How to Determine When Your Ancestors Arrived in America

Some hire professional genealogical researchers, but plenty of resources can help you find information yourself.

Finding information about your ancestors requires much time, effort and in-depth research. Any information you get is crucial to your genealogical study of your lineage, where your ancestors lived and when and where they first arrived in America. Your research must lead you to your ancestors' oldest information linking them to their arrival in America. This generally includes the ship records stating where and when they arrived as immigrants in the United States.

Instructions

1. Gather all legal and personal documents of your family both in your father and mother sides. These are important documents that should be kept in safe places, so have them scanned or photocopied, and use the copies for your research. Collect copies of photos, letters, notes and diaries to make your research more in-depth.

2. Make an initial family tree with as much detail as you can. Aside from the three generations usually available for you (your generation, along with your parents and grandparents' generations), go back as far possible by asking your family members, relatives and close family friends for more information. Aside from the names of your ancestors, include as much vital information as you can, including dates of birth and death, dates of marriage, their spouses and work details.

3. Browse Internet genealogy websites for surnames associated with your last name, your mother's maiden name and your grandmothers' maiden names. This furthers your research beyond your personal contacts. Try popular sites like Genealogy.com and Ancestry.com to find initial data you may need, including any immigration name changes that happened at the time your ancestors arrived in the United States.

4. Go to your local library to research for more genealogical information, including census records. You may discover the names of other people you have left out of your family tree.

5. Look for church records of your ancestors based on prior research you have. Aside from the actual churches they attended, try looking into church records of nearby churches in places they lived as well. Information about baptism, marriage and other church documents generally contain important tidbits you can use for your research.

6. Look for military records of your ancestors. Whether or not your relatives served in the military, men are required to fill out draft cards upon turning 18 years old. Search the online database of sites like Veterans.com and Ancestry.com as they have digitized copies of American military records. If you need more data, go to the military page of the National Archives official website (archives.gov). Search the National Personnel Records Center page on the National Archives site as well.

7. Start searching port records, which are available from the U.S. National Archives. There were many possible ports of entry for immigrants during different time periods. Unless you have more clues from your research to lead you to a specific place, start inquiring about the most popular ports of immigration like Ellis Island. If your ancestors arrived between 1892 and 1954, they were some of the millions who came through this island in New York. Port records generally provide the date of arrival and name of the ship that brought them to the United States.

Tips & Warnings

• As it is possible that your ancestors have similar or exactly the same names as other people, knowing their mother's maiden names and their birth dates is helpful to avoid the possibility of error in your research.

• If your parents and grandparents inherited antiques, diaries and other novelty and memorabilia items, these may also guide you in your research, especially about places they lived, their professions and their interests.

References

• Genealogy Articles, Tips and Research Guides; Tips for Determining Your Ancestor's Probable Port of Arrival; Joe Beine
• RootsWeb; RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees; Tracing Your Immigrant Ancestors; Julia M. Case, et al.
• Brigham Young University: Immigration Records
• The Genealogy Spot: Where Did Your Ancestor Arrive in America?
• Family History and Genealogy; Resource Guide: Finding the Origin of Your Immigrant Ancestors; Barry Ewell; March 2007
• "The Lithuanian Museum Review,"; Ship Passenger Arrival Records Available in U.S. National Archives; Frank Passic

Resources

• The Federation of East European Family History Societies: Tracing Your Jewish Ancestors
• Genealogy.com; They Changed Our Name at Ellis Island; Donna Przecha
• PBS; Faces of America; Trace Your Family History
• "Family Chronicle" magazine; Passenger Ship Lists; Robert W. Marlin; September/October 1998
• InfoUkes: Researching Passenger Arrival in the United States
• National Archives: Veteran's Service Records - Locations of Service Records