Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of a Soundex index to the passenger lists for the years 1820 to 1897. It corresponds with NARA publication M327: Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Baltimore (Federal Passenger Lists), 1820-1897, filmed at the NARA Central Plains Regional Facility.

Record Content
These records usually contain the following information:


 * Family or surname
 * Given name
 * Accompanied by
 * Age
 * Gender
 * Marital status
 * Occupation
 * Nationality
 * Last permanent address
 * Destination
 * Port of entry
 * Name of vessel
 * Date of entry

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know


 * Name of immigrant
 * Some other identifying information such as age or date of arrival

If you do not have this information search the United States census records after 1900. The census should list the year of immigration or how many years the immigrant has been in the United States.

Search the Collection
To search the collection fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the individuals in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to look at the information on several individuals comparing the information about them to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life.
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names.
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details. Add this new information to your records of each family. The information may also lead you to other records about your ancestors. The following examples show ways you can use the information:


 * Use the age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the name, date, group, and list number to obtain additional immigration information from the National Archives.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * The names are arranged by Soundex code, not by date of arrival or by a person's surname. Instructions for calculating the code searching for specific individuals are located within the first few pages. Divider cards are used to show [the start of] most code numbers, but not all. The code numbers falling between those photographed divider cards are arranged alphabetically by given name rather than in numerical order.
 * Information on using Soundex indexes is available in the wiki article Soundex
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may also have immigrated.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct. You may need to compare the information on more than one card or person to make this determination.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of other port cities.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals with the same family number.

Related Websites
National Archives

Related Wiki Articles
Maryland Emigration and Immigration

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.