Despite the fact that most Russians who dig into their family history learn that their ancestors were peasants rather than nobles, it is becoming fashionable to learn more about Russian ancestry according to this article in The Moscow Times. Widespread destruction of records in the Ukraine, Belarus and parts of Western Russia means that the task isn't always easy, however. Many employ the services of professional genealogists, but some have found it not only possible, but fun, to trace their Russian roots on their own.