Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild -
1820 & 1847 Passenger Acts
and Finding a Passenger List

ISTG


Passenger lists are important primary sources of arrival data for the vast majority of immigrants to the United States in the nineteenth century.

Partly in an effort to alleviate overcrowding of passenger ships, Congress enacted legislation (3 Stat. 489) on March 2, 1819 to regulate the transport of passengers in ships arriving from foreign ports. As a result of this act, captains of such ships were required to submit a list of all passengers to the collector of customs in the district in which the ship arrived. The legislation also provided that the collector of customs submit quarterly passenger list reports to the Secretary of State, who was, in turn, required to submit the information to Congress. The information was then published in the form of Congressional documents. These passenger lists are important primary sources of arrival data for the vast majority of immigrants to the United States in the nineteenth century.

A further Congressional act passed on May 7, 1874 repealed the legislative provision requiring collectors to send copies of passenger lists to the Secretary of State. Thereafter, collectors of customs were to send only statistical reports on passenger arrivals to the Department of Treasury.

1820 Act Regulating Passenger Lists
March 2, 1819, approved by James Monroe
(click on thumbnail image to see a larger version)



Column 1 Column 2 Column 3


1847 Act Regulating Passenger Lists
1847, approved by R.J. Walker, Secretary of the Treasury
(click on thumbnail image to see a larger version)

Column 1 Column 2 

Immigration records, more popularly known as "ship passenger arrival records," may provide 
evidence of a person's arrival in the United States, as well as foreign birthplace. The 
National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) has immigration records for various 
ports for the years 1800-1959. 

As a general rule, NARA does not have passenger lists of vessels arriving before January 1, 1820.
There are, however, two exceptions to this general rule: 
Arrivals at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1813-1819, are reproduced in NARA microfilm publication: 
Roll 1 of M2009, Work Projects Administration Transcript of Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving 
at New Orleans, Louisiana, 1813-1849 (2 rolls). 
Arrivals at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1819, are reproduced in two NARA microfilm 
publications:  Rolls 1-29 of M425, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, 1800-1882 (108 rolls), which is indexed by M360, Index to Passenger Lists of 
Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1906 (151 rolls). Note, however, that 
M425 undoubtedly does not include everyone arriving at Philadelphia during 1800-1819. 

To locate other passenger lists from 1538-1819, consult these books (among many others), 
which are found in libraries with genealogical collections: 

Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index: A Guide to Published 
Arrival Records of ... Passengers who Came to the United States and Canada in the 
Seventeenth, Eighteenth, and Nineteenth Centuries. 3 volumes plus annual supplements. 
Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1981-__. This series is a finding aid to published passenger 
lists. Be sure to read the "front material" to understand how to use the information you find. 

Filby, P. William, ed. Passenger and Immigration Lists Bibliography, 1538-1900. 2d ed. 
Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1988. 

Lancour, Harold, comp. A Bibliography of Ship Passenger Lists, 1538-1825; Being a Guide 
to Published Lists of Early Immigrants to North America. 3d ed. New York: New York Public 
Library, 1978. 

Wood, Virginia Steele. Immigrant Arrivals: A Guide to Published Sources. Revised. 
(Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). 

Carl Boyer and Michael Tepper, each using a different format, have undertaken to publish 
the names in Lancour's lists. Tepper's coverage of Lancour is not comprehensive: an 
inventory of those articles omitted appears on pages viii, ix and x of New World Immigrants..... 

Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, National and New England (1600-1825). Newhall, CA: 
C. Boyer, 1977. Covers Lancour entries 1-71. 

Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, New York and New Jersey (1600-1825). Newhall, CA: 
C. Boyer, 1978. Covers Lancour entries 72-115. 

Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, Pennsylvania and Delaware (1641-1825). Newhall, CA: 
C. Boyer, 1980. Covers Lancour entries 116-197. 

Boyer, Carl. Ship Passenger Lists, the South (1538-1825). Newhall, CA: C. Boyer, 1979. 
Covers Lancour entries 198E-243. 

Tepper, Michael. New World Immigrants: a Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists and 
Associated Data from Periodical Literature. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979. 

Tepper, Michael. Passengers to America: A Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists From the 
New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1977. 

Tepper, Michael. Emigrants to Pennsylvania, 1641-1819: a Consolidation of Ship Passenger 
Lists from the Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. Baltimore: Genealogical 
Publishing Co., 1978 

Tepper, Michael. Immigrants to the Middle Colonies: a Consolidation of Ship Passenger 
Lists and Associated Data from The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. 
Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1978 

There are numerous published name indexes to 16th through 19th century arrivals of persons 
of various ethnic groups, including persons of Czechoslovakian, Dutch, English, German, 
Irish, Italian, and Russian descent. For a listing of some of these indexes, see: 

Wood, Virginia Steele. Immigrant Arrivals: A Guide to Published Sources. Revised. 
(Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). 

Douglas, Lee V. Danish Immigration to America: An Annotated Bibliography of Resources 
at the Library of Congress. Research Guide No. 28. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 
Local History & Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). 

Douglas, Lee V. A Select Bibliography of Works: Norwegian-American Immigration and Local 
History. Research Guide No. 6. (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, Local History & 
Genealogy Reading Room, n.d.). 

Available 1800-1959 Immigration Records at NARA.

Various NARA microfilm publications reproduce passenger arrival records from the ports 
listed below. 
Alburg, Vermont, 1895-1924; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Apalachicola, Florida, 1918 
Alexandria, Virginia, 1820-1865 
Alexandria Bay, New York, 1929-1956 
Andrade, California, 1910-1952 
Annapolis, Maryland, 1849 
Aros Ranch, Arizona, 1908-1909 
Ashland, Wisconsin, 1922-1956 
Baltimore, Maryland, 1820-1897 and 1891-1957 
Bangor, Maine, 1848 
Barnstable, Massachusetts, 1820-1826 
Bath, Maine, 1825-1867 
Beaufort, North Carolina, 1865 
Beecher Falls, Vermont, 1895-1924; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Belfast, Maine, 1820-1851 
Black Rock, New York, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Blaine, Washington, 1929; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Boca Grande, Florida, 1890-1924 (see T517) and 1912-1939 
Boston, Massachusetts, 1820-1891 and 1891-1943 
Boynton, Florida, 1942 
Bridgeport, Connecticut, 1870 and 1929-1959 
Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island, 1820-71 
Brownsville, Texas, 1905-1953 
Buffalo, New York, 1902-1954; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Calais, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Campo, California, 1910-1952 
Canaan, Vermont, 1895-1924 
Canadian Border (called "St. Albans, Vermont, District") 
Cape May, New Jersey, 1828 
Cape Vincent, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Carrabelle, Florida, 1915 
Castle Garden, see New York, New York 
Champlain, New York, 1929-1956 
Charleston, South Carolina, 1820-1828 and 1890-1924 (see T517) 
Charlotte, New York, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Clayton, New York, 1929-1956 
Cleveland, Ohio, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Columbus, New Mexico, 1917-1954 
Darien, Georgia, 1823-1825 
Delaware (District of), 1920 
Del Rio, Texas, 1906-1909 
Detroit, Michigan, 1906-1954; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Dighton, Massachusetts, 1820-1836 
Douglas, Arizona, 1908-1952 
Duluth, Minnesota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Eagle, Alaska, 1906-1946 
Eagle Pass, Texas, 1905-1953 
Eastport, Idaho, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Eastport, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
East River, Virginia, 1830 
Edenton, North Carolina, 1820 
Edgartown, Massachusetts, 1820-1870 
El Capitan, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California 
Ellis Island, see New York, New York 
Ellwood, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California 
El Paso, Texas, 1903-1909 and 1924-1954 
Fabens, Texas, 1924-1954 
Fairfield, Connecticut, 1820-1821 
Falmouth, Maine, 1820-1868, see Portland, Maine; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Fall River, Massachusetts, 1837-1865 
Fernandina, Florida, 1904-1935 
Ferry, Washington, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Fort Covington, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Fort Fairfield, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Fort Hancock, Texas, 1924-1954 
Fort Kent, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Fort Pierce, Florida, 1939 and 1942 
Frenchman's Bay, Maine, 1821-1827 
Galveston, Texas, 1846-1871, and 1896-1951 
Georgetown, District of Columbia, 1820-1821 
Gloucester, Massachusetts, 1820-1870, and 1918-1943 
Groton, Connecticut, 1929-1959 
Gulfport, Mississippi 
Hampton, Virginia, 1820-1821 
Hannah, North Dakota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Hartford, Connecticut, 1837 and 1929-1959 
Havre de Grace, Maryland, 1820 
Highgate Springs, Vermont, 1895-1924 
Hingham, Massachusetts, 1852 
Hobe Sound, Florida, 1942 
Hogansburg, New York, 1929-1956 
Houlton, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Hyder, Alaska, 1906-1946 
International Falls, Minnesota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Island Pond, Vermont, 1895-1924; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Jackman, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Jacksonville, Florida, 1890-1924 (see T517) 
Kennebunk, Maine, 1820-1842 
Kenosha, Wisconsin, 1937-1940 
Ketchikan, 1906-1946 
Key West, Florida, 1837-1868, 1890-1924 (see T517), and 1898-1945 
Knights Key, Florida, 1890-1924 (see T517) and 1908-1912 (see A3371) 
Lake Charles, Louisiana, 1908-1954 
Lake Worth, Florida, 1942 
Laredo, Texas, 1903-1909 and 1929-1955 
Lewiston, New York, 1902-1954; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, 1831 
Lochiel, Arizona, 1908 
Los Angeles, California, 1907-1948; see also Ventura, California 
Louisville Landing, New York, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Lowelltown, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Madawaska, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Malone, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Marblehead, Massachusetts, 1820-1849 
Marcus, Washington, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Marinette, Wisconsin, 1929-1940 
Mayport, Florida, 1902 and 1916 
Miami, Florida, 1890-1924 (see T517) 
Millville, Florida, 1916 
Mobile, Alabama, 1832-1852 and 1890-1924 (see T517) 
Mooers, New York, 1929-1956 
Morristown, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Naco, Arizona, 1906-1909 
Nantucket, Massachusetts, 1820-1862 
Neche, North Dakota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Newark, New Jersey, 1836 
New Bedford, Massachusetts, 1826-1852 and 1902-1954 
New Bern, North Carolina, 1820-1865 
Newburyport, Massachusetts, 1821-1839 
New Haven, Connecticut, 1820-1873 and 1929-1959 
New London, Connecticut, 1820-1847 and 1929-1959 
New Orleans, Louisiana, 1820-1902 and 1900-1952 
Newport, Vermont, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Newport, Rhode Island, 1820-1857 
New York, New York (also known as "Ellis Island" and "Castle Garden"), 1820-1957 and 1892-1924 
Niagara Falls, 1902-1954; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Nogales, Arizona, 1906-1909 
Nome, Alaska, 1906-1946 
Norfolk, Virginia, 1820-1857 
Northgate, North Dakota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Norton, Vermont, 1895-1924 
Nyando, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Ogdensburg, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Old Town, Maine, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Oroville, Washington, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Oswegatchie, New York, 1821-1823 
Panama City, Florida, 1927-1939 
Pascagoula, Mississippi, see Gulfport, Mississippi 
Passamaquoddy, Maine, 1820-1859 
Pembina, North Dakota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Penobscot, Maine, 1851 
Pensacola, Florida, 1890-1924 (see T517) and 1926-1948 
Perth Amboy, New Jersey, 1820-1832 
Petersburg, Virginia, 1820-1821 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1800-1906 and 1883-1948 
Plymouth, Massachusetts, 1821-1844 
Plymouth, North Carolina, 1820-1840 
Portal, North Dakota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Porthill, Idaho, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Port Hueneme, California, 1929-1956, see Ventura, California 
Port Huron, Michigan, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Port Inglis, Florida, 1912-1913 
Portland, Maine, 1820-1868, and 1893-1943 
Port Royal, South Carolina, 1865 
Port St. Joe, Florida, 1923 and 1939 
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, 1820-1861 
Portsmouth, Virginia, see Norfolk, Virginia 
Port Townsend, Washington, see Seattle and Tacoma, Washington 
Presidio, Texas, 1908-1909 
Progreso, Texas, 1928-1955 
Providence, Rhode Island, 1820-1867 and 1911-1954 
Ranier, Minnesota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Richford, Vermont, 1895-1924; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Richmond, Virginia, 1820-1844 
Rio Grande City, Texas, 1908-1955 
Rochester, New York, 1866 and 1902-1954; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Roma, Texas, 1907-1908 and 1928-1955 
Rooseveltown, New York, see Nyando, New York 
Rouses Point, New York, 1929-1956; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Sag Harbor, New York, 1829-1834 
Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Saint Andrews, Florida, 1916-1926 
Saint Augustine, Florida, 1821-1870 
Saint Clair, Michigan, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Saint Johns, Florida, 1865 
Saint Mary, Michigan, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Saint Petersburg, 1926 and 1936-1941 
Salem, Massachusetts, 1865-1866 
San Antonio, Texas, 1944-1952 
Sandusky, Ohio, 1820 
San Fernando, Arizona, 1919-1952 
San Francisco, California, 1882-1957; see also Ventura, California 
San Luis, Arizona, 1929-1952 
San Pedro, California, 1907-1948; see also Ventura, California 
San Ysidro, California, 1908-1952 
Sasabe, Arizona, 1919-1952 
Savannah, Georgia, 1820-1868, 1890-1924 (see T517), and 1906-1945 
Saybrook, Connecticut, 1820 
Seattle, Washington, and Other Washington Ports 
Sheboygan, Wisconsin, 1929-1956 
Skagway (White Pass), Alaska, 1906-1946 
Stuart, Florida, 1942 
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, 1946-1952 
Sumas, Washington, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Swanton, Vermont, 1895-1924; see also Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Tampa, Florida, 1890-1924 (see T517) 
Tecate, California, 1910-1952 
Thayer, Texas, 1928-1955 
Thousand Island Bridge, New York, 1929-1956 
Tia Juana, California, 1908-1952 
Trout River, New York, 1929-1956 
Ventura, California, 1929-1956 
Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1921-1923 
Waddington, New York, 1929-1956 
Warren, Rhode Island, 1820-1871, see Bristol, Rhode Island 
Waldoboro, Maine, 1820-1833 
Warroad, Minnesota, see Saint Albans, Vermont, 1895-1954 
Washburn, Wisconsin, 1925-1928 
Washington, North Carolina, 1820-1848 
White Pass, Alaska, 1906-1946, see Skagway, Alaska 
Wilmington, California, 1907-1948 
Wilmington, Delaware, 1820-1848 
Yarmouth, Maine, 1820 
Yseleta, Texas, 1924-1954 
Zapata, Texas, 1923-1953 

Where to Find These Records

Washington, DC

You may do research in immigration records in person at the National Archives Building, 
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001. Go to Room 400, the Microfilm 
Reading Room. Staff is available there to answer your questions. NARA microfilm publications 
may be examined during regular research room hours in Room 400; no prior arrangement is 
necessary. 

NARA Regional Facilities 

Some National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) regional facilities have selected 
immigration records; call to verify their availability or check the online microfilm locator.

Libraries 

Libraries with large genealogical collections also have selected NARA microfilm publications.

Local LDS Family History Centers

Your local Family History Center is able to order specific microfilm from the main center 
in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Cost to rent the film is generally $3.50 per roll of microfilm, 
and you can use their readers for free.  You can then make copies of a particular ship list.
Not all microfilm available at NARA is available through the History Center.

ISTG Research Team

The ISTG Research Team will take requests to find a specific ship or do research for a
ship if the name of the ship is unknown.  The cost is $15 per hour (with very few searches
taking more than one hour if you have basic information)  If you are interested in this
service, contact the Research Team

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