California County Naturalizations - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of naturalization records for the years 1831 to 1985 from the following counties (coverage dates vary by county). This collection is being published as images and records from more counties become available. • 3

Before 1906, immigrants could naturalize in any court that performed naturalizations including city, county, state and federal courts. As a result they often selected the most convenient court. If they lived in the Eastern District but worked elsewhere, they may have gone to a court closer to work. To begin, look for naturalization records in the courts of the county or city where the immigrant lived. If the county has an index search it first. Next look for the petition (second papers), because they are usually easier to find in courts near where the immigrant eventually settled.

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. 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.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: Naturalization petitions • 2 Declaration of Intent • 2

Coverage Table
The following records were in the indexed portion of this collection as of 8 August 2018.

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

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?
If these are indexes, the original records may contain additional information that was not indexed, or the information might have been indexed incorrectly.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the information found in the record to find the ship manifest
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * If applicable, search for military records as well
 * Search for other vital records, such as marriage and death
 * 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

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

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of California.
 * California Guided Research
 * California Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Newman, John J. American naturalization records, 1790-1990 : what they are and how to use them 2nd ed. Bountiful, Utah : Heritage Quest, c1998 FS Library 973 P47na
 * Szucs, Loretto Dennis. ’’They became Americans: finding naturalization records and ethnic origins’’ Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry Publishing, c1998 FS Library 973 P47t
 * Alameda County, naturalization records, 1853-1990
 * Alameda County, Naturalization records, 1880-1931; and index, 1853-1985
 * El Dorado County, Naturalization records, 1883-1903; and indexes, 1852-1938, 1850 to date (1986)
 * Napa County, naturalization records, 1856-1936; indexes to declarations of intention, and naturalizations, 1856-1939
 * Orange County, Naturalization records, 1889-1944
 * Placer County, Naturalization indexes, ca. 1850-1980
 * Placer County, Naturalizations, 1852-1929
 * Sacramento County, Naturalization index, 1860-1923
 * Sacramento County, Naturalization records, 1859-1906; indexes, 1850-1955
 * Sacramento County. Divorces and naturalizations, 1879-1900

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.

California, naturalizaciones del condado (Registros históricos de FamilySearch)