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 February, 2020; recently added links are in BOLD):
United States
- Germans from Russia, Miscellaneous Passenger Manifests
- Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918
- Japanese Immigrants to the United States (from BYU Idaho) , 1887-1924
- Mormon Migration Database, 1840-1932
- New York, Castle Garden
- New York, Ellis Island
- Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600's - Several Arrival States
- U.S., German Immigrants, 1712-1933 (free index, images require a subscription)
- United States Immigration, Ship Arrivals & Passenger Lists
- 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, Japanese Immigration Index
- United States, Passport Applications, 1795-1925
- United States, Russians to America Index, 1834-1897
Alaska
- Alaska, Indexes and Manifests of Alien Arrivals at Anchorage, Juneau, Skagway, and Tok Junction, 1910-1956
- Alaska, Naturalization Records, 1884-1991
- Alaska, State Archives (Juneau), Naturalization Records, 1900-1972
- Alaska, Unalaska, Naturalization Records, 1936-1941
- Alphabetical index of Alien Arrivals at Eagle, Hyder, Ketchikan, Nome, and Skagway, Alaska, June 1906-August 1946
- Juneau Immigration Index
- Lists of Aliens Arriving at Eagle, Alaska, December 1910-October 1938
- Lists of Aliens Arriving at Skagway (White Pass), Alaska, October 1906-November 1934
- Naturalization Records (1888-1972) (spreadsheet)
- Records of the Russian Consular Offices in the United States
- Ship Passenger Lists, Klondike Stampeders and The Matanuska Colony
Arizona
- Arizona and Texas, Manifests of Alien Arrivals, 1919-1955
- Arizona, Douglas, Arrival Manifests, 1906-1955
- Arizona, Nogales, Index and Manifests of Alien Arrivals, 1905-1952
- Arizona, Yavapai County, Pioneers' Home Resident Ledger and Index, 1911-2000
- Aros Ranch, Douglas, Lochiel, Naco and Nogales, Arizona, alien arrivals 1906-1910
- Cochise County, Douglas, Manifests of Permanent and Temporary Alien Arrivals, 1906-1955
- Douglas, alien arrivals 1906-1955
- Early California and Nogales, Arizona Lists of Expeditionary Members, Soldiers and Residents, 1752, 1775, 1781-1837
- Lists of Aliens Arriving at Brownsville, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Laredo, Presidio, Rio Grande City, and Roma, Texas, May 1903-June 1909, and at Aros Ranch, Douglas, Lochiel, Naco and Nogales, Arizona, July 1906-December 1910
- Manifests of Alien Arrivals at Douglas, Arizona, September 10, 1906-October 10, 1955
- Naco, index and manifests 1908-1952
- Nogales, index and manifests 1905-1952
- Nonstatistical Manifests and Statistical Index Cards of Aliens Arriving at Douglas, Arizona, July 1908-December 1952
- San Luis, alphabetical manifests 1929-1952
- Sasabe/San Fernanodo, index and manifests 1919-1952
- Texas and Arizona Arrivals, 1903-1910
California
- California Bound Passenger list of those bound from NY to CA for the Gold Rush
- California Bound, Ship and Wagon Train Lists
- California, Airplane Passenger Lists from Honolulu, Hawaii, 1947-1948
- California, Chinese Partnerships and Departures from San Francisco, 1893-1943
- California, County Naturalizations, 1831-1985
- California, Immigration Registers of Japanese, Filipinos, and Hawaiians at San Francisco, 1928-1942
- California, List of United States Citizens Arriving at San Francisco, 1930-1949
- California, Los Angeles Passenger Lists, 1907-1948
- California, Northern U.S. District Court Naturalization Index, 1852-1989
- California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935
- California, Pioneer Migration Index, Compiled 1906-1935
- California, San Diego Naturalization Index, 1868-1958
- California, San Diego Passenger Lists, 1904-1952
- California, San Diego, Airplane Passenger and Crew Lists, 1929-1954
- California, San Diego, Chinese Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1923
- California, San Francisco Airplane Arrival Card Index, 1936-1949
- California, San Francisco Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving, 1954-1957
- California, San Francisco Passenger Lists, 1893-1953
- California, San Francisco, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records, 1910-1941
- California, San Francisco, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records, 1910-1941
- California, San Francisco, Records of Chinese Laborers Returning to the US, 1882-1888
- California, San Francisco, Register of Chinese Immigrant Court Cases and Foreign Seamen Tax Cards, 1883-1924
- California, San Francisco, World War I Enemy Alien Registration Affidavits, 1918
- California, San Francisco, World War I Enemy Alien Registration Affidavits, 1918
- California, San Pedro, Immigration Office Special Inquiry Records, 1930-1936
- California, Southern District Court (Central) Naturalization Index, 1915-1976
- Case Files for Early Immigrants to San Francisco and Hawaii, Early Arrivals Records Search (EARS)
- Miscellaneous Ships Passenger Lists to California
- Ship List, New York City to California via Central America 1851 - 1856
- Ships to San Francisco, The Maritime Heritage Project 1849-1868
Colorado
- Colorado, Naturalization Records, 1876-1990
- New Colorado and the Santa Fe Trail
- San Juan County, Declarations of intention ; Card indexes, 1878-1942, 1877-1929
- Sojourns in southern Colorado and in the territory of New Mexico
Hawaii
- California, Airplane Passenger Lists from Honolulu, Hawaii, 1947-1948
- California, Immigration Registers of Japanese, Filipinos, and Hawaiians at San Francisco, 1928-1942
- Case Files for Early Immigrants to San Francisco and Hawaii, Early Arrivals Records Search (EARS)
- Certificates of Identification of Chinese Immigrants; Index
- Chinese Immigration Certificate of Identity, Hawaii, 1908-1909
- Chinese Passenger Manifests Index
- Filipino Laborers Collection, Immigrant Filipinos for the years 1906 to about 1977
- Hawaii, Harbin File - Russian Immigrant Laborers Index A-Z, 1909-1910
- Hawaii, Honolulu alien Certificates surrendered at San Francisco by aliens who had Arrived at Honolulu, Hawaii, 1912-1946
- Hawaii, Honolulu Index to Passengers, Not Including Filipinos, 1900-1952
- Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953
- Hawaii, Index to Filipino Arrivals to Honolulu, 1946
- Hawaii, Index to Filipino Passengers Arriving at Honolulu, 1900-1952
- Hawaii, Naturalization Records, 1838-1991
- Hawaii, Passenger Lists of Airplanes departing Honolulu, 1942-1948
- Hawaii, Passport Records, 1874-1898
- Japanese Passenger Manifests Index
- Lists of Portuguese Passengers on Ships bound for Hawaii, 1878-1899
- Passenger Lists of vessels Arriving in San Francisco from Honolulu, 1902-1907
- Passenger manifests of Filipino contract Laborers
- Portuguese Immigration to Hawaii, Ship List 1878-1913
- Portuguese Passenger Manifests Index
- Records of the Russian Consular Offices in the United States
Idaho
- Idaho, Boundary County, Porthill, manifests of alien arrivals, 1923-1952
- Idaho, County Naturalizations, 1861-1974
- Idaho, Eastport, Arrival Manifests, 1924-1956
- Idaho, Naturalization Records, 1892-1990
Montana
- Index of Wagon Train Emigrants From Minnesota to Montana
- Indexes to Naturalization Records of the Montana Territorial and Federal Courts, 1868-1929
- Klondike Pioneers From Montana
- Manifests of Alien and Citizen Arrivals at Babb, Montana, June 1928-October 1956
- Manifests of Alien Arrivals at Havre, Loring, Opheim, Raymond, Turner, Westby, and White Tail, 1924-1956
- Missoula County, Naturalization Records, 1953-1993
- Montana, Cascade County Records, 1880-2009 — index and images
- Montana, Granite County Records, 1865-2009
- Montana, Manifests of Immigrant Arrivals and Departures, 1923-1956
- Montana, Naturalization Records, 1868-1999
- Silver Bow County, Naturalization Records 1881-1956 and Indexes
- Toole County, Sweet Grass, Manifests of Alien Arrivals, 1917-1954
Nevada
New Mexico
- Columbus, New Mexico, alphabetical manifests 1917-1954
- New Mexico, Naturalization Records, 1882-1983
- Sojourns in southern Colorado and in the territory of New Mexico
Oregon
- Benton County, Naturalization Records, 1912-1962; indexes, 1864-1975
- Chinese and Japanese Emigrants into Portland
- Oregon, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1948-1956
- Oregon, Portland, Index and Register of Vessels, 1949-1955
- Oregon, Seamen's Records, 1905-1992
- Overland to Oregon :in the tracks of Lewis and Clark, history of the first emigration to Oregon in 1843
- Pioneer Registers, 1818-1859
- Records of the Russian Consular Offices in the United States
Utah
- Mormon Migration Database, 1840-1932
- Mormon Migration Website
- Mormon pioneer companies crossing the plains (1847-1868)
- Uintah County Naturalization and Citizenship Records, 1888-1929
- Utah, Mormon Pioneer Overland Travel Database, 1847-1868
- Utah, Naturalization Records, 1906-1930
Washington
- Certificate of head tax paid by aliens arriving at Seattle from foreign contiguous territory
- Crew lists of vessels arriving at Seattle, Washington, 1903-1917
- Lists of Chinese passengers arriving at Seattle and Port Townsend, 1882- 1916
- North Dakota and Washington, Chinese Passenger Arrivals, 1903-1944
- Passenger lists of vessels arriving at Seattle from U. S. insular possessions, 1908-1917
- Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Seattle, Washington
- Records of the Russian Consular Offices in the United States
- Washington, Blaine Manifests of Alien Arrivals, 1905-1924
- Washington, County Naturalization Records, 1850-1982
- Washington, King County, Seattle, Alien and Japanese American registration forms, 1942-1946
- Washington, Manifests of alien and selected U.S. Citizen arrivals at Anacortes, Danville, Ferry, Laurier, Lynden, Marcus, Metaline Falls, Northport, Oroville, Port Angeles, and Sumas, Washington, 1917-1956
- Washington, Seattle, Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplanes, 1947-1954
- Washington, Seattle, Passenger Lists, 1890-1957
- Washington, Western District, Naturalization Records, 1853-1957
Wyoming
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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