United States, Germans to America Index - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of data files relating to the immigration of Germans to the United States for arrivals 1850-1897. Created by the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, Center for Immigration Research.

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

Germans to America
 * Name of immigrant
 * Date of immigration
 * Age
 * Gender
 * Country of origin
 * Port of departure
 * Name of ship
 * Port of entry
 * Literate

Collection Content
Sample of indexed information:

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The country of origin from where your ancestor immigrated
 * The destination city or country to where your ancestor immigrated
 * The approximate age of your ancestor
 * The names of other family members your ancestor may have been with at the time of immigration

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 name of your ancestor to locate church and land records
 * The country/town of last residence can lead you to census records
 * The destination city can also lead you to census records
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * You may need to compare the information of more than one family or person to make this determination
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals with the same family number

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the United States.
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * United States Guided Research
 * United States Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

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.