United States, New England Passenger and Crew Lists - FamilySearch Historical Records

United States

What Is In the Collection?
This collection contains passenger and crew lists from vessels arriving at various ports in New England from 1911-1954. It corresponds with NARA Publication A3468: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at Providence, Davisville, Melville, Newport, Quonset Point, and Tiverton, Rhode Island; Fall River, Massachusetts; and New London, Connecticut, Aug. 1911-Nov. 1954.

What Can This Collection Tell Me?
The lists may include any of the following information:


 * Name of ship
 * Port and date of arrival
 * Port and date of embarkation
 * Name
 * Position in ship's company
 * When and where joined the crew
 * Able to read and write
 * Age
 * Sex
 * Race
 * Nationality
 * Height, weight, and physical impairments

How Do I Search the Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of your ancestor.
 * The approximate age of your ancestor.
 * The place where your ancestor lived.
 * The names of family members and their relationships.

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

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the ''':
 * 1) Select the NARA Roll Number - Contents category which takes you to 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.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line article FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor on a passenger or crew list, 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?
You can use passenger lists to:


 * Request federal immigration record
 * 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.

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.

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

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You could then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

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.


 * Collection Citation:

Top of Page