California, Ventura Passenger and Crew Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection contains Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Ventura, California, May 1929 to December 1956. The collection corresponds with NARA publication A3363 and were filmed at the NARA facility in College Park, Maryland.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records may include: However, they may also contain any of the following: • 3
 * The name of an individual
 * Length of service at sea
 * Position in ship's company
 * Nationality

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know: If you do not know this information, check the census records after 1900.
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of immigration
 * Country of origin or nationality

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.

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

 * Use the information found in the record to find a ship manifest
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land and probate records
 * 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, or even initials
 * 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 California.
 * California Guided Research
 * California Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Ventura, California, May 1929-December 1956 National Archives microfilm publication A3363

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.

California, Ventura, listas de pasajeros y tripulación (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)