By Liza A. Alzo
Q. My family came from a place called Zhitomir. I have the US immigration records, but how do I find records from Zhitomir?
A. Zhitomir is a town in the Zhytomyr oblast (province) of present-day Ukraine—formerly in the Volyn
gubernia (province) of old Russia. Because you’ve already found the naturalization records, it appears you’re ready to make the jump across the pond. First, you’ll need to learn the town’s current
raion (district) to locate records and archives.
A
Google search turns up links to geographical and historical references that can aid you in your research. Search all possible spellings: Try
Zhitomyr,
Zhytomir and
Jitomyr.
This should get you started, but if you need more guidance, pick up a copy of Ukrainian Genealogy: A Beginner’s Guide by John D. Pihach (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press).
From the January 2010 Family Tree Magazine