South Dakota Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Resources

 * 1795-1925 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1851-1883 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1865-1972 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1918 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection — index
 * South Dakota Naturalization Records Index:First Papers.
 * South Dakota Naturalization Records Index:Second Papers.
 * Name Index to Naturalization Records from Dakota Territory and South Dakota, at National Archives, Kansas City
 * South Dakota, Federal Naturalization Records, 1904-1928, index and images, ($).

Availability
In the territorial era, naturalization proceedings were handled by the U.S. district courts. For information, contact the National Archives—Central Plains Region at Kansas City.

After statehood in 1889, the clerk of the circuit court in each South Dakota county was authorized to keep all naturalization records. You can obtain copies of declarations and petitions from the clerk's office.

The South Dakota State Archives has placed an Index to the South Dakota Naturalization Records on-line. The Index includes both the First Papers and the Second Papers. The index includes the following information for the first papers: names, county of residence, birth country, date of intention, and page and volume in the original record. The second papers include: names, county of residence, final date, birth year, country the immigrant is renouncing, and page and volume in the original record. There is also a history of the naturalization laws on the site.

The FamilySearch Library has many naturalization records from the district and circuit courts.both in the state records and in the county records.

Post-1906 Records
In 1906 the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) was created, forms were standardized and duplicate naturalization records were created by the court and sent to the INS. To access these records, use the Genealogy Program at www.uscis.gov. You may also contact the National Archives—Central Plains Region in Kansas City for naturalization records.