New York Passenger Arrival Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection that is available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. To access the collection, see New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island) 1893-1924



Collection Time Period
This information pertains to ships’ passenger lists created from 1892 to 1924.

Collection History
The first official emigration station for New York was Castle Garden, located at the tip of lower Manhattan. Passenger arrival lists known as customs manifests date back to 1820. Congressional action in 1891 resulted in federal immigration officials recording the immigrants’ arrival. After January 1892, passengers arriving in New York debarked at Ellis Island, located in the New York Harbor, east of Manhattan. From 1892 to 1924, almost all immigrants entered the United States through the port of New York.

Why This Collection Was Created
The passenger arrival list was used by legal inspectors at Ellis Island to cross-examine each immigrant during a legal inspection prior to the person being allowed to live in America. Only two percent of the prospective immigrants were denied entry.

Collection Reliability
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.

Collection Description
The lists consist of large sheets of paper divided into columns and rows. Earlier lists are handwritten, while most after 1917 are typewritten. Lists after 1906 usually occupy two pages.

Collection Content
The content of earlier lists, known generally as “customs manifests,” was not regulated. Formats varied widely, and a specific place of origin was not always listed. In 1883, the federal government mandated the creation of ship manifests, which included columns for an exact birthplace or last residence. This information was also kept on passenger arrival lists of later periods. Passenger lists, particularly later lists, include the following genealogical information:


 * Names of immigrants and close relatives
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Birthplaces, former residences and intended destinations
 * Marital status
 * Nationality and race
 * Occupations
 * Date of arrival
 * Port of departure

How To Use This Record
Use passenger arrival lists primarily to identify an immigrant ancestors’ birthplace or last residence in his or her country of origin. This is the place to begin searching for foreign genealogical records.

Related Article
New York Emigration and Immigration