GuidedResearch:Finding Town of Origin - United States Immigration - 1880-1930

Introduction
Beginning in the late 19th century, immigration to the United States from eastern and southern Europe increased dramatically. Previously, immigration from these countries was not as represented in the United States.

Online Resources
Nationwide Collections
 * 1500s-1900s U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s ($), index at Ancestry
 * 1500-1900 Passenger Immigration Lists 1500-1900 at MyHeritage, index ($)
 * 1500s-1900s United States, Transatlantic Migration Indexes, index ($)
 * 1820-1873, 1893-1959 U.S., Atlantic Ports Passenger Lists, 1820-1873 and 1893-1959 at Ancestry; index ($)
 * 1834-1897 at FamilySearch
 * 1850-1897 at FamilySearch
 * 1855-1900 at FamilySearch also at Archives.gov
 * 1883-1963 U.S., Chinese Immigration Case Files, 1883-1923 at Ancestry, index and images ($)
 * 1890-1963 U.S., Select Crew Lists and Manifests, 1890-1963 at Ancestry, index and images ($)
 * 1894-1954 at FamilySearch, index
 * 1895-1964 Border Crossings: From Mexico to U.S., 1895-1964 at Ancestry, index and images ($)
 * 1895-1956 at FamilySearch, index; also at MyHeritage ($) and Ancestry ($)
 * 1895-1960 at FamilySearch, index
 * 1903-1957 at FamilySearch,
 * 1911-1954 at FamilySearch, images only
 * 1918-1940 at FamilySearch, images only
 * BYU Immigrant Ancestors Project, index

State-wide immigration pages with links to collections: U.S. Territories  American Samoa District of Columbia Guam Northern Mariana Islands Puerto Rico Virgin Islands 

Census Records
Below is a table with possible immigration information found in the United States Census records. The below information can give clues as to when a person immigrated. Beginning in 1850, the United States censuses listed the birthplace of a person. This information can be helpful in knowing the country of origin. These earlier census records can also give clues as to when a family immigrated to the United States if some of the children were born in their homeland country and some in the United States. This is helpful in narrowing down the year of immigration. As noted in the table, some of the later censuses provide an estimated or exact year of immigration as well. NOTE: The immigration years can vary from census to census, especially if the person immigrated as a child and did not remember the year exactly. 

Online Naturalization Resources
Since the adoption of the United States constitution, there have been naturalization laws and regulations in place. The naturalization process often took place in county courts. To learn more about the naturalization process read United States Naturalization and Citizenship. These types of courts varied between different states. County naturalization records can often be found in county supreme, circuit, district, equity, chancery, probate, or common pleas courts. Some states also naturalized aliens in state supreme courts. These states include Indiana, Iowa, Maine, New Jersey, and South Dakota. Aliens were sometimes naturalized in a Federal court (U.S. district court or U.S. circuit court) if they resided in a large city.
 * 1791-1992 — U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992 (Indexed in World Archives Project) at Ancestry.com ($) - index and images
 * United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records - links to major online databases

The naturalization process took a minimum of five years to complete. After living in the United States for 2 years, a declaration of intent could be filed. This was called the "first papers." After another three years, the petition of naturalization could be filed. When this petition was granted, a certificate of citizenship was given. In the 1900 and 1910 United States census records, it is stated whether or not the person is an alien or naturalized. NA stands for naturalized, AL for Alien, and PA for papers.

There were several exceptions to the citizenship rule. From 1790-1922, minor children and wives automatically became citizens when their father or husband did. If an alien woman married a citizen, she gained citizenship in the United States. The reverse was not true for men. If an alien man married a citizen of the United States, he did not become a citizen and his wife lost her citizenship, even if she never left the United States. From 1824-1906, aliens who had lived in the United States for five years before they turned 23, could file their declarations and petitions at the same time. A third exception was for veterans. Beginning in 1862, honorably discharged veterans of the United States could petition for naturalization without filing a declaration of intent. In 1918, aliens currently serving in the military were allowed to petition for naturalization.

Online Town and County History Resources
Town and county histories can give important clues to a person's origins. Many of these histories have short biographies of important or founding families in the community. If someone prominent in the community is an immigrant their place of origin will usually be recorded in this biographies; the origins of parents are sometimes listed in biographies of their children as well.
 * United States Online Genealogy Records - online record collections for the United States, not comprehensive

Online Church Resources
Church records can include christenings, baptisms, marriage, and burial records. These can give the names of parents and other potential relatives. After coming to the United States, many immigrants stayed near people from their own country and community back home. Many churches kept records in their native language. Looking at the records of other members of the community who immigrated about the same time and from the same country can also give potential clues to the town of origin.
 * United States Church Records - for more information on how to find Church Records in the United States
 * United States Online Genealogy Records - online record collections for the United States, not comprehensive

Online Court and Land Resources
Court and land records can be helpful in keeping track of a person in the community. These can be helpful in figuring out when a person came into a community, and potentially where they lived before. Usually these Usually these records were kept at the county level.
 * United States Court Records - for more information on how to find Court Records in the United States
 * United States Land and Property - for more information on how to find Land Records in the United States
 * United States Online Genealogy Records - online record collections for the United States, not comprehensive