New York, Northern Arrival Manifests - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection is comprised of two record sets from the National Archives:


 * Manifests of alien arrivals at Buffalo, Lewiston, Niagra Falls, and Rochester, New York, 1902-1956 (NARA M1480)
 * Soundex card manifests of alien and citizen arrivals at Hogansburg, Malone, Morristown, Nyando, Ogdensburg, Rooseveltown, and Waddington, New York, July 1929-April 1956 (NARA M1482)

Both collections are part of Record Group 85 Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

These card manifests are arranged in Soundex order. For help in using the soundex refer to the wiki article: Soundex.

Arrival lists was used by legal authorities to gather personal information about immigrants prior to the person being allowed to live in the United States.

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.

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

Manifest
 * Full name
 * By whom accompanied
 * Place of birth
 * Age, gender, marital status, occupation
 * Ability to read and write
 * Race and nationality (citizenship)
 * Place of last permanent residence
 * Name of relative or friend in country of emigration
 * Ever lived before in the United States
 * If so, where and length of stay
 * Who paid for passage
 * Final destination
 * Name and address of friend or relative in this country
 * Any criminal record
 * Physical description
 * Purpose in coming to United States
 * Date and port of arrival
 * Name of ship

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The full name of your ancestor
 * Other identifying information such as the approximate date of immigration

If you do not know this information, check the census records after 1900.

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?
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.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Learn an immigrant’s place of origin
 * Confirm their date of arrival
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Find records in your ancestor's country of origin such as emigrations, port records, or ship’s manifests
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date
 * 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

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

 * Check for variant spellings. Realize that the indexes may contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings and misinterpretations
 * Try a different index if there is one for the years needed. You may also need to search the passenger lists year by year
 * Search the indexes of other port cities
 * Consult the New York Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of New York.
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * New York Guided Research
 * New York Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step New York Research, 1880-Present

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Alphabetical card manifests of alien arrivals at Alexandria Bay, Cape Vincent, Champlain, Clayton, Fort Covington, Mooers, Rouses Point, Thousand Island Bridge, and Trout River, New York, July 1929-April, 1956 : National Archives microfilm publication M1481, 1929-1956

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.