Arkansas, Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains naturalization records, from the U.S. District Court for the Western Little Rock Division for the Eastern District of Arkansas. It includes five collection: Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1906-1946 (NARA ID 645717); Petitions for Naturalizations, 1903-1982 (NARA ID 645737); Petitions by Military Servicemen, 1918-1954 (NARA ID 3361338); Lists of Granted, Denied, and Continued Petitions, 1926-1965 (NARA ID 3361862); and Repatriation Oaths of Allegiance, 1941-1950 (NARA ID 7351424).

It also contains three collections from the Fort Smith Division of the Western District of Arkansas. They include Declarations, Petitions, and Oaths of Admission, 1872-1906 (NARA ID 3255388); Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1907-1987 (NARA ID 604722); and Petitions for Naturalization, 1911-1964 (NARA ID 604723). Originally captured at the NARA Regional Archives in Fort Worth, Texas.

The collections are from Record Group 21 Records of the united States District Courts of the United States.

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

Petition
 * Name of the petitioner
 * Residence
 * Country of birth
 * Place and date of arrival
 * Names of two witnesses
 * Petition number
 * Date of petition
 * Volume and page number of the petition

Declarations of Intent and Naturalization Petitions
 * Name of the immigrant
 * Country of birth
 * Arrival date
 * Date of Declaration of Intent or Naturalization
 * Names of witnesses
 * Signature of judge or court official
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace
 * Age
 * Race
 * Last foreign residence
 * Current residence
 * Arrival place
 * Marital status
 * Name of spouse
 * Maiden name of wife
 * Birth date of spouse
 * Residence of spouse

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * Approximate date of the event

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?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * If available, check the image for additional information
 * Analyze the entry to see if it provides additional clues to find other records of the person or their family

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

 * Try searching by surname only
 * The person may be recorded with an abbreviated or variant form of their name
 * Remember that spelling was generally not standardized until the early part of the 20th century

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in Arkansas.

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * - National Archives, Southwest Region, Fort Worth, Texas

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.