Genealogy Articles

There are three major divisions in time when we think about passenger lists. Before 1820, there was no law that a ship’s captain had to keep any type of passenger list. Many of the ones that were filled out were lost or destroyed. This explains many of the trips your ancestors took that cannot be located.

The great migration between 1820 and 1890 comprises a lot of the passenger lists that are out there. During this time period, the laws were very lenient regarding what had to be recorded. Often times you will see only a name, approximate age of a passenger, and where they came from.

By 1890, the US government began to crack down on these passenger lists demanding much more information. It is in this time period that we see questions such as Where exactly are you headed? Who are you going to meet up with? Have you been in this Country before? These are just some of the questions asked. We see the passenger lists in this time period grow to include a second page which is often overlooked.

It was less expensive to come in through Canada. So we see many ancestors taking ships to Canada and then crossing the border into the US. It was also easier for the ancestor to cross the border and say they were from Canada rather than go through the process of arriving on a ship to the US.

By 1940 the USCIS (United States Custom and Immigration Service) began keeping records of immigrants. You can use this secondary database to find information on your ancestor if you were unsuccessful otherwise. The USCIS kept track of any aliens that had arrived in the US prior to 1940. Your ancestor may have arrived around 1890. In 1940, they would have been required to register with the USCIS with their immigration information. This can be an invaluable resource for the descendants.

If your ancestor took later trips back to their homeland, they would have been required after 1941 to have a passport. Ancestry.com has many passports available now online. Those passports include the ancestors picture and are full of information.

With these tips hopefully you can take a second look at your ancestors arrival and uncover more information.

Todd White

Founder and Principle Researcher

Family History Detective

http://myfamilyhistorydetective.com/2011/09/the-facts-and-myths-regarding-passenger-lists/