United States, Iowa Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains naturalization petitions for the United States District Courts for the state of Iowa, 1859-1990. Images were originally captured at the NARA Regional Archives facility in Kansas City, Missouri.

The following collections from the National Archives are included in this collection:

 Declarations on Intentions
 * District Court for the Eastern (Keokuk) Division of the Southern District of Iowa. NAID 571025

Petitions for Naturalization
 * U.S. District Court for the Ottumwa Division of the Southern District of Iowa. NAID 649355
 * U.S. District Court for the Eastern (Dubuque) Division of the Northern District of Iowa. NAID 648909
 * U.S. District Court for the Southern (Creston) Division of the Southern District of Iowa. NAID 648771
 * U.S. District Court for the central (Des Moines) Division of the Southern District of Iowa. NAID 648896
 * U.S. District Court for the Cedar Rapids Division of the Northern District of Iowa. NAID 571024
 * U.S. District Court for the Central (Fort Dodge) Division of the Northern District of Iowa. NAID 649315
 * Iowa. District Court (Linn County) NAID 648611
 * U.S. District Court for the Central Division of the Northern District of Iowa. Mason City Term. NAID 649333
 * U.S. District Court for the Eastern Division of the Northern District of Iowa. Waterloo Term. NAID 649936
 * U.S. District Court for the Western (Sioux City) Division of the Northern District of Iowa. NAID 649771

 Military Petitions for Naturalization
 * U.S. District Court for the Central (Des Moines) Division of the Southern District of Iowa. NAID 6120593

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 4

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date and place of naturalization

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. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the record to learn your ancestor’s foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Use the record to see if other family members who may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information or leads; you may also find additional information on new family members in censuses

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
 * Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived. Then look for the Naturalization Petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts, then in state, county, or city courts. An individual may have filed the first and final papers in different courts and sometimes in a different state if the person moved. Immigrants who were younger than 18 when they arrived did not need to file a Declaration of Intent as part of the process
 * Check other possible ports of entry

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Iowa.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Iowa Guided Research
 * Iowa Record Finder
 * Iowa Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Newman, John J. American Naturalization Records;1790-1990: what they are and how to use them. Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998. FS Library 973 P47na
 * Szucs, Loretto Dennis They became Americans: finding naturalization records and ethnic origins Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, c1998 FS Library 973 P47t
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern Division. Northern District. Waterloo Term. Naturalization records, 1944-1962 NAIDs 649936;649780;6037312
 * U.S. District Court. Central Division. Northern District. Mascon City Term. Naturalization records, 1943-1961 NAIDs 649333;649329;6036894
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern Division. Northern District. Dubuque Term. Naturalization records, 1914-1965 NAIDs 6107093,648907;7158295;648909
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern Division. Southern District. Keokuk Term. Naturalization records, 1853-1874 NAID 648127
 * U.S. District Court. Cedar Rapids Division. Northern District. Naturalization records, 1886-1947 NAIDs 571024;648557;648592;648611
 * U.S. District Court. Central Des Moines) Division. Southern District. Naturalization records, 1915-1985 NAIDs 6120593;648896;6126796;648874
 * U.S. District Court. Southern District. Southern Division. Creston Term. naturalization records, 1930-1951 NAIDs 648771;648758
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Central Division. Ottumwa Term. Naturalization records, 1907-1951 NAIDs 649355;6207354;649351
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Central Division. Fort Dodge Term. Naturalization records, 1909-1927 NAIDs 649315;648914;6109179;7158392;648914
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Western Division. Sioux City Term. naturalization records, 1932-1990 NAIDs 649771;6037276;6036897;649357
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern Division. Eastern Division. Declarations of intention and miscellaneous papers, 1849-1888
 * U.S. Superior Court. Cedar Rapids Division. Declarations of intention, 1886-1936; naturalizations, 1891-1936
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern Division. Declarations of intention, 1914-1936; petitions, 1915-1936
 * U.S. District Court. Central Division. General index to declaration of intention and petitions, 1909-1948; declaration of intention, 1917-1936; petitions, 1909-1936
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern Division. Lists of persons naturalized, 1853-1874
 * U.S. District Court. Southern District. Des Moines Division. Naturalization records, 1915-1936; some 1951 letters of amendment for earlier petitions
 * U.S. District Court. Southern District. Creston Division. Naturalization related records, 1930-1936
 * U.S. District Court. Cedar Rapids Division. Naturalization records, 1910-1936
 * U.S. District Court. Southern District. Ottumwa Division

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.