Indiana Naturalization Records and Indexes - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains seven naturalization indexes of the Northern and Southern Districts of the U.S. District Court in the state of Indiana. The Indexes are part of Record Group 21 Records of District Courts of the United States and was acquired of the National Archives at Chicago.


 * Northern District
 * South Bend Division, Index to Petitions for Naturalization, 1955-1967 5682644
 * South Bend Division, Index to Petitions for Naturalization,1955-1991 5682646
 * Hammond Division, Index to Petitions for Naturalization,1907-1985 5890428
 * Fort Wayne Division, Index to Petitions for naturalization, 1930-1984 5674638
 * Hammond Division, Lafayette Term,Index to Petitions for Naturalization,1956-1984 5687052


 * Southern District
 * Indianapolis Division,Index to Declarations of Indention and Petitions for Naturalization,1927-1992 4481511
 * Indianapolis Division, Index to Declarations of Intentions and Petitions for Naturalization,1907-1962 4478178

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 3

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

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?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the record to learn your ancestor’s foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * Use the record to see if other family members who may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information or leads; you may also find additional information on new family members in censuses

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names
 * Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived. Then look for the Naturalization Petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts, 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
 * Check other possible ports of entry

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Indiana.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * Indiana Guided Research
 * Indiana Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1900 &#124; 1900-Present

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.