Pennsylvania - Landing Reports of Aliens - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in the Collection?
This collection consists of reports of aliens arriving in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for the years 1798 to 1828. The records correspond to NARA Publication M1639. The passenger lists are digital copies of the original records. Earlier records are handwritten pages; later records are usually handwritten on pre-printed pages. The records are arranged by the date of entry into port.

What Can these Records Tell Me?
Information in these records typically includes the following:


 * Name of immigrant
 * Place of birth
 * Date of birth
 * Age
 * Date of arrival
 * Port of departure
 * Port of arrival

How Do I Search the Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * At least one other piece of information

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select Year

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images.

For more tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

What Do I Do Next?
Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members.

I Found Who I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Use the information to find other records such as emigrations, port records, ship’s manifests, birth, christening, census, and land records.
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Use the information to find additional family members.
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family.
 * Church Records often were kept years before government records were required and are a good source for finding ancestors before 1900.

I Can’t Find Who I’m Looking for, What Now?

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc. Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records.
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality in an area search.
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images.
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well.
 * Search the indexes and records of Pennsylvania, United States Genealogy.
 * Search in the Pennsylvania Archives and Libraries.
 * Search in the FamilySearch Library Catalog

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.


 * Collection Citation:

Image citation:

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