Florida, Tampa, Passenger Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This Collection will include records from 1898 to 1945.

The passenger lists are digital copies of the original records. The earliest records are handwritten pages. Later records are usually handwritten on pre-printed pages. The records are arranged by the date of entry into port.

This collection consists of lists for those arriving in Tampa, Florida. It corresponds to NARA Publication M1844: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Tampa, Florida, November 2, 1898 - December 30, 1945.

There are two gaps in these records: December 21, 1902-September 2, 1904 and May 1, 1915-November 30, 1915.

Passenger arrival lists known as customs manifests date back to 1820. Congressional action in 1891 resulted in federal immigration officials recording the immigrants’ arrival.

For a list of records by date or locality currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Arrival lists was used by legal authorities to gather personal information about immigrants prior to the person being allowed to live in the United States.

The information was supplied by the immigrant or a traveling companion (usually a family member). Incorrect information was occasionally given, or mistakes may have been made when the clerk guessed at the spelling of foreign names.

Record Content
Passenger lists prior to 1906 generally include the following information:


 * Name
 * Date of arrival
 * Port of embarkation
 * Name of ship

Passenger lists after 1906 generally include the following information:


 * Name
 * Birth place
 * Age, gender, marital status and occupation
 * Height, hair color and eye color
 * Nationality or citizenship in what country
 * Last residence
 * Name and address of relative or friend at former address
 * Destination
 * Name and address of relative or friend in this country
 * Port and date of entry
 * Name of ship

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know:


 * The full name of your ancestor
 * Identifying information such as approximate date of immigration

If you do not know this information, check the census records after 1900.

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name fill in your ancestor’s name in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about those in the list to what you already know about your own ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person.

If you did not find the person you were looking for, you may need to search the collection by image. ⇒ Select "NARA Roll Number - Contents" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

With either search keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example, you can use passenger lists to:


 * Learn an immigrant’s place of origin
 * Confirm their date of arrival
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Find records in his or her country of origin such as emigrations, port records, or ship’s manifests.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * If your ancestor had a common name, be sure to look at all the entries for a name before you decide which is correct.
 * Continue to search the passenger lists to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who may have immigrated at the same time.
 * If your ancestor has an uncommon surname, you may want to obtain the passenger list of every person who shares your ancestor’s surname if they lived in the same county or nearby. You may not know how or if they are related, but the information could lead you to more information about your own ancestors.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.
 * 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 that may be your ancestor.

Related Websites

 * NARA Catalog Description for This Collection
 * Find Your Ancestors in One Step $
 * US Ports of Arrival and their Available Passenger Lists 1820-1957

Related Wiki Articles

 * Florida
 * Florida Emigration and Immigration

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Records collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.