Alabama, Mobile County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of records from the Probate Court in Mobile, Alabama which include: Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. The first naturalization act was passed in 1802. Immigrants to the United States were not required to apply for citizenship. Of those who did apply, many did not complete the requirements for citizenship.
 * Naturalizations (1833-1978)
 * Voter Lists (1920-1921)

Naturalization to become a U.S. citizen was a two-part process: the Declaration of Intent to Naturalize, or First Papers, and the Naturalization Record (including the Naturalization Petition), or Final Papers. The First Papers were normally filed five years before the Final Papers because of the five-year residency requirement to become a citizen.

No centralized files existed before 1906. In 1906 federal forms replaced the various formats that had been used by the various courts. Copies were sent to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), creating a central file for naturalization papers. The INS is now known as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The information that was current at the time of naturalization was usually reliable. However, there was always a chance for misinformation. Errors may have occurred because of the informant’s lack of knowledge or because of transcription errors or other circumstances. Naturalization records are generally well preserved, but some records may have been lost to fire or other disasters.

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

Naturalization Records
 * Name of court
 * Full name of Petitioner
 * Place of residence
 * Occupation
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date of emigration, date of arrival
 * Port of entry and name of ship
 * Date and place of Declaration of Intent to become citizen
 * Name of spouse
 * Date of marriage
 * Number of children, name and residence of each child
 * Birth date and place of birth of each child
 * Able to speak English?
 * Affidavit of witness(es)

Voter Lists
 * Name of voter
 * Current address
 * Birthplace
 * Gender, age, and race of voter
 * Length of residence in state, in county, in precinct
 * Name of voting precinct
 * Is voter a naturalized citizen
 * Date of Registration
 * Signature of voter

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * The birth place or residence

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 the information to find other vital records such as birth, marriage, and death
 * Use the information to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for the immigration record of the individual who naturalized
 * Search for land, probate, and church records

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

 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist. Try variations of your ancestor’s name while searching the index or browsing through images
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names, or even initials

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Alabama.
 * Alabama Guided Research
 * Alabama Record Finder
 * Alabama Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Alabama Research, 1880-Present

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Mobile County, voting records : women's voter lists
 * Mobile County, naturalization records, 1788-1905

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.

Alabama, registros del condado de Mobile (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)