The article covers basic theoretical approaches to migration biographies’ interpretation. The authors identify key motivations and factors of individual territories’ movements. The interactions between horizontal movements and social mobility are analyzed. Analysis of methodological approaches occupies a special place in the article. In particular, biographical method is reviewed as it gives integral tracking of individual movements during one’s life. Some methods of statistic analysis such as event history analysis and sequence analysis are specified. Both methods require significant time and creativity investment for collecting data. Based on retrospective research “Human, Family, Society” the analyses of statuses’ characteristic changes of Russians in the context of their horizontal movements were made. The conclusion re. the key role of migration in vertical mobility is stressed.