Mississippi Naturalization and Citizenship

Availability
Naturalization records have usually been filed in the county, circuit (county, not U.S.), or U.S. district courts. Few Mississippi counties kept separate naturalization files or books. Usually such records are found in the general records of the local courts. The Family History Library has a good collection of Mississippi court records. Other clues to application for citizenship are found in the minutes of the same courts.

Post-1906 Records
In 1906 the Immigration and Naturalization Service (now United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) was created, forms were standardized and duplicate records created by the court were sent to the INS. To access these records, download a FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) form from www.uscis.gov, fill it in and send it to the address listed on the form. The National Archives—Southeast Region (Atlanta) also has records of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi (1906-1943). The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has a copy of the WPA Index to Naturalization Records Mississippi Courts, 1798-1906, which lists over 5,000 naturalizations (FHL film 1704224).