Family Name Lehkyj

[Fifi]

Hi all

Im trying to trace my family history on my fathers side. My grandparents were born in the Ukraine but came out to Australia in 1950. I have some information about my grandmothers parents but absolutely nothing for my grandfather. I was wondering if anyone could direct me to the correct services for obtaining birth certificates in the Ukraine for both my grandparents?

I appreciate all help that I receive.

Thanks immensly.

Fiona

[Hannia]

Welcome Fiona,

History of immigration from Ukraine
Source: Museum Victoria

Ethnic Ukrainians from western Ukraine are known to have been in Australia as early as 1860. One of the best-known early Ukrainian arrivals was explorer, naturalist and ethnographer Nikolai Miklouho-Maclay who visited Australia in the late 19th century and was instrumental in the establishment of a Zoological Field Station at Watson’s Bay, Sydney.

The Ukrainian population in Australia remained small for many more decades, during a tumultuous period in Ukrainian history. Ukraine had been fought over and subjugated for many centuries because it was rich in natural resources. After World War I it was briefly independent, but by 1922 it was split between the Soviet Union and Poland. Two disastrous famines followed, and millions more died in World War II.

Large numbers of Ukrainian refugees first arrived in Australia in 1948 as part of the International Refugee Organization resettlement agreement. Other Ukrainian immigrants arrived in Victoria on Assisted Passages. In 1954, when Ukraine-born people were first recorded in the census, 4,678 were living in Victoria. This may understate the number of immigrants from Ukraine as it is defined today, as some Ukrainians were represented in the census under other nationalities such as the Soviet Union.

In 1991 Ukraine gained independence, and over the next five years the Ukraine-born population in Victoria increased for the first time in many decades, from 2,937 in 1991 to 5,370 in 1996. Many of these new post-independence migrants were young professionals in the fields of science, mathematics and computer technology. In 2001 Victoria had the largest Ukraine-born population in Australia, with a total of 5,740 people. While 53% of Ukraine-born in Victoria spoke Russian at home, 31% spoke Ukrainian.

Living predominantly around Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, around half of the community are Christian, while a quarter are Jewish. The majority of those in employment work as professionals, and are in the property and business services industry. Supporting the cultural heritage of the Ukrainian community today, are a range of organisations including the Association of Ukrainians in Victoria.
____________________________________________________________________________________

Ukrainians immigrated to Australia under the Australian Federal Immigration Scheme and were bound by two-year contract of employment. The first Ukrainian immigrants to arrive in Australia were either unmarried persons, married couples without children, or family men alone. The wives and children of these family men remained in Europe and were reunited with their men once their two-year work contract had been completed. Upon arrival in Australia these immigrants were placed in holding camps in Bonegilla (Victoria), Bathurst (NSW), Northam (WA) and Woodside (SA) before being sent to various locations to fulfil their employment contract. At these camps they received only a few weeks of basic English language tuition. From 1948 - 1950 about 3,500 Ukrainians arrived in South Australia.

Saints Volodymyr and Olha
Saints Volodymyr and Olha

_______________________________________________________

The key to locating records in Ukraine is EXACT PLACE OF BIRTH.

National Archives of Australia - Immigrants - Making Australia Home
National Archives of Australia - Immigrants - Making Australia Home

Your Grandparents were WW2 DP's (Displaced People). Since they immigrated to Australia under a work agreement, they had to fill out an extensive personal questionnaire, which included lots of personal data. These questionnaires are called Migrant Selection Records. They should provide you w/important keys for your search. They will even provide you w/names of DP Camps in which they resided and the type of work they did as Ostarbeiters/Forced Laborers. In some cases they will even provide you w/names of siblings.

National Archives of Australia - The Collection - Family History - Immigrants - Migrant selection
National Archives of Australia - The Collection - Family History - Immigrants - Migrant selection

Bare in mind that in some cases Ukrainians are listed as coming from Poland.
ISTG - World War II Refugees to Australia
ISTG - World War II Refugees to Australia

There is a couple, Nadesda (Nadya???) and Wasyl (anglicized to William/Bill???),
arriving on the SS PROTEA 5/2/1949. Are these your Grandparents?

_______________________________________________________________________

Once you get places of birth for Grandparents, I can provide you w/addresses and info on how to proceed.
_______________________________________________________________________

Other valuable links for your research.

Displaced persons DP Migration to Australia
Displaced persons DP Migration to Australia

OzeUkes: The electronic voice of the Ukrainian community in Australia
OzeUkes: The electronic voice of the Ukrainian community in Australia

[hearts]

Fiona

What was your grandfathers first name?

[Fifi]

Hi Hearts,

My grandfathers name was Wolodymyr and my grandmothers name was Kateryna. He was born in Kiev (this I got from his death certificate) and my grandmother was born in Syniawa (also obtained from her death certificate).

I hope you can help me as that would be tremendous of you.

Cheers

Fifi


Dear Hanna,

My grandparents came on the ship General Blatchford in 1950 which departed Naples in January of that year and landed in Sydney in February. As stated above in my response to "Hearts" my grandparents birth places were obtained from their death certificates. I only hope this information is true.

My grandmothers maiden name was stated as being "Mileck".

I hope this is enough information for you to be able to point me in the right direction.

Cheers

Fifi

[Hannia]

There are several possible Synyava's in Ukraine???

The one I find interesting is the village 54 miles S of Kiev . Selo/village Syniava > Rokytnyanskij raion/district > Kievska oblast/region > Ukraine, latest zip 09634.

Immigrants preferred to marry their own, coming from their own districts or regions.
___________________________________________________________________

Did Grandmother ever talk about her village?

What religion did Grandparents practice?

[Fifi]

Hi Hannia (sorry for misspelling your name before by the way)

After speaking with my father he said they were of Greek Catholic?? but they didnt practice this on a regular basis....

My father had asked his parents on numerous occasions about their hometowns/villages but they were very reluctant to talk about it. I guess due to bad experiences they had had in the war times...Something i think that would be very common amongst people of my grandparents/parents age...

Im thinking that your suggestions on the village that you mentioned could be the right track to go down. But then I dont know the geography of the Ukraine so I cant really comment positively...

Thanks once again on your help... Im getting very excited about the little progress that I have made...

Cheers

Fifi

[Hannia]

Fiona,

Clue, Greek Catholic, would indicate that both your Grandparents were probably from Western Ukraine. Most Eastern Ukrainians were/are Christian Orthodox.

Something that many DP's, who landed up in the Diaspora did, was to refer to their place of origin as Kiev. Before Ukraine's independence, who knew where Ukraine was located. If you asked most people, they would tell you it was somewhere in Russia.

Your Grandfather knew that if you could find Kiev, you could find Ukraine.

Above is not written in stone, but I suspect that I may be right.

Have you submitted an inquiry at the Australian Archives? Grandfather's migratory document might clarify many of your questions.

Was your father baptized in a Ukrainian Church? If so, ask that he obtains a formal copy of his Baptismal Certificate. Grandparents' place of origin might be found there.