Texas, Indexes and Manifests of Arrivals at the Port of Del Rio - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection contains indexes and manifests of alien arrivals at Del Rio, Texas from 1906-1953. It corresponds with NARA publication A3395.

For a list of records by dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Record Content
Passenger lists generally include the following information:


 * Name
 * Accompanied by
 * Birth place
 * Age
 * Gender
 * Occupation
 * Race
 * Nationality
 * Last permanent residence
 * Destination
 * Name and address of nearest relative
 * Destination
 * Physical features

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the name of immigrant and the approximate date of Arrival. If you do not know this information, check the U.S. census records after 1900.

Search the Collection
To search the collection by name fill in the requested information in the boxes on the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches.

To search the collection image by image select the "Browse" link in the initial search page. Next select the "NARA Roll Number - Contents" category which takes you to the images.

Look at the name in the list or the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example, you can use passenger lists to:


 * Learn an immigrant’s place of origin
 * Confirm their date of arrival
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Find records in his or her country of origin such as emigrations, port records, or ship’s manifests.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * If your ancestor had a common name, be sure to look at all the entries for a name before you decide which is correct.
 * Continue to search the passenger lists to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives in the same or other generations who may have immigrated at the same time.
 * If your ancestor has an uncommon surname, you may want to obtain the passenger list of every person who shares your ancestor’s surname if they lived in the same county or nearby. You may not know how or if they are related, but the information could lead you to more information about your own ancestors.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the name.
 * Look for other indexes. Records are often indexed by local historical and genealogical societies.
 * Search the indexes of other port cities.

Related Websites

 * National Archives Mexican Border Crossings

Related Wiki Articles
Texas Emigration and Immigration

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A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation for This Collection
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