Researching Ukrainian Canadians in Saskatchewan

The first two Ukrainian settlers arrived in Canada in 1891 followed by tens of thousands until the start of the First World War. Most Ukrainian immigrants of this period were identified on government records as Poles, Russians, Austrians, Bukovinians, Galicians and Ruthenians, arriving from provinces in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The vast majority of these immigrants settled in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta.

The first wave of Ukrainian settlers to Saskatchewan arrived in the 1890’s and were mainly from the area of current Western Ukraine known as Halychyna or Galicia. Approximately 13% of Saskatchewan residents trace all or part of their ancestry to the former Galicia and Bukovina, according to the last census. Saskatchewan become a province in 1905 and prior to that it was the Saskatchewan and Assiniboia districts. This area was part of the Northwest Territories.

1917 Country Wedding, Sask. Courtesy of Archives Canada

There are a number of smaller rural communities in Western Canada with significant proportions of Ukrainians including Canora, Speers, Bradwell, Krydor, and Hafford, Saskatchewan. They settled around Rosthern and Yorkton-Canora districts of Saskatchewan. Many more of the smaller place names are listed in the “Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography: Pioneer Settlers of Saskatchewan-Assiniboia”, page vii.

There are numerous books about Ukrainians in Canada listing Ukrainian settlers and local community history books which settled in Saskatchewan. In the “Sources for Researching Ukrainian Family History” book, by John-Paul Himka and Frances, A. Swyripa, CIUS, The University of Alberta, 1984, on pages 34-35, it lists 20 local history books in Saskatchewan.

I assisted my friend, Ann V. (Thoms) Lummerding with the publishing of her "Thoms (Toms) Family History 1898 – 2002" book. Her family settled southwest of Alvena, Fish Creek and in the Bruno district, Saskatchewan. I also have some in-laws in my family branches who are from Saskatchewan and many of my immediate family members live in Lloydminster.

Hafford, Sask., Ruthenian Church,
Courtesy of Prairie Towns.com

About Ukrainians in Saskatchewan - Immigration and Settlement Patterns
https://www.ucc.sk.ca/oldsite/about.htm

About Ukrainians – Ukrainians in Saskatchewan
https://www.ucc.sk.ca/en/about/ukrainians-in-sk

Saskatchewan Genealogical Society
https://saskgenealogy.com/

Saskatchewan Genealogical Society – Regina Branch – Links page
https://sites.rootsweb.com/~canrbsgs/pages/links.html

The Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan (PAS)
https://www.saskarchives.com/

PAS online catalogue
https://search.saskarchives.com/

Saskatchewan Vital Statistics - eHealth Saskatchewan
https://www.ehealthsask.ca/residents/genealogy

Saskatchewan Public Library – Local History
https://saskatoonlibrary.ca/collections/local-history/

Saskatchewan Newspapers
http://sabnewspapers.usask.ca/browse/city

Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Maps 60 years: 1924-1984
https://saskgenweb.ca/skwheat/

Saskatchewan Online Genealogy Records - FamilySearch.org
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Saskatchewan_Online_Genealogy_Records

Sask Gen Web – The Saskatchewan Genealogy Web
https://saskgenweb.ca/cansk/Saskatchewan/

Saskatchewan – CanGenelogy
https://www.cangenealogy.com/saskatchewan.html

Saskatchewan History and Folklore Society
http://www.shfs.ca/

Saskatchewan-Ukraine Relations – Government of Saskatchewan
https://www.saskatchewan.ca/government/government-structure/boards-commissions-and-agencies/saskatchewan--ukraine-relations

Pioneers of Canada – Saskatchewan
https://www.geni.com/projects/Pioneers-of-Canada-Saskatchewan/17832

Ukrainian Cultural Identity Deeply Rooted in Province
https://www.saskculture.ca/impact/success-stories/ukrainian-cultural-identity-deeply-rooted-in-province

Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Saskatchewan Branch
https://umcnational.ca/

Saskatchewan – Cyndi’s List
https://www.cyndislist.com/canada/provinces/sk/

Saskatchewan Genealogy (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/107074456308967

Saskatchewan Genealogy Network (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/805637286215465/

Historical Saskatchewan (public group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/472456403800111

Old Saskatchewan (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/424339521497698

Saskatchewan: History and memories (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/growingupinsk/

Saskatchewan History (Private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/735338344738910/

Saskatchewan Memories (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1607888836109581/

Saskatchewan Adoption Search & Reunion (private group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/178843212709623/

Saskatchewan Archives Week (public group, first week of February)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44912069786

Aerial Photos of Saskatchewan Towns, Villages, Farms (public group)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/360702462918687/

Українці в Саскатчевані / Ukrainians in Saskatchewan
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1047710605310057/

Canora, Sask., Courtesy of Prairie Towns.com

Books and a Video

Tracing Your Saskatchewan Ancestors: A Guide to the Records and How to Use Them, Laura M. Hanowski, ed., Regina, Saskatchewan Genealogical Society, 2000.

How to Research Your Ukrainian Ancestry in Saskatchewan: Rodovid/Genealogy, Kathlyn Szalasznyj, Saskatoon, Ukrainian Canadian Committee, 1986

Dictionary of Ukrainian Canadian Biography of Pioneer Settlers of Saskatchewan-Assiniboia, 1892-1904, Dr. V. Kaye, East European Genealogical Society, 2018, (This book is no longer available from the distributor and they are working to find an alternative distributor).

Finding Your Canadian Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide, Sherry Irvine and Dave Obee, Ancestry Publishing, 2007. Chapter 25: Saskatchewan

Ukrainian Genealogy, John D. Pihach, Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, 2007, (Includes information on school records (pg. 26) and church records (pg. 46-49) in Saskatchewan.)

For Harry - Harry Tkachuk traveled from the Ukraine to settle in Saskatchewan, Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=501FiHsZobc&t=132s