Lebanon Emigration and Immigration

'From the early 16th Century until World War I, Syria and the Mount Lebanon region were part of the Ottoman Empire. For this reason, most Lebanese and Syrians immigrating before 1918 had Turkish passports, and were grouped in U. S. Census Abstracts under the heading "Turkish" or "Asian." After the First World War, Lebanon and Syria operated under French mandate, gaining independence in the 1940s.

The close relationship of these two countries from the earliest days of recorded history helps explain a present-day puzzle. Until the 1950s, most of the immigrants referred to themselves as "Syrian" whether they came from Syria or the Mount Lebanon region. One explanation is that at the time of their heaviest immigration, "Syria" was a familiar word in the United States, and "Lebanon" was not; to simplify things, they said "Syrian." ' by Sandra Hasser Bennett, Genealogy Today

Family History Library holdings

 * De líbano a México : crónica de un pueblo emigrante. A chronical of Lebanese immigration to Mexico in 1920 and after.
 * Diccionario enciclopédico de Mexicanos de origen Libanés y de otros pueblos del Levante Encyclopedic dictionary of of Mexicans of Lebanese origin, and from other parts of the Levant (Middle East). Includes bibliographical references.
 * La emigración libanesa en Costa Rica. Lebanese immigration to Costa Rica.
 * The Lebanese in Australia.
 * Libaneses en Mexico. Data base of 5527 immigration forms (F-5 and F-14) of Lebanese immigrating into Mexico between 1882 and 1940.
 * Registros del Consulado Español en Trípoli, Libia. Digital images of originals housed at the Archivo General de la Administración, Madrid, Spain.To view digital images of these Spain, Consular Records of Emigrants, click here. Not available on microfilm.
 * A stream out of Lebanon : an introduction to the coming of Syrian/Lebanese emigrants to Prince Edward Island.

Lebanese church records in the United States
"According to Historian Philip Hitti, in 1924 there were 34 Maronite churches, 21 Greek Catholic churches, 24 Antiochian Greek Orthodox churches, 31 Syrian Greek Orthodox churches, and a few Mosques attending to the religious needs of Lebanese and Syrian people in the United States. by Sandra Hasser Bennett, Genealogy Today U.S. directories will be helpful in churches which are useful in finding information about your Lebanese immigrant ancestors.

"Contact the Church your relatives attended. For many immigrants, it was the center of their cultural and social lives, and may have birth, marriage or death records of your family. The Church will certainly know the history of that particular congregation, possibly even have it in writing. You will want this information because it will help in your personal research. If you contact the church by mail, enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope. There may be a charge for any record they provide, but in any case, make a donation for their help." by Sandra Hasser Bennett, Genealogy Today

See Church Directories for contact information for many Lebanese church offices that you can contact for more detailed contact information for specific parishes.

Articles
Lebanon Migration Profile

Lebanese Americans

Recommended Books
Becoming American: The Early Arab Immigrant Experience (M.E.R.I. Special Studies) by Professor Alixa Naff PhD. Southern Illinois University Press; 1st edition (March 24, 1993)

The Syrians in America by P. K. Hitti. Publisher: Gorgias Press LLC (July 22, 2005)