Immigration Records are some of the richest genealogy record sets and can provide excellent clues as well as data about your ancestors. Specifically, when they came to America, or traveled but did not immigrate. Emigration records can tell you when they left their homeland and can direct you when they might have immigrated, if you are having trouble finding the immigration record.
What types of information are available in these records? First of all, let me clarify that naturalization records are a related type of record. You can discover online naturalization collections and records available via links on this website on the Naturalizations Page. In the Petition for Naturalization record for example, where and when the applicant arrived in the U.S. is stated. And the Certificate of Arrival is another immigration document used in the naturalization process.
Here's an article that will list the information available: 45 Reasons to Research Immigration Records
Regarding immigration - it bears repeating - not EVERYONE came through Ellis island. It was open between 1892 and 1954. Approximately 12 million people came through that immigration station. The highest year was 1907, when just over 1,000,000 people came through. For immigrants landing at U.S, ports in the 19th century and early 20th century, the busiest ports were New York, Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. There were almost 100 ports that were used by immigrants to enter the U.S., via the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes.
Below are state by state links to a page that lists links to immigration and travel collections that are available for free to search and browse.
It is also helpful to review emigration records as well. It sometimes occurs that an immigration record is not available online for a variety of reasons, but you might find some useful information from emigration records where one of you're ancestors embarked on their journey to America.
Here are a few free online sites that have online emigration records available.
Denmark - The Digital Danish Emigration Archives
Finland - Emigrant Register Internet Databases (free and pay options)
Norway - Digital Archives - Emigrant Records
Germany - Oldenburg Emigrants Database
Ireland - Irish Famine Emigrants 1846-1851 database
Russia - Russians to America Passenger Data File, 1834 - 1897
Germany - Germans to America Passenger Data File, 1850 - 1897
Italy - Italians to America Passenger Data File, 1855 - 1900
Germany - Hamburg Passenger List
Also listed are passenger lists for travel that may not have been immigration related. I have discovered interesting clues and information from non-immigration travel records as well.
Below, listed by state are links to Free Online Immigration and Travel Collections.
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 January, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD):
United States
- Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's - Several Arrival States
- U.S., German Immigrants, 1712-1933 (free index, images require a subscription)
- United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1894-1954
- United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States,, 1895-1956
- United States, Border Crossings from Mexico to United States,, 1903-1957
- United States, Famine Irish Passenger Index, 1846-1851
- United States, Germans to America Index, 1850-1897
- United States, Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
- United States, Index to Alien Case Files, 1940-2003
- United States, Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, 1820-1874
- United States, index to passenger lists, 1820-1940
- United States, Italians to America Index, 1855-1900
- United States, Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1942-1946
- United States, Passport Applications, 1795-1925
- United States, Russians to America Index, 1834-1897
New England
- Copies of lists of passengers arriving at miscellaneous ports on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts and at ports on the Great Lakes, 1820-1873
- Rhode Island, Maine New York, and Connecticut passenger lists, 1820-1874
- United States, New England Passenger and Crew Lists, 1911-1954
- United States, New England Petitions for Naturalization Index, 1791-1906
- United States, New England Seamen's Identification Cards, 1918-1940
- United States, New England, Petitions for Naturalization, 1787-1906
Connecticut
- Connecticut, Fairfield County, Bridgeport, crew lists, 1802-1935
- Connecticut, Fairfield County, Fairfield, passenger lists, 1804-1889
- Connecticut, Hartfield, crew lists, 1803-1896
- Connecticut, New Haven County, New Haven, crew lists, 1801-1952
- Connecticut, New London County, New London, crew lists, 1796-1947
- Connecticut, New London County, Stonington, crew lists, 1842-1891
- Connecticut, passenger lists, 1804-1944
- Passenger and crew lists of vessels arriving at Bridgeport, Groton, Hartford, New Haven, and New London (February 1929-1959)
Maine
- Alphabetical manifest cards of alien and citizen arrivals at Fort Fairfield, Maine, ca., 1909-April 1953
- Alphabetical manifest cards of alien arrivals at Calais, Maine, Ca. 1906-1952
- Alphabetical manifest cards of alien arrivals at Jackman, Maine, ca., 1909-1953
- Alphabetical manifest cards of alien arrivals at Van Buren, Maine, ca. 1906-1952
- Alphabetical manifest cards of alien arrivals at Vanceboro, Maine, ca. 1906-December 24, 1952
- Book indexes, Portland, Maine, passenger lists, 1907-1930
- Main, Passenger Lists 1820-1867
- Maine & Massachusetts, Case Files of Deceased and Deserted Seamen, 1873-1965
- Maine passports, 1828-1851
- Maine, County Naturalization Records, 1800-1990
- Maine, Crew List Arriving at Eastport, 1949-1958
- Maine, Crew Lists Arriving at Robbinston, 1947-1954
- Maine, manifests of alien arrivals, 1906-1953
- Maine, United States Naturalization Records, 1918-1991
- Maine, York County, York, seamans' records, 1809-1885
- Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Portland, Maine, 1893-1943 ; Index, 1893-1954
Massachusetts
- Boston, Passenger lists of vessels arriving, Aug. 1, 1891-1943 ; Book indexes to passenger lists, 1899-1940 ; Index to passenger lists of vessels arriving, Jan. 1, 1902- Dec.31, 1920
- Crew lists of vessels arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, 1917-1920
- Crew lists of vessels arriving at Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1918-1920
- Crew lists of vessels arriving in New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1917-1943
- Hebrew Immigrant Aid Association Boston Individual Arrival Cards, 1882-1929
- Maine & Massachusetts, Case Files of Deceased and Deserted Seamen, 1873-1965
- Massachusetts, Boston Crew Lists, 1917-1943
- Massachusetts, Boston Passenger Lists Index, 1899-1940
- Massachusetts, Boston Passenger Lists, 1820-1891
- Massachusetts, Boston Passenger Lists, 1891-1943
- Massachusetts, Boston, Crew Lists, 1811-1921
- Massachusetts, Essex County, ports of Salem and Beverly, seamen's identification cards, 1918
- Massachusetts, Index to Boston Passenger Lists, 1848-1891
- Massachusetts, Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, 1921-1949
- Massachusetts, Naturalization Records, 1906-1917
- Massachusetts, passenger lists, 1806-1910
- Massachusetts, Salem and Beverly Crew Lists and Shipping Articles, 1797-1934
- Massachusetts, Suffolk County, Boston, crew lists, 1917-1943
- Massachusetts, United States Naturalization Records, 1871-1991
- Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Boston, 1820-1891 ; with index, 1848-1891
- Passenger lists of vessels arriving at New Bedford, 1902-1942 ; Index to passengers, 1902-1954
- Passenger Manifest Index (1848-1891)
- Registers of passengers arriving in Massachusetts ports, 1848-1891
- U.S, Boston Arrivals of Jewish Immigrants from HIAS Records, 1882-1929 (free text-only collection)
New Hampshire
- Naturalization and Probate Records, 1643-1948
- New Hampshire, County Naturalization Records, 1771-2001
- New Hampshire, United States Naturalization Records, 1906-1993
Rhode island
- Naturalization Records 1907-1991
- Passenger lists of vessels arriving in Providence, Rhode Island, 1911-1943 ; index to passengers : book indexes, 1911-1934 ; card indexes, 1911-1954
- Rhode Island, Davisville, Melville, Newport, and Quonset Point, Airplane Passenger and Crew Lists, 1955-1957
- Rhode Island, District Court Naturalization Indexes, 1906-1991
Vermont
- St. Albans District manifest records of aliens arriving from foreign contiguous territory : arrivals at Canadian border ports from January 1895 to June 30, 1954 ; Indexes (Soundex), 1895-1952
- St. Albans District manifest records of aliens arriving from foreign contiguous territory : records of arrivals through small ports in Vermont, 1895-1924
- Vermont, Naturalization Records, 1908-1987
- Vermont, Orleans County, Newport, manifests of alien arrivals, 1906-1924
- Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings, 1895-1954
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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