In order to find and use specific types of Russian records, researchers need to be able to identify and understand some key terms in the Russian language. The following index contains terms relating to occupations, trades and professions in Imperial Russia transliterated from Russian (left column) and their English translations (right column). The terms included here are those that you are likely to find in Russian genealogical sources. If the term you are looking for is not on this list, please consult a Russian-English dictionary. Compiled by Jonathan J. Kalmakoff.
Index — A – B – Ch – D – E – F – G –I – K – L – M – N – O – P – R – S – T – U – V – Y – Z – Other Terms
| A |
Advokat |
lawyer |
Argat |
(archaic) seasonal labourer |
Arkhimandrit |
Archimandrite; head of a prominent monastery |
Ataman |
Cossack military commander |
| B |
Bannik |
(archaic) bathhouse attendant |
Barabanshchik |
(archaic) drummer |
Bobrovnik |
(archaic) beaver hunter |
Bochkar |
cooper |
Bondar |
cooper |
Botsman |
boatswain |
Brazhnik |
(archaic) brewer; drunkard |
Bronnik |
(archaic) armourer |
Burlak |
barge-hauler |
| Ch |
Chasovshchik |
watchmaker |
Chelets |
(archaic) monk |
Chenets |
monk |
Cherepan |
(archaic) potter |
Chernets |
monk |
Chernorabochii |
labourer |
| D |
D’yachikha |
church-reader’s wife |
D’yachok |
reader (in church) |
D’yak |
scribe; clerk |
D’yakon |
deacon |
Denshchik |
(archaic) batman; officer’s servant |
Doyarka |
milkmaid |
Drapirovshchik |
draper |
Dudar’ |
(archaic) piper |
Dudochnik |
(archaic) piper |
Dudolad |
(archaic) piper |
| E |
Ekspert |
assessor |
Esaul |
Cossack captain |
| F |
Feldsher |
hospital assistant |
Fermer |
farmer |
| G |
Glashatai |
bellman |
Golovshchik |
choir-master in a monastery |
Gonchar |
potter |
Gonets |
(archaic) messenger; courier |
Gorshenya |
(archaic) potter |
Grebshchik |
(archaic) raker |
Gvozdar’ |
(archaic) nailer; smith working with nails |
| I |
Igumen |
abbot |
Ikonnik |
(archaic) icon-painter |
Ikonopisets |
icon-painter |
Izvozchik |
carrier; drayman |
| K |
Kalashnik |
baker |
Kamenshchik |
mason |
Kanatchik |
(archaic) rope-maker |
Kapitan |
captain |
Kapral |
corporal |
Karetnik |
cartwright |
Kelar |
cellarer |
Khlebnik |
baker |
Khodatay |
solicitor |
Khozyain |
proprietor; master |
Klyuchar’ |
(archaic) sexton |
Klyuchnik |
housekeeper; key-keeper |
Kochegar |
(archaic) stoker |
Kolesnik |
wheelwright |
Kologriv |
(archaic) horse-groom |
Komendant |
commandant |
Konoval |
horse-doctor |
Konovalikha |
wife of a horse-doctor |
Kontorshchik |
(archaic) clerk |
Korabel’nik |
(archaic) ship-attendant; sailor |
Korabel’shchik |
(archaic) owner of a trading vessel |
Korchmar’ |
inn-keeper |
Kormilitsa |
wet-nurse |
Kosar’ |
mower; reaper |
Kosarikha |
wife of a mower |
Kostar’ |
(archaic) dice-player |
Kotel’nik |
brazier |
Koval |
(archaic) blacksmith |
Kovalikha |
wife of a blacksmith |
Kozhemyaka |
(archaic) tanner |
Kozhevnik |
(archaic) tanner |
Krasil’nik |
dyer |
Krasil’shchik |
dyer |
Kravets |
(archaic) tailor |
Kukhar’ |
(archaic) cook |
Kukharka |
cook (female) |
Kukol’nik |
(archaic) puppeteer |
Kur’yer |
courier |
Kuznets |
blacksmith |
| L |
Lesnik |
forester |
Lesorub |
tree-feller |
Lodochnik |
(archaic) boat-owner; oarsman |
Lotochnik |
hawker |
Lovets |
huntsman |
Luchnik |
bowyer; bowman |
| M |
Major |
major |
Makler |
broker; middleman |
Maslennik |
dealer in butter or oil |
Masloboyka |
(archaic) butter-maker |
Matros |
sailor |
Mednik |
(archaic) copper-smith |
Medovar |
(archaic) mead-brewer |
Medsestra |
nurse |
Medvedchik |
(archaic) bear-hunter |
Medvednik |
(archaic) bear-hunter |
Medvezhatnik |
bear-hunter; safe box breaker (thief) |
Mel’nik |
miller |
Metel’nik |
(archaic) sweeper |
Miroshnik |
miller |
Mogil’shchik |
gravedigger |
Molochnik |
milkman |
Monach |
monk |
Mukosei |
(archaic) flour-sifter |
Musorshchik |
dustman |
Myasnik |
butcher |
| N |
Naboyshchik |
(archaic) cloth-printer |
Nevodchik |
(archaic) fishing net-maker |
Nishchii |
beggar |
Nyanya |
nursemaid |
| O |
Ofitser |
officer |
Okhotnik |
hunter; fowler |
Okhrannik |
guard |
Otkupshchik |
(archaic) tax-farmer |
Otstavnoi Soldat |
discharged soldier |
Ovchar |
(archaic) sheep-breeder; shepherd |
| P |
Pakhar’ |
plowman |
Pasechnik |
beekeeper |
Pastukh |
shepherd |
Pekar’ |
baker |
Perepletchik |
book-binder |
Perevodchik |
translator |
Perevozchik |
carrier; ferryman |
Pesennik |
(archaic) singer |
Pevets |
singer |
Pil’shchik |
(archaic) sawyer |
Pisar |
scribe; clerk |
Pischik |
(archaic) scribe; clerk |
Pisets |
(archaic) scribe; clerk |
Pivovar |
brewer |
Plavil’shchik |
founder; smelter |
Plotnik |
carpenter |
Pluzhnik |
(archaic) plow-maker |
Pobirokha |
(archaic) beggar |
Pochtal’on |
postman |
Pochtar |
(archaic) postman; messenger |
Podkovalnik |
horse-shoer |
Podomar |
(archaic) sexton |
Pomeshchik |
(archaic) estate-owner |
Ponomar |
sexton |
Pop |
priest |
Popadya |
priest’s wife |
Portnoy |
tailor |
Povar |
cook |
Povarikha |
cook (female) |
Prepodavatel’ |
teacher |
Protod’yakon |
archdeacon |
Protopop |
archpriest |
Psalomshchik |
Psalm-reader (in church) |
Pushechnik |
(archaic) gunner |
Pushkar |
gunner |
| R |
Rabochii |
worker |
Raspop |
(archaic) unfrocked priest |
Ratay |
(archaic) soldier |
Ratnik |
(archaic) soldier |
Razd’yakon |
(archaic) unfrocked deacon |
Raznoschik |
(archaic) peddler |
Remeslennik |
tinker |
Reshetnik |
(archaic) sieve-maker |
Rezchik |
carver; engraver |
Rezets |
cutter |
Reznik |
(archaic) butcher |
Rostovshchik |
userer |
Rudomet |
(archaic) blood-letter |
Rudometchik |
(archaic) blood-letter |
Rudometka |
(archaic) blood-letter (female) |
Rukavichnik |
(archaic) glover |
Ryadovoi |
private; common soldier |
Rybachka |
fishwife |
Rybak; Rybaka |
fisherman |
Rybolov |
angler |
| S |
Sadovnik |
gardener |
Sannik |
(archaic) sledge-maker |
Sapozhnik |
cobbler; shoemaker; hatter |
Serebrennik |
(archaic) silversmith |
Serebryak |
(archaic) silversmith |
Serzhant |
sergeant |
Shakhter |
miner |
Shapoval |
(archaic) hat-maker; fuller |
Shchetinnik |
(archaic) dealer in bristle |
Sherstobit |
(archaic) fuller |
Sherstoboy |
(archaic) fuller |
Shpyn |
(archaic) blind beggar |
Shveitsar |
doorman; usher |
Shvets |
(archaic) tailor; shoemaker |
Shveya |
seamstress |
Sinil’nik |
(archaic) dyer |
Skornyak |
furrier |
Skorokhod |
runner |
Smolyak |
(archaic) tar-sprayer |
Sobakar’ |
(archaic) dog-breeder |
Sobol’shchik |
(archaic) sable-hunter |
Sokol’nik |
(archaic) falconer |
Soldat |
soldier |
Soldat |
soldier |
Soldatka |
soldier’s wife |
Solevar |
(archaic) salt-worker |
Solodovnik |
(archaic) malt-dealer |
Soshnik |
(archaic) plow-maker |
Sotnik |
Cossack captain |
Starshina |
village or district administrator in Imperial Russia |
Stolyar |
joiner |
Storozh |
(archaic) guard; watchman |
Strelets |
musketeer |
Strugovshchik |
(archaic) boatman; ship-owner; ship-worker |
Sudeyka |
(archaic) judge |
Sudomontazhnik |
shipwright |
Sukach |
(archaic) twister (weaver) |
Svinar’ |
(archaic) swineherd |
Svinopas |
swineherd |
Svinukh |
(archaic) swineherd |
Syrovar |
(archaic) cheese-monger |
| T |
Tabachnik |
(archaic) tobacco-grower |
Telezhnik |
wagonwright |
Titar |
(archaic) church-warden |
Tkach |
weaver |
Tokar’ |
turner |
Tolmach |
(archaic) translator |
Torgash |
shopkeeper |
Torgovets |
shopkeeper |
Torgovka |
(archaic) market-woman |
Trepach’ |
(archaic) fuller; scutcher |
Trubach |
trumpeter |
Tyuremshchik |
jailor |
| U |
Ulan |
lancer |
| V |
Vinokur |
(archaic) distiller |
Voditel’ |
teamster |
Vozchik |
cabman; carrier; drayman |
Voznitsa |
driver; coachman |
| Y |
Yamshchik |
coachman |
Yaryga |
(archaic) servant; attendant |
| Z |
Zavodchik |
mill-owner; factory-owner |
Zerenshchik |
(archaic) dice-player |
Zhestyanshchik |
tinsmith |
Zhivopisets |
painter |
Znamenshchik |
standard-bearer; painter |
Zolnik |
(archaic) ashman |
Zolotar |
goldsmith; gilder |
Zvonar |
bell-ringer |
Other Russian Terms
Bibliography
Dal, V.I. Tolkovyi Slovar Zhivogo Velikorusskago Iazyka. (Moscow, 1999).
Kroutikhin, Mikhail I. Correspondence to the author re: Russian genealogical terms. September, 2006.
Mueller, V.K. English-Russian Dictionary. 24th Ed. (Moscow, 1995).
Pushkarev, Sergei G. Dictionary of Russian Historical Terms from the Eleventh Century to 1917 (Yale, 1970).
