Whether it is a birth or baptismal record from which church (Greek Catholic, Orthodox or Roman Catholic), in which region (Galicia, Poland, Romania or Canada) or an anglicized version of Ukrainian names on a census, it is important to be aware of possible different versions.
There is also the topic of the meaning of Ukrainian surnames and Dr. John-Paul Himka in his “Sources for Researching Ukrainian Family History” book has an excellent article on this. For example, with my surname, it means a high bush cranberry (Kalyna) from Western Ukraine (czuk). John D. Pihach has a full chapter in his book, “Ukrainian Genealogy” on Names and in the appendix on languages.
It is also important to at least learn the Cyrillic alphabet --- to start.
Identity
Even with my family, I found in different government documents and from family stories that my ancestors changed the terms of where they came from, what religion they were (depended on what church was in the area at the time) but Galicia and Bukovina, where they were born, always remained.
“At the time of settlement, … the settlers would of identified themselves by a number of diverse and contradictory descriptors, as Austrian (by citizenship); Malo Rus or Ruthenians (Little Russians); Halychani (Galician); Bukovyntsi (Bukovynian, according to their province of origin); or even Lemkos, Boykos, and Hutsuls, according to regional origins.” (Community and Frontier: A Ukrainian Settlement in the Canadian Parkland, John C. Lehr, 2011, page 18)
“Western Ukraine could be divided ethnographically into several regions, each speaking a distinct dialect and following different customs and traditions. A person from a particular region could be identified easily by the particularities of his speech and the embroidery patterns on his shirt or blouse. Thus Western Ukrainians, until 1918, identified themselves as Galicians, Bukovynians, Hutsuls, Boykos. Rusyns, Volyniaks or Lemkos. The intense rivalry among the groups was often compounded by religious differences. The Bukovynians and Volyniaks were Greek Orthodox while the rest were Ukrainian Greek Catholics. Upon arrival in Canada, they were labelled by immigration authorities according to the citizenship marked in their passports. They now became Austrians, Poles, Russians, Romanians or even Hungarians. Later the Latin name for Western Ukraine, Ruthenia, was used to identify Ukrainians as a separate ethnic group.” (First Wave of Ukrainian Immigration to Canada, 1891-1914, Community Stories, Taras Shevchenko Museum, Toronto, Ontario, https://www.communitystories.ca/v1/pm_v2.php?id=story_line&lg=English&fl=0&ex=464&sl=5504 )
Names, racial origin, nationality
In the 1901 Census of Canada, my great grandfather Elko Kalynchuk is identified as racial or tribal origin, Russian and Nationality as Austrian with a birthplace of Austria. In the 1911 Census of Canada, his race or tribe is Galician, nationality is Canadian, and birthplace is Galicia. In the 1916 Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, his racial or tribal origin is listed as Ruthenia, nationality is Canadian, and birthplace is Galicia.
1901 Census of Canada, his name is spelt as Elko Kalanczuk. And with the 1911 Census of Canada, his name is spelt as Ealke Kelenlyuk. In the 1916 Canada Census, his name is Alek Kalynchuk. On the Incoming Passenger Lists, 1865-1935, his name is listed as Esko Kalinczak. The surname is close to how it is pronounced in Ukraine today. On the Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934, his name is listed as Jeko Kalynczuk, and residence place is Strzalkowo, Österreich. Note that this is in German. On the Alberta, Canada, Homestead Records, 1870-1930 his name is listed as Elko Kalanczuk.
There were also changes in their first names. For example, with my great grandfather, he was initially Elko (Illia in Ukrainian) and in Latin it is Elias but later he changed his first name to Alex. One of his sons was Ivan who changed his name to John and the other son, Wasyl (Basilius in Latin) to William then Bill. Another case of name change is Dymetro became Matt or Matthew. Women's names changed as well, Eudocia became Donia or Donnie. My great grandmother was Anastasia then became Nancy. My grandfather, Gregore became Harry and his wife, Alexandra was called Grace. Her Mom, Raifta was called Ruth.
Then there was complete first and surname changes. I have family members who were Zilinsky then Solinsky and now are Sollers. A friend of mind, had her family who came to Canada listed as “DYCZAKOWSKY, then in Manitoba, it was DYCHAKOWSKY, then my Father changed his name completely from Wasyl to William James DICKS.”
It's so important to track the changes in names as this helps your with your future research; it's also important to track the country's change too. When a person arrived, they will mark on the census, they were born in Austria, but after each war and border change, the town they were born in, may change to Romania, Poland or Russia, the new immigrant will change the name of the country, that they were born in, to the name that is at present. If you follow the census, you will see a progression of changes of the country. It is not that they are lying, or they are trying to avoid the truth, just the town they were born in, changed countries due to wars. When you find the name of the town your family came from, it's important to do some studying on its history, and when the borders changed, and the name of the country changed as well.
Languages
The languages that I have referred to in my research include English, Ukrainian, Latin, and German. Again, this is due to various reasons whether I am researching in Canada or in Ukraine and how far back and what type of records that I am looking at.
Ukrainian Language Classes for Adults
St. Andrew’s Ukrainian Orthodox Sobor Parish
https://uocc-standrew.ca/programs/cultural-educational-church-school/ukrainian-language-classes-for-adults/
Ukrainian in Edmonton, Language Trainers
https://www.languagetrainers.ca/ukrainian-courses-edmonton.php
Dictionaries
Some of the Ukrainian to English and English to Ukrainian dictionaries which I have include:
Ukrainian-English Dictionary, Compiled by C. H. Andrusyshen and J. N. Krett, 1955, 6th printing 1995
Ukrainian English Dictionary, M. L. Podvesko, Second Edition, 1957
Ukrainian-English and English-Ukrainian Dictionary, W. Niniows’kyi, Third Edition, 1994
English-Ukrainian Dictionary, Volumes I (A-M) and II (N-Z), M. I. Balla, 1996
Translators
I use Google Translate on my cell phone and online. Many years ago, I used to go to the Ukrainian Bookstore downtown Edmonton to get one of the store workers to translate letters from Ukraine and also had a local Ukrainian language teacher translate for me. With important documents, I was able to get one of the University of Alberta professors to translate. When I travel to Ukraine, I use my phone with Google Translate and a Ukrainian-English Phrasebook. For short translations, there are some Facebook groups which can help you. For example,
Genealogical Translations on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/361690548110384
Valerii Polkovsky, Ph. D, Certified Translator (Canada), located in St. Albert, valerii@shaw.ca
Ksenia Lena Maryniak, MA, Certified Translator, located in Edmonton, pereklad@shaw.ca
Books
Dictionary of Ukrainian Surnames in Canada, F. Bogdan, 1974
Following the Paper Trail: A Multilingual Translation Guide, Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, 1994
In Their Words: A Genealogist’s Translation Guide, Vol. 1: Polish (English and Polish Edition), Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, 2000
In Their Words: A Genealogist’s Translation Guide, Vol. II: Russian, Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, 2003
In Their Words: A Genealogist’s Translation Guide to Polish, German, Latin and Russian Documents, Vol. 4, Jonathan D. Shea and William F. Hoffman, 2017
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| Key Old Flower, Image by Susanne Jutzeler, Pixabay, 2020, Photo, Copyright Free |
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| Courtesy of Internet Archive, 1974, Book Image, Public Domain |
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