Washington, Seattle Passenger Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of passenger and crew lists for those arriving in Seattle, Washington. It corresponds to NARA Publication M1383: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Seattle, Washington. and is part of Record Group 85 Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. The collection is arranged by ship arrival date.

Sample Images
The passenger lists are digital copies of the original records. The earliest records are handwritten pages. Later records are usually handwritten on pre-printed pages. The records are arranged by the date of entry into port.

Arrival lists was used by legal authorities to gather personal information about immigrants prior to the person being allowed to live in the United States.

The information was supplied by the immigrant or a traveling companion (usually a family member). Incorrect information was occasionally given, or mistakes may have been made when the clerk guessed at the spelling of foreign names.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Passenger lists prior to 1906 generally includes the following information:


 * Name
 * Date of arrival
 * Port of embarkation
 * Name of ship

Passenger lists after 1906 generally includes the following information:


 * Date and port of embarkation
 * Name and age of immigrant
 * Birth place
 * Gender, marital status and occupation
 * Country of citizenship
 * Place of last residence in that country
 * Name and address of relative or friend in that country
 * Name and address of relative or friend in this country
 * Final destination
 * Physical description
 * Date and port of entry
 * Name of ship

How Do I Search This Collection?
You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or date of the event

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page.
 * 1) Select  NARA Roll Number - Contents to view the images

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?
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.

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

 * Use the information to find other records such as emigrations, port records, ship’s manifests, birth, christening, census, and land records
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Use the information to identify additional family members

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

 * Try viewing the original record to see if there were errors in the transcription of the name, age, residence, etc
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Record Finder
Consult the Washington Research Tips and Strategies and its Record Finder to search other records

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.


 * Collection Citation:"Washington, Seattle, Passenger Lists, 1890-1957." Database with images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. Citing NARA microfilm publication M1383. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.

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