Subject: NARA Immigration Records From: Steven Coker Date: March 12, 1999 National Archives and Records Administration - Immigration Records http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/immigrat.html http://clio.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/immigrat.html Updated December 5, 1998 Table of Contents Part 1: Introduction Part 2: 1538-1819 What NARA Has What NARA Does Not Have Part 3: 1820-1957 Part 4: Sample Immigration Records Part 5: Available 1800-1957 Immigration Records Part 6: Where to Find these Records Part 7: For More Information -=-=-=-=-=- Part 1: Introduction Immigration records, more popularly known as "ship passenger arrival records," may provide evidence of a person's arrival in the United States, as well as foreign birthplace. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has immigration records for various ports for the years 1800-1957. -=-=-=-=-=- Part 2: 1538-1819 What NARA Has. Until January 1, 1820, the U.S. Federal Government did not require require captains or masters of vessels to present a passenger list to U.S. officials. Thus, as a general rule, NARA does not have passenger lists of vessels arriving before January 1, 1820. There are, however, two exceptions to this general rule: Arrivals at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1813-1819, are reproduced in NARA microfilm publication: Roll 1 of M2009, Work Projects Administration Transcript of Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1813-1849 (2 rolls). Arrivals at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1819, are reproduced in two NARA microfilm publications: Rolls 1-29 of M425, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1882 (108 rolls), which is indexed by M360, Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1906 (151 rolls). Note, however, that M425 undoubtedly does not include everyone arriving at Philadelphia during 1800-1819. What NARA Does Not Have. To locate other passenger lists from 1538-1819, consult these books (among many others), which are found in libraries with genealogical collections: Indexes Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index: A Guide to Published Arrival Records of ... Passengers who Came to the United States and Canada in the Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries. 3 volumes plus annual supplements. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1981-__. This series is a finding aid to published passenger lists. Be sure to read the "front material" to understand how to use the information you find. Bibliographies Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Bibliography, 1538-1900. 2d ed. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1988. Lancour, Harold, comp. A Bibliography of Ship Passenger Lists, 1538-1825; Being a Guide to Published Lists of Early Immigrants to North America. 3d ed. New York: New York Public Library, 1978. Wood, Virginia Steele. Immigrant Arrivals: A Guide to Published Sources. Revised. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). [http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/bib_guid/immigrant.html] Compilations Carl Boyer and Michael Tepper, each using a different format, have undertaken to publish the names in Lancour's lists. Tepper's coverage of Lancour is not comprehensive: an inventory of those articles omitted appears on pages viii, ix and x of New World Immigrants..... Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, National and New England (1600-1825). Newhall, CA: C. Boyer, 1977. Covers Lancour entries 1-71. Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, New York and New Jersey (1600-1825). Newhall, CA: C. Boyer, 1978. Covers Lancour entries 72-115. Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, Pennsylvania and Delaware (1641-1825). Newhall, CA: C. Boyer, 1980. Covers Lancour entries 116-197. Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, the South (1538-1825). Newhall, CA: C. Boyer, 1979. Covers Lancour entries 198E-243. Tepper, Michael. New World Immigrants: a Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists and Associated Data from Periodical Literature. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979. Tepper, Michael. Passengers to America: A Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists >From the New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977. Tepper, Michael. Emigrants to Pennsylvania, 1641-1819: a Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists from the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1978 Tepper, Michael. Immigrants to the Middle Colonies: a Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists and Associated Data from The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1978 Ethnic Groups There are numerous published name indexes to 16th through 19th century arrivals of persons of various ethnic groups, including persons of Czechoslovakian, Dutch, English, German, Irish, Italian, and Russian descent. For a listing of some of these indexes, see: Wood, Virginia Steele. Immigrant Arrivals: A Guide to Published Sources. Revised. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). Two online guides to immigration by particular ethnic groups are: Douglas, Lee V. Danish Immigration to America: An Annotated Bibliography of Resources at the Library of Congress. Research Guide No. 28. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). [http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/bib_guid/danish.html] Douglas, Lee V. A Select Bibliography of Works: Norwegian-American Immigration and Local History. Research Guide No. 6. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). [http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/bib_guid/norway.html] -=-=-=-=-=- Part 3: 1820-1957 Early records relating to immigration originated in regional customhouses. The U.S. Customs Service conducted its business by designating collection districts. Each district had a headquarters port with a customhouse and a collector of customs, the chief officer of the district. An act of March 2, 1819 (3 Stat. 489) required the captain or master of a vessel arriving at a port in the United States or any of its territories from a foreign country to submit a list of passengers to the collector of customs, beginning January 1, 1820. The act also required that the collector submit a quarterly report or abstract, consisting of copies of these passenger lists, to the Secretary of State, who was required to submit such information at each session of Congress. After 1874, collectors forwarded only statistical reports to the Treasury Department. The lists themselves were retained by the collector of customs. Customs records were maintained primarily for statistical purposes. On August 3, 1882, Congress passed the first Federal law regulating immigration (22 Stat. 214-215); the Secretary of the Treasury had general supervision over it between 1882 and 1891. The Office of Superintendent of Immigration in the Department of the Treasury was established under an act of March 3, 1891 (26 Stat. 1085), and was later designated a bureau in 1895 with responsibility for administering the alien contract-labor laws. In 1900 administration of the Chinese-exclusion laws was added. Initially the Bureau retained the same administrative structure of ports of entry that the Customs Service had used. By the turn of the century it began to designate its own immigration districts, the numbers and boundaries of which changed over the years. In 1903 the Bureau became part of the Department of Commerce and Labor; its name was changed to the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization when functions relating to naturalization were added in 1906. In 1933 the functions were transferred to the Department of Labor and became the responsibility of the newly formed Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Under President Roosevelt's Reorganization Plan V of 1940, the INS was moved to the Department of Justice. -=-=-=-=-=- Part 4: Sample Immigration Records Partial list of survivors of the Titanic who were taken aboard the Carpathia, which arrived at the Port of New York, NY, April 18, 1912. This list was erroneously filed by the INS with June 18, 1912, arrivals, and can be found in NARA microfilm publication T715, Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957, Roll 1883, Vol. 4183. [http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/titanic.html] -=-=-=-=-=- Part 5: Available 1800-1957 Immigration Records Various NARA microfilm publications reproduce passenger arrival records from the ports listed below. This section was last updated December 5, 1998. * * * * * Record Group 85 Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1891-1957 http://clio.nara.gov/publications/microfilm/immigrant/rg85.html Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, 1890-1924 Alburg, Vermont, 1895-1924 Baltimore, Maryland 1891-1957 Beecher Falls, Vermont, 1895-1924 Boston, Massachusetts 1891-1943 Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1870 Canaan, Vermont, 1895-1924 Canadian Border (called "St. Albans, Vermont, District") Detroit, Michigan, 1906-1954 Galveston, Texas 1896-1951 Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1918-1943 Gulfport, Mississippi Highgate Springs, Vermont, 1895-1924 Island Pond, Vermont, 1895-1924 Key West, Florida, 1898-1945 New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1902-1954 New Orleans, Louisiana, 1900-1952 Norton, Vermont, 1895-1924 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1883-1948 Portland, Maine, 1893-1943 Providence, Rhode Island, 1911-1954 Richford, Vermont, 1895-1924 Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 San Francisco, California, 1882-1957; see also Ventura, California Savannah, Georgia, 1906-1945 Seattle, Washington, and Other Washington Ports Swanton, Vermont, 1895-1924 * * * * * Atlantic, Gulf, and Great Lakes Ports, 1820-1873 http://clio.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/miscport.html Alexandria, Virginia, 1820-1865 Annapolis, Maryland, 1849 Bangor, Maine, 1848 Barnstable, Massachusetts, 1820-1826 Bath, Maine, 1825-1867 Beaufort, North Carolina, 1865 Belfast, Maine, 1820-1851 Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island, 1820-71 Cape May, New Jersey, 1828 Charleston, South Carolina, 1820-1828 Darien, Georgia, 1823-1825 Dighton, Massachusetts, 1820-1836 East River, Virginia, 1830 Edenton, North Carolina, 1820 Edgartown, Massachusetts, 1820-1870 Fairfield, Connecticut, 1820-1821 Fall River, Massachusetts, 1837-1865 Frenchman's Bay, Maine, 1821-1827 Galveston, Texas 1846-1871 Georgetown, District of Columbia, 1820-1821 Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1820-1870 Hampton, Virginia, 1820-1821 Hartford, Connecticut, 1837 Havre de Grace, Maryland, 1820 Hingham, Massachusetts, 1852 Kennebunk, Maine, 1820-1842 Key West, Florida, 1837-1868 Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, 1831 Marblehead, Massachusetts, 1820-1849 Mobile, Alabama, 1832-1852 Nantucket, Massachusetts, 1820-1862 Newark, New Jersey, 1836 New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1826-1852 New Bern, North Carolina, 1820-1865 Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1821-1839 New Haven, Connecticut, 1820-1873 New London, Connecticut, 1820-1847 New Orleans, Louisiana Newport, Rhode Island, 1820-1857 Norfolk, Virginia, 1820-1857 Oswegatchie, New York, 1821-1823 Passamaquoddy, Maine, 1820-1859 Penobscot, Maine, 1851 Perth Amboy, New Jersey, 1820-1832 Petersburg, Virginia, 1820-1821 Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1821-1844 Plymouth, North Carolina, 1820-1840 Portland, Maine, 1820-1868 Port Royal, South Carolina, 1865 Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1820-1861 Providence, Rhode Island, 1820-1867 Richmond, Virginia, 1820-1844 Rochester, New York, 1866 Sag Harbor, New York, 1829-1834 Saint Augustine, Florida, 1821-1870 Saint Johns, Florida, 1865 Salem, Massachusetts, 1865-1866 Sandusky, Ohio, 1820 Savannah, Georgia, 1820-1868 Saybrook, Connecticut, 1820 Waldeboro, Maine, 1820-1833 Washington, North Carolina, 1820-1848 Wilmington, Delaware, 1820-1848 Yarmouth, Maine, 1820 * * * * * Record Group 36 Records of the U.S. Customs Service, 1820 - ca. 1891 http://clio.nara.gov/publications/microfilm/immigrant/rg36.html Baltimore, Maryland 1820-1897 Boston, Massachusetts 1820-1891 New Orleans, Louisiana, 1820-1902 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1906 * * * * * Port of New York, New York, 1820-1957 (also known as "Ellis Island" and "Castle Garden") http://clio.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/newyork.html * * * * * Small California Ports, 1929-1956 Ventura, California, 1929-1956 http://clio.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/smalcal.html * * * * * Port of Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1921-1923 http://clio.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/veracrz.html * * * * * Port of Zapata, Texas, 1923-1953 http://clio.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/zapata.html * * * * * Castle Garden, see New York, New York El Capitan, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California Ellis Island, see New York, New York Ellwood, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California Falmouth, Maine, 1820-1868, see Portland, Maine Los Angeles, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California Pascagoula, Mississippi, see Gulfport, Mississippi Port Hueneme, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California Portsmouth, Virginia, see Norfolk, Virginia San Pedro, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California Warren, Rhode Island, 1820-1871, see Bristol, Rhode Island -=-=-=-=-=- Part 6: Where to Find These Records Washington, DC You may do research in immigration records in person at the National Archives Building 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001. Go to Room 400, the Microfilm Reading Room. Staff is available there to answer your questions. NARA microfilm publications may be examined during regular research room hours in Room 400; no prior arrangement is necessary. Researchers coming from a distance may wish to call in advance of their visit (1) to verify research room hours and (2) to have any additional questions answered. The Consultant's Office can be reached at 202-501-5400. Regional Records Services Facilities Some National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) regional records services facilities have selected immigration records; call to verify their availability. [http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/genindex.html#regional] Libraries Libraries with large genealogical collections also have selected NARA microfilm publications. To obtain immigration records by mail Paper copies of immigration records can be ordered by mail using one NATF Form 81 for each person or family group traveling together. You can obtain the NATF Form 81 by providing your name and mailing address to [email protected]. Be sure to specify "Form 81" and the number of forms you need. You can also obtain the NATF Form 81 by writing to: National Archives and Records Administration Attn: NWCTB 700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001. -=-=-=-=-=- Part 7: For more information For useful guides on the historical and legal background of passenger arrival records, explanation of what information they contain, and search strategies, see: Colletta, John P. They Came in Ships. 2d ed. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, Inc., 1993. Tepper, Michael. American Passenger Arrival Records. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1988. For more detailed examinations of immigration in U.S. history, see: Handlin, Oscar, ed. Immigration as a Factor in American History. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1959. Handlin, Oscar, ed. The Uprooted: The Epic Story of the Great Migrations that Made the American People. Reprinted, 2d edition enlarged, Boston: Little Brown & Co., 1973. Higham, John. Strangers in the Land: Patterns of American Nativism, 1860-1925. Rutgers, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1955. Reprint, New York: Atheneum, 1963-1981. Konvitz, Milton R. Civil Rights in Immigration. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1953. Wittke, Carl. Refugees of Revolution: The German Forty-Eighters in America. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania, Press, 1952. Examines German immigration to the U.S. following the failed 1848 revolution in Germany. -=-=-=-=-=- National Archives and Records Administration URL: http://www.nara.gov/genealogy/immigration/immigrat.html [email protected] Last updated: December 5, 1998 ==== SCROOTS Mailing List ==== Go To: #, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z, Main |