California, San Francisco Chinese passenger lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This is a collection of passenger lists for Chinese immigrants applying for admission to the United States the years 1882 to 1947. NARA Series M1414 and M1476, Record Group 85. The images are arranged in groups according to the names of the vessels and ports and dates.Some have a few images some have more. On the page titled All Chinese Passengers is the information with the person who is on the ship giving pertinent information such as name, sex, birth, destination and physical description. At the end of that information is a column that gives a  line number. Sometimes you will find another image that correlates with that number, but not usually. Other pages with information found in this collection are Born in the United States, Domiciled Merchants, Excepts and Wives and children.

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

Chinese passengers
 * Name
 * Age
 * Date of birth
 * Place of birth
 * Occupation
 * Last place of residence
 * Physical description
 * Name of vessel
 * Port of departure and arrival
 * Date of arrival

Born in United States
 * Name of father
 * Name of mother
 * Residence of parents
 * Date of first trip to China
 * Port from which vessel sailed
 * Place of residence in China
 * Names of brothers sisters, or others cognizant of facts
 * Chinese signature

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

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 information found in the record to find other records such port records, and ship’s manifests
 * Use the record to learn the place of origin and find 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 may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information
 * Search census records for additional information on family members
 * 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
 * Chinese names may have three characters and not written in the order of Western names. Their surnames may be recorded as their given names. Try searching all parts of their names.
 * If a male, he may be known by an alternate name.

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

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

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Lists of Chinese passengers arriving in San Francisco, California, 1882- 1914 : NARA pub. M1414
 * Lists of Chinese applying for admission to the United States through the port of San Francisco, California, 1903-1921 : NARA RG85 pub. M1476

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * California, Chinese Partnerships and Departures from San Francisco, 1893-1943
 * California, San Francisco, Register of Chinese Immigrant Court Cases and Foreign Seamen Tax Cards, 1883-1924
 * United States, California, San Francisco, Records of Chinese Laborers Returning to the US, 1882-1888
 * California, San Diego, Chinese Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1923

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.