Connecticut Emigration and Immigration

People
Colonial settlers of Connecticut generally came from Great Britain and neighboring New England states. Descendants of these early settlers later scattered throughout northern New England, upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Texas.

Many Irish and German immigrants began coming in the late 1840s. French-Canadian immigration began after the Civil War and continued through the rest of the nineteenth century. Late in the century most immigrants came from the southern and eastern countries of Europe, including Italy, Hungary, Poland, and Russia.

The Records
The major port of entry to New England is Boston. The Family History Library and the National Archives have passenger lists for Boston for 1820 to March 1874 and 1883 to 1935 (listed in the Family History Library Catalog under MASSACHUSETTS, SUFFOLK, BOSTON - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION). The following indexes are also available:

1820-1874. These years are indexed in the Supplemental Index. . . Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports. . . (listed in the Family History Library Catalog under UNITED STATES - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION - INDEXES).

1848-1891, 1902-1906, 1906-1920, and book indexes 1899-1940 These years are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under MASSACHUSETTS, SUFFOLK, BOSTON - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION.

The Massachusetts State Archives also has Boston passenger lists for 1848 to 1874 and 1883 to 1891. This includes records for the nine years missing from the National Archives records. The 1848 to 1891 index (above) is an index to the state lists but can also be used for the National Archives records.

Incomplete 19th century passenger lists for Bridgeport, 1870 (FHL film 830231), Fairfield, 1820 to 1821 (FHL film 830232), Hartford, 1837 (830234), New Haven, 1820 to 1873 (FHL film 830235), New London, 1820 to 1847 (FHL film 830236), and Saybrook, 1820 (FHL film 830246) are available at the Family History Library and the National Archives. These are found in Copies of Lists of Passengers Arriving at Miscellaneous Ports. . . Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. . . listed in the Family History Library Catalog under UNITED STATES - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION. For indexes to these lists, see Supplemental Index to Passenger Lists. . . Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports. . . listed in the Family History Library Catalog under UNITED STATES - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION - INDEXES.

Also consult passenger lists of other New England ports and for ports in Canada. Records of Canadian border entries from 1895 to 1954 are on 937 films at the Family History Library (beginning with FHL films 1472801—). These are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under UNITED STATES - EMIGRATION AND IMMIGRATION.

Names of colonial immigrants listed in published sources are indexed in P. William Filby, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 15 Volumes. (Detroit, Michigan: Gale Research, 1981-; FHL book 973 W32p). The first three volumes are a combined alphabetical index published in 1981. Supplemental volumes and cumulative indexes have been published.

More detailed information on U.S. immigration sources is in the United States Research Outline.

Records and books on ethnic groups, such as African-Americans, French-Canadians, Jews, and Swedes are listed in the Family History Library Catalog under CONNECTICUT - MINORITIES.