Do you research naturalization records? No? Why not? Does the thought of going through paper files in dusty court basements turn you off? Well - I'm here to tell you that it is worth it - and with recent digitization efforts - more and more original documents have been scanned and been made available via microfilm or online.
Some of the larger subscription sites have also made some source documents available - as well as index cards that can lead you to the court that handled the proceedings.
If you wish to get educated first about all of these documents and the naturalization process and how it has changed over time - please read these two terrific summaries:
- The U.S. Archives Naturalization Records
- FamilySearch's Wiki entry United States Naturalization and Citizenship
- Women and Naturalization
Okay - now that you are educated and know that post-1906 - about 4 awesome documents just drip with great information: Declaration of Intent, Petition for Citizenship or Naturalization, Certificate of Arrival, and the Certificate of Naturalization. Many of the online genealogy websites may not have all of these documents available, but do have index cards that are searchable - which has information regarding the court handling the proceedings. With this information you might be able to track down some of the source documents.
Below is a list of links to free online naturalization record and index collections for the state:
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.
(Updated August, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD)
- Albany County Naturalizations Index
- Allegany County Naturalization Records, 1864-1930
- Bronx County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Bronx County Declarations Index, 1914-1932
- Bronx County Petitions Index, 1914-1932
- Broome County Naturalization Index
- Broome County Naturalization Records, 1820-1920; Index to Petitions, 1848-1963
- Cattaraugus County Naturalization Records, 1847-1956
- Cayuga County Index to Naturalization Records 1799-1952
- Cayuga County Court Minutes, 1845-1919
- Cayuga County Court Record, vol. 1-3, 1830-1845
- Cayuga County Court Records, 1799-1846
- Cayuga County Declarations of Intention, 1831-1972; Petitions, ca. 1916-1921
- Cayuga County Minutes, 1855-1912
- Cayuga County Naturalization Records, 1879-1906; Index, 1849-1878
- Cayuga County Petition for Naturalization, 1906-1972; Card Index, 1906-1972
- Chautauqua County Loose Naturalization Papers, ca. 1837-1925
- Chautauqua County Naturalization Records, 1837-1972
- Chemung County Declaration of Intention, 1895-1906
- Chemung County Naturalization Record, v. 1-4, 1859-1906
- Chemung County Naturalizations, 1906-1955
- Chenango County Naturalization Records, 1859-1929; Index to Naturalizations, 1926-1977
- Clinton County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Clinton County Naturalization Papers, 1820-1931 ; List of Aliens admitted, 1820-1960
- Clinton County Naturalization Records Search 1871-1906
- Clinton County Record of Final Application to become Citizens, 1895-1906
- Colonial New York, Denizations, Naturalizations, and Oaths of Allegiance
- Columbia County Naturalization Records, 1916-1932 : Declarations of Intentions and Petitions for Naturalizations
- Cortland County Declarations of Intention, vol. 1-6, Petition no. 1-1050, 1907-1942
- Cortland County Minutes, vol. A-B, 1856-1895
- Cortland County Naturalization Records, 1816-1906
- Cortland County Naturalization Records, 1871-1965
- Cortland County Records, 1853-1895
- Cortland County Rule Books, 1808-1901
- Delaware County Naturalization Records Index
- Erie County Alien Declarations, 1837-1896; Index, 1835-1906
- Erie County Naturalization Records, 1831-1906; Index, 1831-ca.1930
- Essex County Naturalization Records Index Search 1818-1906
- Fulton County Naturalization Records, 1839-1906
- Fulton County Naturalization Records, 1904-1931
- Genesee County Naturalization Records 1849 - 1929
- Genesee County Naturalization Records, 1849-1964
- Greene County Declarations of Intention, 1850-1885
- Greene County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1936
- Greene County Final Applications to become Citizens, 1892-1918
- Greene County Naturalization Petitions and Declarations of Intention, 1885-1906
- Greene County Petitions, Declarations, and Certificates of arrival, 1907-1932
- Hamilton County Naturalization Records, 1854-1906
- Hamilton County Record of Final Applications, v. 1, 1895-1906
- Herkimer County Declarations of Intention, 1821-1923; Index, 1821-1879
- Jefferson County Index of Naturalization Records
- Jefferson County Card Index of Naturalization Records
- Jefferson County Naturalization Records, 1819-1906
- Jefferson County Naturalization Records, 1908-1920
- Jefferson County Primary Declarations of Intention of Aliens, no. 1, 1896-1906
- Kings County Declarations of Intention, 1907-1924; Naturalization Petitions, 1907-1922
- Lewis County Miscellaneous Naturalization Records, 1906-1955
- Lewis County Naturalization Papers, 1808-1906
- Lewis County Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1955
- Livingston County Historical Records Index 1818-1954
- Livingston County Applications and Court Orders for copies of Naturalization Papers which were lost or destroyed
- Livingston County Naturalization Records, 1821-1955; Index 1821-1953
- Madison County Naturalization Records Index 1852-1953
- Madison County Naturalization Records, 1853-1924
- Manhattan County Naturalization Record of Declarations of Intention, 1907-1924
- Monroe County Alien Applications (Petitions, Affidavits, orders, etc.) for Citizenship
- Monroe County Declarations of Intention, 1821-1898; Indexes, 1822-1898
- Monroe County Declarations of Intention, 1898-1906
- Monroe County Declarations of Intentions, 1906-1910
- Monroe County Naturalization Petitions, ca. 1823-1906
- Montgomery County Naturalization Records, 1810-1955
- Nassau County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Nassau County Naturalization Records, 1899-1906
- New York City Declaration of Intentions, all nations, 1891-1895.
- New York City Declarations of Intentions, 1828-1846
- New York City Declarations of Intentions, 1846-1895
- New York City Declarations of Intentions, Germany, etc., 1850-1895
- New York Counties Naturalization Records Indexes
- New York County Declarations of Intentions 1846-1895
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, 1802-1846
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, 1895-1905
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, all nations, 1889-1890
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, Germany, 1846-1895
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, Germany, 1895-1906
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, Great Britain, 1896-1906
- New York County Declarations of Intentions, Italy, 1897-1906
- New York County Index to Petition of Naturalization , 1784-1906
- New York County Naturalization Records, 1792-1906; Index, 1792-1906
- New York County Petition and Record of Naturalization, 907-1924
- New York Naturalization Index (Soundex), 1792-1906
- New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980
- New York, Eastern District Naturalization Petitions, Index, 1865-1957
- New York, Eastern District Final Petition and Citizenship Papers 1865-1958
- New York, Northern District, Petitions for Naturalization and Index, 1821-1906
- New York, Petitions for Naturalization filed at Fort Hamilton during WW1, 1918-1920
- New York, Southern District Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1824-1941
- New York, Southern District Naturalization Index, 1917-1950
- New York, Southern District, List of Naturalization certificates, Dockets and case files in Naturalization Suits in Equity, 1905-1917
- New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946
- New York, U. S. Circuit, Southern District Naturalization Records Index Search
- New York, U. S. District Court, Eastern District Naturalization Records Index Search 1867-1975
- New York, U. S. District Court, Northern District Naturalization Records Index Search 1821-1855
- New York, U. S. District Court, Southern District Naturalization Records Index Search 1800-1970
- New York, U. S. District Court, Western District Naturalization Records Index Search 1903-1967
- New York, Western District Petitions for Naturalization and lists of granted, continued or denied Petitions, 1903-1991
- New York, Western District, Naturalization Index, 1907-1966
- New York, Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalization 1907-1966
- New York, Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalization, Southern District of New York, 1824-1941
- New York, Petitions for Naturalization from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York 1824-1945
- Niagara County Naturalization cards, 1843-1906
- Niagara County Naturalization Papers marked "did not appear," 1843-1906
- Niagara County Naturalization Papers, 1830-1906
- Niagara County Naturalization Records (primary Declarations of Intention) 1861-1906
- Niagara County Naturalization Records, (Final Orders) 1895-1906
- Oneida County Oneida County Declarations of Intention and Final Papers, 1805-1894
- Oneida County Naturalization Records, 1884-1906
- Oneida County Naturalization Records, 1906-1956; Index, 1906-1956
- Oneida County Naturalization stubs, 1934-1964
- Onondaga County Aliens Admitted, 1806-1900
- Onondaga County Declarations of Intention, 1862-1927
- Onondaga County Declarations, Petitions, etc., 1802-1909
- Onondaga County Naturalization Petitions, 1908-1929
- Onondaga County Naturalization Records card file, A-Z, ca.1964-1977
- Onondaga County Naturalized Citizens, 1862-1906
- Onondaga County Petitions for Naturalization of Military personnel, 1918-1919
- Onondaga County Petitions for Naturalization, 1906-1921; Index
- Ontario County Naturalization Records Indexes 19th and 20th Centuries
- Ontario County Declarations of Intention, 1907-1956, and Naturalization Petitions, 1907-1955
- Ontario County Loose Papers of Declarations of Intention and Certificates of arrival, 1908-1930
- Ontario County Naturalization Records, 1803-1906
- Orleans County Card file of Aliens admitted as Citizens, ca. 1920-1959
- Orleans County Declarations of Intention of Naturalization, 1853-1897
- Orleans County Declarations of Intention, 1830-1955
- Orleans County Petitions, 1853-1955
- Orleans County Petitions, ca. 1880-1955
- Oswego County Card file of Naturalized persons, ca. 1830-1900's
- Oswego County Declarations of Intention, 1868-1956
- Oswego County Naturalization Final Papers, v. 1-4, 1878-1906
- Oswego County Petition for Naturalization, 1906-1955
- Otsego County Naturalization Records, 1806-1889
- Otsego County Naturalization Records, 1806-1956
- Queens County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Queens County Queens County Final Applications to become Citizens, v.1-2, 1895-1906
- Queens County Declarations of Intention, 1824-1906
- Queens County Index to Naturalization, 1906-1941
- Queens County Naturalization certificates, 1794-1906; Indexes, 1794-1906
- Queens County Naturalization Papers, 1888-1898
- Queens County Record of Declaration of Intention, 1906-1926
- Rensselaer County Court Naturalizations, v. 3, Book of Oaths, 1814-1843
- Rensselaer County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1931
- Rensselaer County Declarations of Intention, Petitions for Naturalization, and Oaths of Allegiance
- Richmond County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Richmond County Military Petitions for Naturalization, 1918-1924
- Richmond County Naturalization Papers, 1820-1906
- Richmond County Naturalization Petition and Record, 1907-1924
- Richmond County Naturalization Records, 1820-1906; Indexes, 1879-1895
- Rockland County Naturalization Records Index, 1812-1991
- Rockland County Declarations of Intention, 1817-1906
- Saratoga County Court Minutes, 1791-1895
- Saratoga County Declarations of Intention, 1800-1906
- Saratoga County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1927
- Saratoga County Declarations, Petitions, Certificates and Oaths, 1906-1930
- Saratoga County Final Applications to become Citizens, v.1, 1896-1906
- Saratoga County Naturalization Papers, 1800-1906 ; Index to persons Naturalized, 1791- 1895
- Schenectady County Declarations of Intention, 1811, 1827-1906
- Schenectady County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1927
- Schenectady County Naturalization Petitions, Declarations of Intention and Certificates of arrival, 1906-1929
- Schoharie County Naturalization Records, 1810-1906
- Schuyler County Naturalization Records, 1864-1949
- Seneca County Declarations of Intention, 1827-1906
- Seneca County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1956
- Seneca County Naturalization Records and Declarations of Intentions, 1827-1930
- Seneca County Naturalization Records, 1830-1906
- Seneca County Naturalization Records, 1906-1955
- St. Lawrence County Aliens' Reports, 1816-1977
- St. Lawrence County Naturalization Records, 1844-1906
- St. Lawrence County Naturalization Records, 1895-1977
- Steuben County Naturalization Records, 1820-1906
- Suffolk County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Suffolk County Camp Upton Military Petitions for Naturalization, 1918; Index 1918-1920
- Suffolk County Declarations of Intention, 1890-1906
- Suffolk County Declarations of Intention, 1890-1949
- Suffolk County Index to Declarations of Intentions and Petitions filed in Surrogates Office, 1864-1895
- Suffolk County Naturalization Records, 1853-1980
- Suffolk County Petitions and Record, v.1, 1906-1907
- Suffolk County Petitions for Naturalization, 1913-1939
- Suffolk County Record of Final Applications to be admitted to become Citizens of the United States, 1895-1901
- Suffolk County Record of Naturalization, 1896-1907
- Sullivan County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1917
- Sullivan County Naturalization Declarations, 1903-1906
- Sullivan County Naturalization Declarations, Petitions and oaths, 1910-1913
- Sullivan County Naturalization Petitions, 1906-1913
- Sullivan County Naturalizations of Aliens under 18 years, 1903-1906
- Tioga County Declarations of Intention, 1854-1906
- Tioga County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1917
- Tioga County Naturalization Records, 1854-1906
- Tioga County Record of Final Applications to become Citizens, 1896-1906
- Tompkins County Naturalization Records, 1818-1969
- Tompkins County Naturalization Records, 1906-1976
- Ulster County Naturalization Record Index Search
- Ulster County Naturalization Oaths and Declarations of Intentions ca. 1812-1892
- United States Circuit Court, Southern District Alphabetical Index to Declarations of Intentions : 1917-1950
- United States Circuit Court, Southern District Petitions for Naturalization and Index : 1846-1876, 1906-1911
- United States, Circuit Court New York, Southern District Declaration of Intentions : 1845-1911
- United States, District Court, New York, Eastern District Declarations of Intention, 1865-1941
- United States, District Court, New York, Southern District Declarations of Intention, 1924-1925
- United States, District Court, New York, Southern District Minutes and roll of attorneys, 1789-1841
- Warren County Naturalization Petitions 1907-1955
- Warren County Naturalization Records Index 1813-1906
- Warren County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1929
- Warren County Declarations of Intentions, Petitions for Citizenship and arrival Certificates
- Warren County List of Citizenships Granted, 1892-1895
- Warren County Naturalization Records, 1856-1906
- Washington County Declarations of Intention, 1896-1906
- Washington County Declarations of Intention, 1907-1934
- Washington County Declarations of Intention, Petitions for Naturalization, Oaths and arrival certificates, 1907-1931
- Washington County Naturalization Final Orders, 1896-1906
- Washington County Record of Final Applications to become Citizens, 1896, 1901
- Wayne County Declarations of Intention, 1906-1959
- Wayne County Declarations of Intention, v. 1-4, 1855-1906
- Wayne County Naturalization of Aliens, 1855-1906
- Wayne County Naturalization Papers, 1896-1905
- Wayne County Naturalization Petitions and Record, 1906-1953
- Westchester County Naturalization Records Index Search
- Westchester County Naturalization Records Personal Name Index 1808-1955
- Westchester County Declarations of Intention, 1857-1906
- Westchester County Declarations of Intention, 1892-1895
- Westchester County Naturalization Petitions and Affidavits, 1872-1906
- Westchester County Naturalization Records, 1892-1895 ; Record of discharged soldiers, 1892-1895
- Westchester County Old Miscellaneous Naturalization Records, 1844-1905
- Westchester County Old Naturalization Records, 1844-1871
- Wyoming County Declaration of Intention, vol. 1-4, 1906-1954
- Wyoming County Declarations of Intentions, vol. 1-2, 1852-1906
- Wyoming County Naturalization Records, 1841-1906
- Wyoming County Naturalization Records, 1906-1945
- Wyoming County Naturalizations, 1873-1906
- Yates County Naturalization Records, 1823-1958; Index, ca. 1823-1956
- Yonkers Declarations of Intention, 1874-1895
- Yonkers Naturalization Records, 1888-1895 ; Discharged soldiers Record, 1888- 1895
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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