California, Los Angeles Passenger Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes passenger lists from 1907 to 1948.

The passenger lists are digital copies of the original records. The earliest records are handwritten pages. Later records are usually handwritten on pre-printed pages. The records are arranged by the date of entry into port.

This collection consists of lists for those arriving at San Pedro, Wilmington, or Los Angeles, California, 1907-1948. It corresponds to NARA Publication M1764: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at San Pedro/Wilmington/Los Angeles, California, June 29, 1907 - June 30, 1948.

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.

Passenger arrival lists known as customs manifests date back to 1820. Congressional action in 1891 resulted in federal immigration officials recording the immigrants’ arrival. The passenger arrival list was used by legal inspectors 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.

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

Passenger List
 * Name, passenger number, and arrival date
 * Port of entry
 * Nearest relative or friend in place of departure
 * Final destination (city and state)
 * Who paid for passage
 * Whether or not passenger has been to U. S. previously
 * When here previously and where passenger stayed
 * Name and complete address of persons to be joined
 * Condition of health
 * Physical impairments
 * Physical description

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor
 * The age or date of immigration

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the NARA Roll Number - Contents to view the images.

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.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find vital records such as birth, baptism, and marriage
 * 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
 * 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

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
 * Check other possible ports of entry

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of California.
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * Searching Passenger Lists
 * California Guided Research
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research: 1850-1905 | 1905-Present

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.