Illinois, U.S. District Court Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This publication contains naturalization records of the US District Court, Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division Chicago and US District Court La Crosse Wisconsin. The records are part of Record Group 21 Records of District Courts of the United States acquired from the National Archives.

''' Collections included in this publication
 * US Circuit Court. Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division Chicago - Naturalization Depositions, 1906-1912 NAID 95108247
 * US District Court. Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division Chicago - Declarations of Intentions  NAID 1224805
 * US District Court. Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division Chicago - Naturalization Depositions NAID 93016261
 * US District Court. Central District of Illinois Peoria - Naturalization Petition and Record Books NAID 70187177
 * US District Court La Crosse Wisconsin - Declarations of Intentions NAID  122247483

The naturalization volumes vary in size and format. Prior to the late 1800s each document was usually handwritten on one page. From the late 1800s and on, printed forms were used. After 1906, many entries were typewritten. While there were various types of naturalization records, the Declaration of Intent and Naturalization Petition usually had the most complete genealogical information. The first naturalization act was passed in 1802. Immigrants to the United States were not required to apply for citizenship. Of those who did apply, many did not complete the requirements for citizenship. Naturalization to become a U.S. citizen was a two-part process: the Declaration of Intent to Naturalize, or First Papers, and the Naturalization Record (including the Naturalization Petition), or Final Papers. The First Papers were normally filed five years before the Final Papers because of the five-year residency requirement to become a citizen.

No centralized files existed before 1906. In 1906 federal forms replaced the various formats that had been used by the various courts. Copies were sent to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), creating a central file for naturalization papers. The INS is now known as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Naturalization records are generally well preserved, but some records may have been lost to fire or other disasters. Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. California’s counties recorded naturalization procedures in the court records as legal proof of citizenship. The courts handling naturalizations changed several times so the card index was created as a way to quickly access specific records.

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

Petition • 3 Declarations of intent and Naturalization Petitions • 3

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Illinois.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * Illinois Guided Research
 * Illinois Record Finder
 * Illinois Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Illinois 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. Circuit Court. Northern District Declarations of intention, 1906-1911 ; Index, 1906-1911
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Declarations of intentions, 1903-1931; Index, 1906-1930
 * Illinois petitions for naturalization, 1907-1945 ; index, 1906-1927
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Eastern Division. Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, Certificate of naturalization stubs, 1907-1926
 * U.S. Circuit Court. Northern District. Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, naturalization depositions, 1906-1912
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Naturalization petitions, 1872-1903
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Oaths of allegiance, 1872-1903
 * U.S. Circuit Court. Oaths of allegiance, 1872-1906
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Petitions for naturalization, 1906-1911
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. Northern District. Records of naturalizations and name changes; first set, 1926-1980; second set, 1980-1988

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.