Alaska, Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of Alaska naturalization records from the collections at theNational Archives at Seattle for the years 1884-1991. The records are part of Record 21 Records of the United States District Courts.

Collections in this Publication
U.S. Territorial Court For the Third (Anchorage) Division of the Districtof Alaska
 * Petitions for Naturalization, 5/16/1916 - 2/17/1960
 * Petitions for Naturalization, 2/25/1960 - 9/30/1991
 * Petitions for Naturalization Transferred from Other Courts, 1960-1992

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.

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). Naturalization records are generally well preserved, but some records may have been lost to fire or other disasters.

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

If you do not know this information, check the 1900 or 1910 census and then calculate the possible year of naturalization based on the date of immigration. The 1920 census may tell you the exact year of immigration or 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 found in the index and to find additional information.

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

 * Use the information to find the ship manifest
 * Search for vital records such as marriage and death
 * Use the information found in the record to find land and probate records
 * Use the record to see if other family members may have immigrated with the person

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, or even initials
 * 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 Alaska.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Alaska Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * United States. District Court (Territory of Alaska : 1st Division Alaska naturalization records, 1884-1991
 * United States. District Court (Territory of Alaska : 1st Division) Alaska, Naturalization Records, 1900-1991

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.