North Carolina, Wilmington and Morehead City Passenger and Crew Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains passenger and crew lists for vessels arriving at Wilmington and Moorhead City, North Carolina from 1908-1958. It corresponds with NARA publication A3481: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Wilmington and Morehead City, North Carolina, 1908-1958. The records are divided into five parts or series.


 * Series 1: Passenger Lists, November 9, 1908-November 2, 1954
 * Series 2: Crew Lists, 1909-1954 (Arranged by Vessel name from 1909 to August 1947 then by arrival date from September 1947 to November 1954)
 * Series 3: Outbound Passenger Manifests, September 16, 1955-November 19, 1956
 * Series 4: Passenger and Crew Lists, December 1, 1954-October 21, 1958
 * Series 5: Passenger and Crew Lists Lists, June 1956-October 1958 (Morehead)

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

Passenger and Crew list • 4

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

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?
When you have located your ancestor on a passenger list, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?
Use passenger lists to:
 * Request federal immigration record
 * Learn an immigrant’s place of origin
 * Confirm their date of arrival
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Find records in his or her country of origin such as emigrations, port records, or ship’s manifests

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Consult the North Carolina Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of North Carolina.
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * Searching Passenger Lists
 * North Carolina Guided Research
 * North Carolina Record Finder
 * North Carolina Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step North Carolina Research, 1880-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Michael Tepper, American passenger arrival records: a guide to the records of immigrants arriving at American ports by sail and steam Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, c1993 FS Library 973 W27am 1993
 * John Philip Colletta, They came in ships: a guide to finding your immigrant ancestor's arrival record. 3rd ed. Orem, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, c2002 FS Library 973 W27c 2002
 * Michael J. Anuta,Ships of our ancestors Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1993, 2006 FS Library 973 U3an 1993
 * North Carolina, Wilmington and Morehead City passenger and crew lists, 1908-1958

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.