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: Naturalization 
 * Full name of citizen
 * Residence at the time of naturalization
 * Birth place
 * Date of birth
 * Married
 * Residence
 * Place of marraige
 * Entry date into country
 * Entry point into country
 * Children's names and birthdates
 * Last foreign residence
 * Vessel name
 * Arrival date
 * Admission date
 * Certificate date
 * Name of court
 * Petition number
 * Registration number
 * Signature

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?

 * 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 in your research for your family in the state of Indiana.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Iowa Guided Research
 * Iowa Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1880-Present

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.