Passenger lists of ship arrivals are a valuable resource for genealogists researching their ancestors. They contain information such as the passengers' names, ages, occupations, and countries of origin.
Here are some tips for checking passenger lists for U.S. arrivals:
* Start by identifying the port of entry. The most common ports of entry for immigrants to the United States were New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans.
* Determine the time period. Passenger lists are available for different periods of time. The earliest surviving list dates from 1820.
* Use a variety of resources. There are several different websites and databases that offer access to passenger lists. Some of the most popular resources include:
* The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) website
* The Ancestry website
* The FamilySearch website
* Search by name. The easiest way to find a passenger list is to search by the passenger's name. If you don't know the exact spelling of the name, you can use wildcards (* or ?) to broaden your search.
* Browse the lists. If you can't find the passenger you are looking for by name, you can browse the lists by date or port of entry. This can be helpful if you don't know exactly when your ancestor arrived in the United States.
Tips for Interpreting Passenger Lists
When you find a passenger list that contains information about your ancestor, it's important to be able to interpret the information correctly. Here are a few tips:
* Pay attention to the column headings. The column headings on a passenger list will tell you what information is contained in each column.
* Look for errors. Passenger lists are often full of errors. It's important to look for errors in the spelling of names, ages, and occupations.
* Use other resources to confirm the information. Don't rely on passenger lists alone to document your ancestor's immigration. Use other resources, such as census records, vital records, and naturalization records, to confirm the information you find on passenger lists.
Passenger Lists: A Valuable Resource for Genealogists
Passenger lists are a valuable resource for genealogists researching their ancestors who immigrated to the United States. By following these tips, you can successfully check passenger lists for U.S. arrivals and find the information you need to document your ancestor's immigration.
