Key Immigration Indexes at NARA and FHL

The National Archives and its regional branches have significant sets of immigration indexes on microfilm. These are known by the M and T microcopy numbers seen below after each title. More than 10,000 of these U.S. immigration microfilms are also available at the LDS Family History Library and may be loaned to one of its 4,000 local Family History Centers.

A free online index to 10 million 1830-1891 immigrants arriving at New York is at Castle Garden. The LDS Church donated an index to 22 million 1892-1924 arrivals at New York. This so-called “Ellis Island” database includes the legible names of all aliens, citizens, and crew who were listed on the immigration manifests for vessels arriving at New York; some immigrants didn’t make the actual voyage, and some disembarked at other eastern ports. To learn more about this searchable free index click here.

The official passenger arrival lists for the United Sates begin in 1820, and are available for 100 ports of entry. Listed here are the key indexes that cover the flood of immigration, 1880-1920. Included after the name of the port is the approximate number of immigrants admitted at each port (which I estimated for 1820-1920 only, and which does not include returning citizens and other odd classes of passengers).

NEW YORK CITY (23,960,000 arrivals between 1820 and 1920)

___ July 1902 - Dec. 1943 soundex index to passenger lists (T-621)

___ 1944 - 1948 soundex index to passenger lists (M-1417)

BOSTON (2,050,000)

___ 1848 - 1891 ...index to customs lists (M265)

___ 1902 - 1906 ...card index to immigration lists (T521)

___ 1906 - 1920 ...index to immigration lists (T617)

BALTIMORE (1,460,000)

___ 1820s, 1832 - 1897 ...soundex to federal customs lists (M327)

___ 1897 - 1952 ...soundex index to immigration lists (T520)

PHILADELPHIA (1,240,000)

___ 1800 - 1906 ...card index to customs and other lists (M360)

___ 1883 - 1948 ...soundex index to passenger lists (T526)

NEW ORLEANS (710,000)

___ 1853 - 1899 ...card index to customs lists (T527)

___ 1900 - 1952 ...index to immigration lists (T618)

SAN FRANCISCO (500,000+)

___ 1893 - 1934 ...indexes to passenger arrivals (M1389)

KEY WEST (130,000)

___ 1890 - 1924 ...index to lists for AL, FL, GA, SC arrivals (T517)

PORTLAND-FALMOUTH, MAINE (120,000)

___ 1893 - 1954 ...index to immigration lists (T524)

GALVESTON (110,000+)

___ 1896 - 1906 ...index to passenger lists (M1357)

___ 1906 - 1951 ...index: Galveston, Houston, Brownsville (M1358)

MISC. PORTS

___ 1820 - 1874 ...index for some of Baltimore (to 1869), Boston, Galveston, New Bedford, Philadelphia, Portland, Mobile (to 1862), and New Orleans (to 1850) (M334)

___ 1890 - 1924 ...index to lists for AL, FL, GA, SC arrivals (T517)

BORDER CROSSINGS

___ 1895 - 1924 ...soundex index to Canadian border entries (M1461)

___ 1924 - 1952 ...soundex index to Canadian border arrivals (M1463)

U.S. PASSPORT APPLICATIONS

___ 1860 - 1925 ...indexes to passport applications