Texas, Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is in This Collection?
The collections consists of naturalization records for the Dallas and San Antonio Divisions from the National Archives - Southwest Region. The collections are from Record Group 21 Records of District Courts of the United States.

U.S. District Court for the Dallas Division of the Northern District:
 * Index to petitions, 1908-1989, NAID 4509780
 * Declarations of intention from 1906 -1922, NAID 566197

U.S. District Court for the San Antonio Division of the Western District:
 * Index to petitions covers 1933-1985 NAID 4424085

Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. Counties recorded naturalization procedures in the court records as legal proof of citizenship. 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 index is very accurate and 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:

Indexes
 * Name
 * Date
 * Volume
 * Document or page number

Declaration of Intent and Naturalization Petitions • 3

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know: If you do not know this information, check the 1900 or 1910 census and 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.
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * The residence
 * Immigration and naturalization dates

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?
Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record, if you can, to verify the information and to find additional information.

I Found the Person I was Looking for, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your record
 * Make sure to fully transcribe and cite the record entry for future reference
 * Use the information found in the record to find other records such as emigrations, port records, and ship’s manifests
 * Use the record to learn your ancestor’s foreign and “Americanized” names, if they were different
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find their church and vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage records
 * Use the information found in the record to find land and probate records
 * Use the record to see if other family members who may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information or leads; you may also find additional information on new family members in censuses
 * Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family

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. Try searching for these names as well
 * 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
 * Check other possible ports of entry
 * Check the info box above for additional FamilySearch websites and related websites that may assist you in finding similar records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Texas.
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Texas Guided Research
 * Texas Record Finder
 * Texas Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Texas Research, 1880-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. 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. Bexar County, San Antonio, naturalization index, 1933-1985
 * U.S. District Court. Northern District. City of Dallas, naturalization records, 1908-1991

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.