Iowa Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Resources

 * U.S. Naturalization Record Indexes for Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, 1791-1992 at Ancestry; Index ($)
 * Iowa, Federal Naturalization Records, 1856-1937, at Ancestry; index and images, ($).
 * at FamilySearch; index and images — How to Use this Collection

History
Naturalization proceedings in Iowa are handled primarily by district courts. These records include declarations of intention, petitions for naturalization, and certificates of naturalization and citizenship. Naturalization records may give a person's age, country or city of origin, date of arrival, port of arrival, and names of witnesses. After September 1906, the records may also give birth date and birthplace, names of spouse and children (with their birth dates and birthplaces), and name of the ship. Naturalization papers may be included with homestead land applications.

Availability
The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of the district court records for most Iowa counties. For Polk County, for instance, the library has naturalization applications and military petitions from 1907 to 1927 and an index to the records from 1852 to 1884:


 * Iowa. District Court (Polk County). Naturalization Records, 1907–1927.
 * Iowa. District Court. (Polk County). Index to Naturalization, 1852–1884.

District Court Index
The following district court index can be a useful source:


 * General Index to Declaration of Intentions and Petitions, 1909–1948; Declaration of Intentions, 1917–1936; Petitions, 1909–1936

National Archives--Central Plains
The National Archives-Central Plains Region (Kansas City, Missouri) has the records of the U.S. District Court in Keokuk for 1853 to 1874. These records are available on film:


 * List of Persons Naturalized, 1853–1874.

Soundex Index
The index below includes naturalization petitions from 44 counties of eastern Iowa:


 * Soundex Index to Naturalization Petitions for U.S. District and Circuit Courts, Northern District of Illinois and Immigration and Naturalization Service District 9, 1840–1950

The FamilySearch Catalog entry alphabetically lists the Iowa counties in this collection, all of which were formerly in Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) District 9.

Post 1906 Records
For records of naturalizations after September 1906, contact the National Archives-Central Plains Region (Kansas City, Missouri) or the local office of the Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS). The Citizenship and Immigration Services has instituted a Genealogy Program to obtain their records.