Massachusetts, Passenger Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains passenger lists from Massachusetts from 1804 to 1940. This collection corresponds with five NARA publications: 4481607, 2934412, 5554422, 4478173, 4728348 and was filmed at the NARA facility in Waltham, Massachusetts.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records generally contain:
 * The passenger's name
 * Gender
 * Occupation
 * Age
 * Nationality
 * Destination

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * The approximate date of immigration

If you do not know this information, check the census records after 1900.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the : Select Date 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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?
Use passenger lists to:
 * 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
 * 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 passenger lists to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who may have immigrated at the same time
 * If your ancestor has an uncommon surname, you may want to obtain the passenger list of every person who shares your ancestor’s surname if they lived in the same county or nearby. You may not know how or if they are related, but the information could lead you to more information about your own ancestors

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
 * Look for an index. Records are often indexed by local historical and genealogical societies
 * Search the indexes of other port cities

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

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.

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