen. баталиона) | battalion | |
| бедность | poverty | Other |
| бедный | poor | Other |
| благородный | noble | |
| благородство | nobility | |
благословить/поблагословить (past masc. поблагословилъ) | to bless (blessed) | |
| близнец (plu. близнецы) | twin | |
| бобыль | poor landless peasant | Other |
| богадельня | poor house | Places |
| болезнь (arch. болѣзнь) | disease | |
| болезнь лёгких | lung disease, lung illness | Medical/Physical |
| болница | hospital | Medical/Physical |
| болной | sick | Medical/Physical |
| боль | illness, sickness, pain | Medical/Physical |
| бомбардир (arch. бомбардиръ) | bombardier | |
| брак | marriage | |
| бракосочетавшийся (prep. plu. бракосочетавшихся) | the one who got married | |
| бракосочетание (dat. бракосочетанию) | wedding | |
| брат (arch. братъ) | brother | |
| брачный обыски | pre-marital search of records, proving bride and groom are not related | Other |
| брачный | marital (adj.) conjugal | Other |
| бременная | pregnant | |
| бронхит; бронхитис | bronchitis | Medical/Physical |
| бывший | former | |
| быть (past masc. былъ, past fem. была, past plu. были) | to be (was) | |
В | ||
| в (во, arch. въ) | [+acc] - into, at (a time); [+prep] - in; at (a place) | |
| вдова | widow | |
| вдовец (arch. вдовецъ) | widower | |
| вдовый (masc. s.f. вдовъ) | widowed | |
| ведомость | register, record, list | |
| венчание (gen. венчания) | wedding | |
| венчать (past masc. венчалъ) | to solemnize a marriage (solemnized) | |
| веред | boils | Medical/Physical |
| верность | accuracy, correctness, truth | Other |
| вероисповедание (gen. вероисповедания) | religion, denomination | |
| весь | all, whole, everything | Other |
| ветрянкя | chicken pox | Medical/Physical |
| ветрянкя опаса | chicken pox | Medical/Physical |
| вечер (gen. вечера; instr. вечеромъ) | evening | |
| взрослый | adult | |
| викарный | vicar | |
| винословие | reason (excuse) | |
| владелец | bearer, owner, proprietor | |
| властный | authoritative | |
| внебрачный ребёнок | illegitimate child | |
| внук | grandson | |
| внучка | granddaughter | |
| водянка | dropsy | Medical/Physical |
| водянка в голове | dropsy of the head (likely Hydrocephalus) | Medical/Physical |
| военная служба | military service | Military |
| военные документы | military records | Military |
| военный | military, soldier | |
| возраст (gen. возраста) | age | |
| воинский (gen. воинской) | military | |
| война | war | |
| волость (gen. волости) | volost (type of administrative unit) | |
| волосы | hair | Medical/Physical |
| воспаление | inflammation | Medical/Physical |
| воспаление кишок | inflammation of the intestines | Medical/Physical |
| воспаление легких | inflammation of the lungs | Medical/Physical |
| воспаление мозгова | inflammation of the brain | Medical/Physical |
| восприемник (plu. восприемники, instr. восприемниками) | godparent | |
| восприемница | godmother | Family |
| восток | east | Places |
| восточной | eastern | |
| вотчина (gen. вотчины) | patrimony, land inheritance | |
| временный (prep. временной) | temporary | |
| время | time | |
| всё | all, everyone, every | Other |
| вся | all, everyone, every | Other |
| вступающий | the one entering (into the marriage, for example) | Family |
| вступить в брак | to get married (to enter marriage) | Verbs |
| вступление в брак | marriage (entering marriage, often used in giving the marriage date) | Verbs |
| вступить на службу | to go into the service | Military |
| вчера | yesterday | |
| вчерашний | yesterday (adj.) | |
| выбыть | to leave, drop out | Verbs |
| выдать | to issue | Verbs |
| выкидыщ | miscarriage | Medical/Physical |
| выписка | extract, record | |
| выслать | to be sent | Verbs |
| высокий | tall | Other |
| выходить замуж | to get married (for women) | |
| вышесказанное | the above mentioned | Other |
Г | ||
| г. | abbreviation for город (city) | Places |
| где (arch. гдѣ) | where | |
| генеалогия | genealogy | Other |
| герб | coat of arms | Other |
| герой | hero | Military |
| глава (dat. главе) | head (of household) | |
| глаз | eye | Medical/Physical |
| глухой | blind | Medical/Physical |
| год (arch. годъ, gen. года, gen. plu. лет, летъ) | year | |
| голод | hunger, starvation | Medical/Physical |
| город (prep. городе) | city | |
| горячка | fever; burning ague | Medical/Physical |
| госпиталь | hospital | Places |
| господин (gen. господина) | sir, lord, master of an estate | |
| госпожа | lady, Mrs. | Other |
| государственный | government | Other |
| государственный архив | government archive | Other |
| гражданин | citizen (male) | |
| гражданка | citizen (female) | |
| гражданский, гражданство | citizenship (adj.), citizenship (noun) | Other |
| грамота | literacy | |
| грамотный | literate | |
| губерния (arch. губернія) | governorate, province | |
Д | ||
| дано | was given | Other |
| дать | to give | |
| движимость | movable property | Other |
| двойни | twins | Family |
| двойня | twin | Family |
| двор (gen. двора) | yard, court, estate | |
| дворянин | nobleman | |
| дворянка | noblewoman | |
| дворянский род | noble line, noble family | Other |
| дворянство | nobility | |
| двоюродная сестра | cousin (female) | |
| двоюродный брат | cousin (male) | |
| дева | maiden | Family |
| деверь | brother-in-law, husband's brother | Family |
| девица (arch. дѣвица) | maiden | |
| девичья фамилия | maiden name | Family |
| девка (plu. девки) | girl | |
| девочка | little girl | Family |
| девушка | girl, maiden | Family |
| дед (дедушка) | grandfather | |
| действие (arch. действо, arch. gen. дѣйства) | action | |
| дело | case, matter, business | |
| день (gen. дня) | day | |
| день рождения | birthday | Family |
| дер. | village (abbreviation of деревня) | Places |
| деревня (gen. деревни) | village | |
| дети, детей | children, children (accusative/genitive) | Family |
| детство | childhood | Family |
| диакон (arch. дiаконъ) | deacon | |
| дифтерии | diphtheria | Medical/Physical |
| дисентерия, дизентерия | dysentery | Medical/Physical |
| дитя (plu. дети) | child | |
| для | [+gen] - for (in the sense of recipient or intended audience; regarding the purpose of an action) | |
| до | until, up to, before | Prepositions/Conjunctions/Particles |
| договор | agreement | |
| документ | document | Other |
| дом | house, home, building | |
| домашний (plu. домашние) | household (can act as an adjective or noun) | |
| донести | to inform | Verbs |
| достигать совершеннолетия | to come of age, attain one's majority | Verbs |
| дочь (plu. дочери) | daughter | |
| дряхлость | decrepit | Other |
| духовенство | clergy | |
| духовная консистория | spiritual consistory | |
| духовный (plu. духовные) | spiritual, soul | |
| душевнобольной | mentally ill | Medical/Physical |
| дыхавиц | breathing | Medical/Physical |
| дядя | uncle | |
Е | ||
| евангелический | Protestant | Religion |
| еврей | Jew (man) | |
| еврейка | Jew (woman) | |
| евре́йская автоно́мная о́бласть | "Yevreyskaya avtonomnaya oblast'" or Jewish Autonomous Oblast | Places |
| еврейский (arch. еврейскiй; prep. еврейской) | Hebrew, Jewish | |
| его | him, his | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| единокровная сестра | half sister | Family |
| единокровниый брат | half brother | Family |
| её | her | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| епархия (gen. епархии) | diocese | |
| епископ | bishop | |
| если | if | Prepositions/Conjunctions/Particles |
Ж | ||
| жар | fever | Medical/Physical |
| же | same (when paired with certain words, e.g., того же, такой же); sometimes acts as a modifier, adding emphasis | |
| желудочной боли | stomach pain/sickness | Medical/Physical |
| желтуха | jaundice | Medical/Physical |
| жена | wife | |
| женатый | married (of a man) | |
| женитьба | marriage (about a man) | Other |
| жениться | to get married (for men) | |
| жених (prep. женихе) | groom | |
| женский | female | |
| женщина | woman | Family |
| жилец | resident, lodger, occupant | Other |
| жилище | dwelling | Places |
| житель | inhabitant, occupant | |
| жительство | residence, dwelling | Places |
| жительствующий | residing | Other |
| жить | to live, to dwell, to reside | Verbs |
З | ||
| за | [+acc] - for [+instr] - due to; for what reason/purpose | |
| заграничный | foreign | Other |
| ЗАГС | civil registration (abbreviation of записи актов гражданского состояния | Other |
| заключённый | (prisoner), concluded | Other |
| заключить | to conclude, to perform | Verbs |
| закон | law | Other |
| законная жена | lawful wife | Family |
| законнорождённый | legitimately born | Family |
| законность | legitimacy | Family |
| законный (fem. законная) | lawful (often paired with wife) | |
| замерзшый | frozen | Other |
| замечание | remark | Other |
| замужество | marriage (about a woman) | Other |
| замужем/замужняя | married (woman to a man) | Family |
| занятие | occupation | Other |
| запад | west | Places |
| западный | western | Places |
| запасной | reserve | |
| записи актов гражданского состояния | records of acts of civil status, civil registration records, vital records | Other |
| записи передвиженния | moving record | Other |
| запись | record, recording, registration | |
| звание (arch. званїе) | social status, rank, title | |
| здесь (arch. здѣсь) | here | |
| здешний | local | Other |
| земледелец (arch. земледѣлецъ) | farmer | |
| земледелие | agriculture | Other |
| земля | earth, land | Places |
| зима | winter | Other |
| золовка | sister-in-law (husband's sister) | Family |
| зять | son-in-law, brother-in-law (husband's sister) | Family |
И | ||
| и | and | |
| и так далее (и т. д.) | etc., and so forth, miscellaneous | Other |
| иерей | priest | |
| из (изъ) | [+gen] - from; of; originally born, nee | |
| или | or | |
| имение | estate | |
| именной указатель | name register (like an index at the back of a book) | Other |
| иметь, имеет | to have, has | Verbs |
| иммигрант | immigrant | Other |
| имущество | property | Other |
| имя | name | |
| инвалидный (gen. инвалидной) | injured, disabled | |
| инфлюэнция, инфлюэнсия | influenza | Medical/Physical |
| исповедание (gen. исповедания) | confession | |
| исповедные ведомости | confession lists | Other |
| иудей, иуд., иудейский | Jew, Jewish | Religion |
| их | them, their | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
К | ||
| к (ко, arch. къ) | [+dat] - to | |
| как (arch. какъ) | how | |
| какимъ | (by) which | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| какое | which, what | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| какой (gen. какого, какогѡ; gen. plu. какихъ; instr. какимъ) | which, what | |
| казак | Cossack | Other |
| казаки | Cossacks | Other |
| казенный крестьянин | state peasant | Other |
| как видно | as is seen | Other |
| калека | cripple | Medical/Physical |
| капитан (arch. капитанъ) | captain | |
| Караимы | Crimean Karaites | Other |
| католический | Catholic (adj.) | Religion |
| квартира, кв. | apartment, apt. (abbreviation) | Places |
| кем, кѣмъ | by whom | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| кирхшпиль (gen. кирхшпиля) | parish (in some documents from the Baltic region) | |
| кладбище (arch. кладбищѣ) | cemetery | |
| книга | book | |
| когда | when | |
| кой (gen. plu. коихъ) | which | |
| коклюш | whooping cough | Medical/Physical |
| коликократный | how many times; multiple times | |
| колония | colony | |
| команда (gen. команды) | team, unit | |
| командирован на службу | ordered, commissioned to service | Military |
| конвульсии | convulsions | Medical/Physical |
| кончина | demise, death | Medical/Physical |
| корь | measles | Medical/Physical |
| костёл | church (Catholic) | Religion |
| который (gen. котораго) | which | |
| крвавка | blood loss from a bleeding wound | Medical/Physical |
| крепостной | serf | Other |
| крепостний крестьянин | serf | Other |
| крестить | to christen, to baptize | Religion |
| крестник | godson | Family |
| крестница | goddaughter | Family |
| крёстные родители | godparents | Family |
| крестьянин(arch. крестьянинъ, plu. крестьяне) | peasant | |
| крестьянин государственный | state peasant | Other |
| крестьянка | peasant woman | |
| крещение (gen. крещения) | baptism | |
| крещённый (fem. s.f. крещена; masc. s.f. крещёнъ) | baptized | |
| круп | croup | Medical/Physical |
| ксёндз (arch. ксёндзъ) | priest (Catholic) | |
| кто (acc/gen. кого prep. ком dat. кому instr. кем) | who, whom | |
Л | ||
| ли | interrogative particle, indicates that the statement is uncertain or hypothetical | |
| лет | years, years old (age) | Other |
| лето | summer | Other |
| летом | in the summer | Other |
| лёгкое | lung, light (adj.) | Medical/Physical |
| литургия(acc. литургию) | liturgy | |
| лихорадка | fever | Medical/Physical |
| лицо | person, individual, face | Other |
| лично | personally | Other |
| люди (gen. людей) | people | |
| лютеранский (gen. лютеранскаго) | Lutheran | |
М | ||
| маленький | small, little | Other |
| малолетство | underage, childhood | Family |
| мама | mama, mom | |
| мать | mother | |
| мачеха | stepmother | Family |
| между | between | Prepositions/Conjunctions/Particles |
| мертворождённый | stillborn | Medical/Physical |
| местечко (gen. местечка) | village, shtetl (Yiddish) | |
| место | place | |
| месяц(gen. месяца) | month | |
| метрика | birth certificate | Other |
| метрическая книга | metrical book (register of births, marriages, and deaths) | Other |
| метрические книги | metrical books (metrical records) | Other |
| метрическое свидетельство | birth certificate | Other |
| мещанин (arch. мѣщанинъ, fem. мещанка, plu. мещане) | petty bourgeois, middle-class | |
| младенец (arch. младенецъ, gen. младенца) | baby | |
| младенца | child, infant (f.) | Family |
| младенчество | infancy | Family |
| могила | grave | Places |
| молодой | young | Other |
| муж | husband | |
| мужик | peasant | |
| мужской | male | |
| мужчина | man | |
| мусульманский | Islamic | |
Н | ||
| на | [+acc] - for [+prep] - on, at | |
| arch. надесять | teen (for example, пятого надесять means fifteenth) | |
| народ | people | Other |
| наследование | inheritance | Other |
| на лицо | present | |
| национальность | nationality | Other |
| не | not | |
| невеста (prep. невесте) | bride, fiancee | |
| невестка | daughter-in-law, sister-in-law (brother's wife) | |
| неграмотный | illiterate | |
| недвижимость | immovable property | Other |
| неделя | week | Other |
| незаконноприжитой | illegitimate (child) | |
| незаконнорождёный | illegitimate (child) | |
| немец | German (m.) | Other |
| нем., немецкий | German (f.) | Other |
| немой | dumb | Medical/Physical |
| немощный | infirm | Medical/Physical |
| немощь | infirmity | Medical/Physical |
| неопределенная болезнь | undetermined disease | Medical/Physical |
| неправильный | wrong, incorrect | Other |
| несовершеннолетие | underage, minority | Other |
| несчастья убитъ | killed in an unfortunate accident | Medical/Physical |
| нет | no; there is not | |
| нижеподписавшийця | undersigned | Other |
| но | but | |
| новобрачный | newlywed | |
| новорождёный | newborn | |
| нос | nose | Medical/Physical |
| нотариус | notary | |
| ночь (gen. ночи instr. ночью) | night (at night) | |
| ныне (arch. нынѣ) | now | |
О | ||
| о (об, arch. объ, ѡ) | [+prep] - about | |
| оба | both | |
| область | oblast, region (type of administrative unit) | |
| образование | education | Other |
| обрезание (gen. обрезания) | circumcision | |
| обручение | engagement, betrothal | |
| обряд(arch. обрядъ) | rite | |
| обструкция, опструкция | obstruction | Other |
| общество | society | |
объявлять/объявить (adv. part. объявляя, past masc. объявил) | to announce (announcing, announced) | |
| обыватель | commoner, inhabitant | Other |
| обыски брачные | pre-marital search (see брачные обыски) | Other |
| оглашение | marriage bans, announcement | Other |
| оглашение имен вступающих в брак | publication of the names of those about to marry | Other |
| одиночка | sole occupant of household | Other |
| округ | okrug, district (type of administrative unit) | |
| он | he | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| она | she | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| оно | it | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| оной | this, that, the said (referring back to something previously mentioned) | |
| ономедни | the other day, a couple of days ago, the day before yesterday (or, these days, recently) | Other |
| они | they | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| опекун | guardian | |
| опись | list, inventory, series | Other |
| оплатить | to pay | Other |
| опструкция, обструкция | obstruction | Other |
| опухоль | tumor, swelling | Medical/Physical |
| осень | autumn, fall | Other |
| осенью | in the autumn, in the fall | Other |
| основание | basis, foundation | Other |
| оспа | smallpox | Medical/Physical |
| от (arch. отъ, ѿ) | [+gen] - from | |
| отец (gen. отца) | father | |
| от роду | from birth | |
| отставка | retirement, discharge | Military |
| отставный (gen. отставнаго) | retired | |
| отсуствующий | absent | Other |
| отчество | patronym | |
| отчим | stepfather | Family |
| офицер (arch. офицеръ) | officer | |
| о родившихся | births (literally: about those who were born) | Other |
| о бракосочетавшихся | marriages (literally: about those who were married) | Other |
| о разведшихся | divorces (literally: about those who were divorced) | Other |
| об умершихъ | deaths (literally: about those who died) | Other |
П | ||
| падучя | epilepsy | Medical/Physical |
| падчерица | stepdaughter | Family |
| папа | papa, dad | |
| паралижя | paralysis | Medical/Physical |
| паралич | palsy | Medical/Physical |
| паспорт | passport | |
| паспортный | passport (adj.) | Other |
| пасынок | stepson | Family |
| пачерица | step daughter | Family |
| перед (пред, arch. предъ) | [+instr] - before, in front of | |
| печать | to stamp, seal, press | Verbs |
| писарь | clerk, scribe | Other |
| письмоводитель | clerk | Other |
| племянник | nephew | |
| племянница | niece | |
| по | [+dat] - along, by | |
| повинность | obligation | Other |
| погребение (arch. погребенїе) | burial | Other |
| подать | to submit | Verbs |
| поденщик | day laborer | |
| подлинник | original | Other |
| подлиный | authentic | Other |
| подпись | signature | Other |
| пожар | fire | Other |
| пожилой | elderly | Medical/Physical |
| позволение | permission | Other |
| показание | testimony | |
| покойник | the deceased (m.) | Medical/Physical |
| покойница | the deceased (f.) | Medical/Physical |
| покойный | deceased, late | Medical/Physical |
| пол | sex, gender | |
| полагать | to suppose, to propose | Verbs |
| полдень | noon, midday | Other |
| полк | regiment | Military |
| полковник | colonel | |
| полночь | midnight | Other |
| получить | to receive | Verbs |
| пономарь | sexton | |
| понос | diarrhea | Medical/Physical |
| пополудни | afternoon | Time |
| пополуночи | after midnight | Time |
| порока сердца | heart disease | Medical/Physical |
| поручик | lieutenant | |
| посад | settlement | |
| поселенец | settler | Other |
| поселение | settlement | Places |
| после (arch. послѣ) | [+gen] - after | |
| посемйные списки | family lists | Other |
| послужной список | service record | Military |
| пособие | allowance, benefit, welfare | Other |
| постоянный | permanent | Other |
| потомок | descendant | |
| потомок по прямой линии | direct descendant | Family |
| потомственный | hereditary | Family |
| потомственный почетный | hereditary honorary citizen, or a hereditary elite social class | Other |
| потомство | posterity, descendants | Family |
| похоронен | buried (m.) | Other |
| похоронена | buried (f.) | Other |
| похороны | burial | Other |
| почётные граждане | honorary citizens, an elite social class, could be hereditary or personal. | Other |
| прабабушка | great grandmother | |
| правнук | great grandson | |
| правнучка | great granddaughter | |
| православный/православная (gen. православного/православной) | Orthodox | |
| прадедушка | great grandfather | |
| прапрабабушка | great great grandmother | Family |
| прапрадед | great great grandfather | Family |
| прародитель | progenitor | Family |
| предбрачные свидетельства | premarital certificates documenting that the bride and groom are not related | Other |
| предок | ancestor, forefather | |
| предъявить (past masc. предъявил) | to present (presented) | |
| предшествовать | to precede | Verbs |
| при | [+prep] - at the time of | |
прибыть (past neut. прибыло) | to arrive (arrived) | |
| привилегированный | privileged, favored | Other |
| призвание | vocation, calling | Other |
| призывник | conscript | Military |
| призывные списки | recruitment lists | Military |
| призивные списки | conscription lists | Military |
| принадлежать | to belong to | Verbs |
| принять | to accept, to receive | Verbs |
| присутствие (prep. присутствии) | presence | |
| присутствующий | to be present, in attendance | Verbs |
| приход (gen. прихода) | parish | |
| приходский | parish, ward (adj.) | Religion |
| прихожанин (gen. plu. прихожанъ) | parishioner | |
| причастие (gen. причастия, причастїѧ) | Communion | |
| причат | clergy | Religion |
| приют | orphanage | Places |
| продолжение | continuation | Other |
| происходить | to descend | Verbs |
| происхождение | descent, origin | Family |
| произойти | to descend from | Verbs |
| протоиерей (arch. протоiерей) | archpriest | |
| прошение | request (noun) | Other |
| псаломщик (arch. псаломщикъ) | acolyte, parish clerk | |
Р | ||
| работа | work | Other |
| рабочий | worker | Other |
| раввин (arch. раввинъ) | rabbi | |
| разведник (arch. разведникъ) | divorcé This term is not standard, though it appears in a 20th-century document reviewed by our researchers. Although it does not appear in contemporary dictionaries, its meaning is understood from the context. | |
| разведница | divorcée This term is not standard, though it appears in a 20th-century document reviewed by our researchers. Although it does not appear in contemporary dictionaries, its meaning is understood from the context. | |
| развалины | ruins, remains | Places |
| разведённый | divorced | Family |
| развод(dat. разводу) | divorce | |
| район | raion, area (type of administrative unit) | |
| размещенный | placed, situated, located, hosted (adj.) | Other |
| разрешение | permission | Other |
| разряд | level, degree, rank | Military |
| рак | cancer | Medical/Physical |
| рак груди/рак в груде | breast cancer | Medical/Physical |
| рак кожи | skin cancer | Medical/Physical |
| рак легкого | lung cancer | Medical/Physical |
| рак желудка/рак в желудке | stomach cancer | Medical/Physical |
| раскольник | dissenter, dissident, nonconformist | Religion |
| ребёнок | child | |
| ревизские сказки | revision lists | Other |
| реестр | register | |
| рекрутские списки | recruitment lists | Military |
| религиозный | religious | Religion |
| религия | religion, faith | Religion |
| ремесленник | artisan, journeyman | Other |
| ремесло | trade, occupation | |
| Римско-Католический (gen. Римско-Католическаго) | Roman Catholic | |
| род | birth, family, kin, sort, type | Family |
| родивщихся | those who were born | Family |
| родина | native land | Places |
| родитель(plu. родители, gen. родителей) | parent | |
| родиться (past masc. родился, past fem. родилась, past plu. родились, past arch. родися ) | to be born (was born) | |
| родной (abb. рдной) | native (language, for example) full or biological when referring to family relationships. For example, родной брат means "biological brother" (same parents), while двоюродный брат means "cousin" (literally "second brother") | |
| родовой | ancestral | Family |
| родом | by origin | Other |
| родоначальник | ancestor (first generation of a clan) | Family |
| родословная | genealogy, pedigree (book) | Other |
| родословная книга | ancestry book | Other |
| родословный | genealogical | Other |
| родственник | relative (m.) | Family |
| родственница | relative (f.) | Family |
| родство | relationship, kinship | Family |
| роды | childbirth | Family |
| рождающийся (prep. раждающихся, рождающихъ) | the one who was born | |
| рождение (gen. рождения, рожденїѧ) | birth | |
| рождения | births | Family |
| Рождество | Christmas | Other |
| рaзрыв сердца | broken heart | Medical/Physical |
| роспись | inventory, list | Other |
| рот | mouth | Medical/Physical |
| русский, русская | Russian (male, female) | Other |
| русый | light brown | Other |
| рыжий | red-haired | Medical/Physical |
| рядовой | soldier, private (military rank) | |
С | ||
| с (со, arch. съ) | [+gen] - from [+instr] - with | |
| сам | self (m.) | Other |
| сама | self (f.) | Other |
| сами | selves | Other |
| сват | father of the son-in-law or daughter-in-law | Family |
| сватья | mother of the son-in-law or daughter-in-law | Family |
| свёкор | father-in-law (husband's father) | Family |
| свекровь | mother-in-law (husband's mother) | Family |
| светлый | light (adj.) | Other |
| свидетель (gen. plu. свидетелей) | witness | |
| свидетельство | certificate, evidence, testimony | Other |
| свидетельствовать/ за- | to witness, to certify | Verbs |
| своебременно | timely | Other |
| свояченица | sister-in-law (wife's sister) | Family |
| святое причастие | holy communion, the Lord's supper | Religion |
| святой (abb. св.; gen. святаго, свѧтагѡ; prep. святомъ) | holy, saint | |
| священник | priest | |
| сделанный | done | |
| север | north | Places |
| северный | northern | Places |
| сегодня | today | |
| сегодняшний | today (adj.) | |
| седой | grey-haired | Medical/Physical |
| сей | this | |
| село (gen. села) | village | |
| семья (plu. семьи) | family | |
| серый | grey | Other |
| сестра | sister | |
| сирота | orphan | Family |
| скарлатина | scarlet fever | Medical/Physical |
| скончалась | died (f.) | Other |
| скончался | died (m.) | Other |
| слепой | blind | Medical/Physical |
| слобода | settlement | Places |
| служба | service, work | Other |
| смерти | deaths | Other |
| смерть | death | Other |
| сноха | daughter-in-law | Family |
| собор (gen. собора) | cathedral | |
| собрание | assembly, meeting | Other |
| собственник/собственница | owner | Other |
| cовершать (past masc. совершалъ) | to accomplish, complete (accomplished, completed) | |
| cовершаться (3rd person sing. pres. совершается) | to be accomplished or completed (was accomplished, was completed) | |
| совершеннолетие | legal age, majority | Other |
| совершить | to perform | Verbs |
| согласно | according to, agreed | Other |
| содержание | content | Other |
| соединать браком | to marry | Verbs |
| сожительница | concubine, cohabitor | Family |
| солдат | soldier | |
| солдатский (fem. солдатская) | of a soldier | |
| сословие | estate, class, social standing | Other |
| состояние | status, state, condition, situation | Other |
| состояться (past neut. состоялось) | to take place (took place) | |
| сочетать брак | to marry (to) | Verbs |
| сочетаться (past plu. сочетались) | to be combined, joined, married (was combined, was joined, was married) | |
| средный | medium (adj.) | Other |
| ссылный | exile, convict | Other |
| ссылка | see..., refer to...; exile, deportation | Other |
| стан (abb. ст.) | stan (type of administrative unit) | |
| старость | old age | Other |
| старый | old | Other |
| страна | country | Places |
| суд | court | Other |
| судебный | judicial | Other |
| судья | judge | Other |
| сумашедший | insane | Medical/Physical |
| супруг (plu. супруговъ) | spouse, husband | |
| супруга | spouse, wife | |
| супруги | married couple | Family |
| супружество | matrimony | Family |
| сутки | day (and night), 24 hours | Other |
| сын(arch. сынъ, abb. снъ, plu. сыновья) | son | |
Т | ||
| таина | ordinance, mystery | |
| таинство | ordinance, sacrament | Religion |
| текущий | current | Other |
| тёмный | dark | Other |
| тесть | father-in-law (wife's father) | Family |
| тётя | aunt | Family |
| тёща | mother-in-law (wife's mother) | Family |
| тиф | typhus | Medical/Physical |
| то есть (т. е.) | i.e. that is | Other |
| тоже | also | Other |
только (arch. токмѡ, токмо) | only | |
| тонуть | to drown | Verbs |
| туберклулёз лёгких | consumption | Medical/Physical |
| тюрма | prison | Places |
У | ||
| у | [+gen] - at; often use to denote possession | |
| убийство | murder | Other |
| убийца | murderer, killer | Other |
| уволенный | dismissed, discharged | Military |
| удар | stroke | Medical/Physical |
| удостоверение | certificate | Other |
| удостоверить(ся) | to certify, to witness, to assure oneself | Verbs |
| удочеренная | adopted (of a daughter) | Family |
| удочерение | adoption (of a daughter) | Family |
| удочерить | to adopt a daughter | Verbs |
| удушья | difficulty breathing | Medical/Physical |
| уезд (gen. уезда) | uyezd (type of administrative unit) | |
| указ | decree | Other |
| украинец, украинка | Ukrainian (male, female) | Other |
| улица, ул. | street, st. (abbreviation) | Places |
| умереть (past masc. умеръ, past fem. умерла, past plu. умерли) | to die (died) | |
| умерший (gen. умершаго, оумершагѡ) | deceased (often acts as a noun) | |
| уметь | to know how | Verbs |
| унтер-офицер (arch. ундеръ офицеръ) | under officer (category of military rank) | |
| уродливый | deformed (masc.) | Medical/Physical |
| урождённая (fem. gen. урождённой) | originally born, nee | |
| усыновление | adoption (of a son) | Family |
| усыновленный | adopted (of a son) | Family |
| усыновить | to adopt a son | Verbs |
| утопнуть | to drown | Verbs |
| утопший/утопшая | drowned | Medical/Physical |
| утра, утром | morning (n.), in the morning (adv.) | Other |
| утро(gen. утра, instr. утром) | morning | |
| учёный | scholar (n.), learned (adj.) | Other |
Ф | ||
| фамилия (arch. фамилїѧ) | surname | |
| фельдфебель | feldwebel (rank) | |
| фольварк | manor farm | Places |
| фонд | record group | Other |
Х | ||
| халица (acc. халицу) | halizah (Jewish religious ceremony) | |
| хозяин (arch. хозяинъ) | master, head, host | |
| холод | cold | Other |
| холостой(s.f. masc. холостъ) | single, unmarried | |
| христианский(arch. христiанскiй) | Christian | |
| хромой | lame, limping | Medical/Physical |
Ц | ||
| цвет | color | Other |
| церковь (gen. церкви) | noun - church | |
| цыган | Gypsy | Other |
Ч | ||
| час(gen. часа, gen. plu. часов) | hour (can mean "o'clock" when in the genitive case) | |
| часть | part | |
| чахотка | consumption | Medical/Physical |
| чей (dat. чьему) | whose | |
| через (arch. чрезъ) | through | |
| чёрное духовенство | clergy who have taken a monastic vow (not allowed to have a wife or children) | Religion |
| чин | rank | |
| чирей | boil | Medical/Physical |
| число (gen. числа) | date, number | |
| член | member | |
| что | what | |
| чума | plague | Medical/Physical |
Ш | ||
| шкарлатина | scarlet fever | Medical/Physical |
| шурин | brother-in-law (wife's brother) | Family |
Э | ||
| эмигрант | emigrant | Other |
Ю | ||
| юг, южный | south (noun), south (adj.)/southern | Other |
Я | ||
| Я | I | Interrogatives/Pronouns |
| явиться (past masc. явился) | to appear (appeared) | |
Common Heading Transcriptions/Translations
This list is a compilation of entries from our topical word lists. Select a topic from the Genealogical Glossary main page to see more details and examples for each word from the following list.
Additional Resources:
- The FamilySearch Wiki Russian Genealogical Word List is another great resource to consult if you encounter a word you don't recognize.