Massachusetts, Crew Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is In This Collection?
This collection contains crew lists from ports in Massachusetts. Crew Lists provide name, age, gender, occupation or position, and citizenship, along with other information. Ports included in this collection are Barnstable, Dighton, Edgartown, Fall River, Marblehead, New Bedford, and Newburyport. The records are located at the National Archives in Waltham, Massachusetts. The crew lists are part of Record Group 36 Records of the U.S. Customs Service at the National Archives at Boston.

 Collection District - Crew Lists
 * Crew Lists Bonds, 1842-1894. Barnstable. NAID 4478493
 * Crew Lists for the Port of Fall River, 1864-1896. Fall River NAID 3245221
 * Crew Lsists, 1822-1866. Port of Entry, Egartown. NAID 4483016
 * Crew Lists Bonds,5.1845-8.1902 Fall River. NAID 2867714
 * Crew Lists of Outgoing Vessels, 5.1845-9.1852. Fall River NAID 2934410
 * Crew Lists of Incoming Vessels, 2.1831-12.1853. Fall River NAID 2934411
 * Crew Lists, 1803-1915. Marblehead NAID 5019134
 * Records Relating to Crew Lists, 1808-1939. NAID 4728317
 * Crew Lists of Whaling Vessels, ca. 1820-ca. 1915. New Bedford NAID 4728319
 * 4504773

What Can These Records Tell Me?
A Crew List may contain the following information:
 * Name of the vessel
 * Name of the Master
 * Name of the crew member
 * Place of birth
 * Residence
 * Citizenship
 * Age
 * Physical characteristics

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name
 * Approximate age or birth date

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?

 * 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
 * Print or download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed
 * Use the person's name and place of birth to find a birth certificate which should list the names of the parents
 * Use the country of citizenship to lead you to immigration or naturalization records
 * Use the person’s age and residence to find family in census, church, and land records
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Census, military service, military pension, immigration, naturalization, and land records can be very useful

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. Pay special attention to how the name should have been pronounced and try variations on the pronunciation
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names. Try searching for these names as well
 * Immigrant first names may be in their native language

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Massachusetts.
 * Massachusetts Guided Research
 * Massachusetts Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Crew Lists of Whaling Vessels, ca. 1820-ca. 1915. District of New Bedford. NAID 4728319
 * Crew List and Consular Documents for the Whaler Acushnet. District of New Bedford, Massachusetts. NAID 81143298

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.