IMMIGRANT SHIP PASSENGER LIST OF SURNAMES

IMMIGRANT SHIP PASSENGER LIST OF NAMES

A Guide For Locating Immigrant Entry Records

Revised 17 March 2002

LIST OR MANIFEST OF ALIEN PASSENGERS FOR THE UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION OFFICER AT PORT OF ARRIVAL

As each alien passenger stepped off the ship and entered the United States port or a Canadian port (when U.S. was the final destination), an immigration officer received information about the alien. The alien’s data were recorded in a list or manifest. These alien manifests were subsequently transferred from the Immigration and Naturalization Service to the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC.

These manifests contain considerable information about the alien. The following is a list of data fields found in the manifest:
1. No. on List
2. HEAD-TAX STATUS (usually indicated UNDER 18 or blank)
3. NAME IN FULL, Family Name, Given Name
4. AGE, Years, Months
5. Sex
6. Married or Single
7. Calling or occupation
8. Able to: Read (meaning literate); Read what language; Write
9. Nationality (Country of which citizen or subject)
10. Race or people (most entries were like Hebrew, Scandinavian, Finnish)
11. Last permanent residence: Country; City or town
12. The name and complete address of nearest relative or friend in country whence alien came
13. Final destination(inteneded future permanent residence): State; City or town
14. No. on List
15. Whether having a ticket to that final destination
16. By whom was passage paid?
17. Whether in possession of $50, and if less how much.
18. Whether ever before in the United States, and if so, when and where?; Yes or No; If yes, Year or period of years; when?
19. Whether going to join a relative or friend; and if so what relative or friend; and his name and complete address
20. Purpose of coming to United States: whether alien intends to return to country whence he came after engaging temporarily in laboring pursuits in the United States; Length of time Alien intends to remain in the United States: Whether alien intends to become citizen of the United States
21. Ever institutionalized for care and treatment of a disease or supported by charity? If so, which?
22. Whether a polygamist
23. Whether an anachist
24. Whether a person who believes in or advocates the overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the United States or all forms of law, etc.
25. Whether coming by reason of any offer, promise or agreement, whether expressed or implied, to labor in the United States.
26. Whether alien has been previously deported within one year
27. Condition of health, mental and physical
28. Deformed or crippled, Nature length of time and cause.
29. Height: Feet; Inches
30. Complexion
31. Color of: Hair; Eyes
32. Marks of Identification
33. Place of birth: Country; City or Town

These alien manifests can be purchased from the National Archives and Records Administration ( as of March 2001) at a cost on per alien surname basis. The first step in ordering a manifest printout is to obtain an order form from the National Archives. The form is titled, National Archives Order For Copies of Ship Passenger Arrival Records. You do not send any money with the order. If the manifest for your requested surname is found, then you will be notified and asked for payment. After payment is made, the manifest will be sent. If your surname is not found, you will be notified and no payment is required.

The Order form requires the information provided below. The more information provided the better chance that your surname will be found. The information required is:
DATE OF ARRIVAL
PORT OF ENTRY
WHERE NATURALIZED
SHIP NAME OR CARRIER LINE
PASSENGER COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
FULL NAME OF PASSENGER (last, first, and middle initial)
AGE
SEX
NAMES OF MEMBERS OF IMMIGRANT FAMILY

The point of contact for order forms is
TEXTUAL REFERENCE BRANCH (NWDT1)
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
7TH AND PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20408
Phone : 202-501-5170

IMMIGRANT SHIP TRANSCRIBERS GUILD (ISTG)

A new database has been going online. The database is located at http://istg.rootsweb.com. This database is being compiled by volunteers who research immigrant passenger ships’ passenger lists and record such information as Passenger number, Port of Entry, Date of Entry, Passenger Surname and Given name, and Ship name, and a miscellaneous collection of other data on each passenger. Compilations are not consistent in content, so some ship listings may show passenger age and occupation while others do not. The key data items shown in italics above are all that is needed to obtain your surname of interest alien manifest from the United States National Archives.

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