Connecticut, District Court Naturalization Indexes - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of six alphabetical card indexes of naturalization petitions in the United States District Courts in Connecticut. Corresponds to NARA microfilm publication M2081: Indexes to Naturalization Petitions for United States District Courts, Connecticut, 1851-1992 and is part of Record Group 21 Records of the District Courts of the United States. The indexes include the following localities:
 * New Haven,1851-1926, circuit court to 1911,rolls 1-7
 * New Haven,1926-1992, rolls 7-18 NAID 6050435 Petitions and Records of Naturalization for New Haven
 * Hartford,1906-1926, circuit court to 1911, rolls 19-21
 * Hartford,1926-1992, rolls 21-39,includes denied and transferred petitions and repatriations on roll 39
 * Bridgeport,1963-1992, rolls 39-47 NAID 641997 Petitions and Records of Naturalization for Bridgeport
 * Waterbury,1972-1988, roll 47, includes naturalization and denied petitions and declarations on intentions on roll 47]

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Petition number
 * Date of petition
 * Volume and page number of the petition
 * Declaration number
 * Date of declaration
 * Volume and page number of the declaration
 * Certification number
 * Date of issuance
 * Name changes

Sample Images
The actual naturalization volumes vary in size and format. Prior to 1906 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. Most 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.

The index is very accurate and the information that was current at the time of naturalization was usually reliable. However, there was always a chance for misinformation. Errors may have occurred because of the informant’s lack of knowledge or because of transcription errors or other circumstances.

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know: If you do not know this information, check the 1900 census and then calculate the possible year of naturalization based on the date of immigration. The 1920 census may tell you the exact year of immigration or naturalization.
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * The approximate immigration and naturalization dates
 * The ancestor’s residence

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Surname Range 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?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, 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. Add this new information to your records of each family.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?
You can use naturalization records to:
 * Learn an immigrant’s place of origin
 * Confirm their date of arrival
 * Find records in his or her country of origin such as emigrations, port records, or ship’s manifests
 * Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived, and then look for the Naturalization Petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts and 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
 * If your ancestor had a common name, be sure to look at all the entries for a name before you decide which is correct
 * Continue to search the naturalization records to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who may have naturalized in the same area or nearby
 * The witnesses named on naturalization records may have been older relatives of the person in the naturalization process. Search for their naturalizations

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
 * Try a different index if there is one for the years needed. You may also need to search the naturalization records year by year
 * Search the indexes of nearby localities and courts

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

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Connecticut, New Haven County, naturalization records
 * Indexes to naturalization petitions for United States district courts, Connecticut, 1963-1992 Bridgeport : NARA RG21 publication M2081
 * Naturalization record books, (Fairfield County,) 1893-1906
 * Naturalization record books, 1842-1903
 * Naturalization records (Fairfield County, Connecticut) : [National Archives and Records Administration Record Group (RG) 200, RG 21, 1839-1955]
 * Naturalization records (New Haven County, Connecticut), 1906-1945

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.