Washington, Western District, Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of petitions for naturalization records and indexes of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, 1853-1957 for Seattle and Tacoma. These records correspond to NARA publication M1542 and is part of Record Group 21 Records of the District Courts of the United States.
 * Seattle Term
 * US District Court for the Western District of Washington. Seattle Term. Index to Persons Filing Declarations of Intention and Petitions for Naturalization, 1890–1991 NAID 5700986
 * US District Court for the Western District of Washington. Seattle Term. Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, June 1890–September 1991 NAID 573355
 * U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Seattle Term. NAID 592779.Petitions for Naturalization,1890-1991.Seattle, rolls, 1-121
 * U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Seattle Term. Questionnaires for Petitions for Naturalization, ca. 1908–ca. 1925 NAID 5717252
 * U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. Seattle Term. Overseas Military Petitions for Naturalization, 1943–1946 NAID 5716656


 * Tacoma Term
 * U.S. Circuit Court for the Western (Tacoma) Division of the District of Washington. Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, February 8, 1892–September 26, 1906 NAID 645968
 * U.S. Circuit Court for the Western (Tacoma) Division of the District of Washington. Petitions for Naturalization,1890-1904. Tacoma, rolls 121-153

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records: • 4

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name of the person
 * The location or 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
 * Use the information to find other records such as emigrations, port records, ship’s manifests, birth, christening, census, and land records
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Use the information to find additional family members

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

 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you identify possible relations that can be verified by records
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby locality
 * Standard spelling of names typically did not exist during the periods our ancestors lived in. Try variations 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 Washington.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Washington Guided Research
 * Washington Record Finder
 * Washington Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1907 | 1907-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog
Western District Eastern District
 * Newman, John J. American Naturalization Records;1790-1990: what they are and how to use them. Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998. 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
 * U.S. District Court. Western District. Tacoma naturalization records, 1890-1957; indexes, 1854-1922. M1232
 * U.S. District Court. Western District. Southern Division. Indexes to naturalization records of the U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, Southern Division (Tacoma), 1890-1953 : NARA RG21 publication M1237
 * Naturalization records of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, 1890-1957; indexes to naturalization records of the U.S. District Court Western District of Washington Northern Division (Seattle), 1890-1952 : NARA RG21 publications M1542 and M1232
 * Washington, Pierce County, Tacoma, naturalization records, 1913-1911 NARA NAID 4644630; NAID 5716678
 * U.S. District Court. Eastern District. Declaration of intention, 1890-1972; petition for naturalization, 1907-1950; repatriations, 1940-1942; application for citizenship, 1879-1906; indexes, 1890-1947
 * Certificate of head tax paid by aliens arriving at Seattle from foreign contiguous territory : National Archives microfilm publications, M1365

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.