Lists of the first general census of the Russian Empire in 1897
A unique source of genealogical information is the census forms of the first general census of the Russian Empire in 1897. The census was carried out at the initiative of the geographer and statistician P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky and approved by Emperor Nicholas II as the “census provision” on June 5, 1895.
The census contains the following columns:
1. Last name, first name, middle name or first names, if there are several. Mark of those who turn out to be: blind in both eyes, dumb, deaf or demented
2. Sex
3. How recorded is the head of the household and the head of his family
4. How many years or months have passed from birth
5. Single, married, widowed or divorced
6. Estate, condition or rank
7. Was he born here, and if not here, then where exactly? (province, county, city)
8. Is it attributed here, and if not here, then where exactly? (for persons obligated by postscript)
9. Where usually lives: is it here, and if not here, then where exactly? (province, county, city)
10. Mark of absence, absence and temporary stay here
11. Religion
12. Native language
13. Can read
14. Where did you study or graduate?
15. Occupation, craft, craft, position or service. The main thing, that is, the one that delivers the main means of subsistence
16. Occupation, craft, craft, position or service. Side or auxiliary
17. The situation of conscription
All census results were processed and published in 89 volumes (119 books).
Especially valuable for genealogical research are column 7 and column 8, which allow you to track the migration of the family and continue the movement along the ascending line of birth (from descendants to ancestors). Those researchers who want to confirm Jewish, Polish, German and other roots in order to repatriate or receive a Pole card receive supporting documents for submission to the consulate.
In the Ukrainian archives, the census forms of the first general census of the Russian Empire of 1897 were preserved in the Kiev province (state archive of the Kiev region, fund 384), the cities of Odessa (state archive of the Odessa region, fund 2) and Kamenetz-Podolsky (state archive of the Khmelnytsky region, fund 244 ) Fragments of census forms are found in the state archives of the Chernihiv and Kharkov regions.
