| You've gone through the preliminaries.You've | | | | include: the full name, age, sex, place of origin, and |
| collected all your household vital records, | | | | destination for every passenger on the ship. The |
| interviewed relatives, gathered additional records | | | | records even include those who were born or |
| from living relatives and followed-up on some of | | | | died during the voyage.And there's more. You can |
| the leads that were developed. Now, you're stuck | | | | also track down some naturalization records |
| and not sure what to do next in your genealogy | | | | through the U.S. National Archives and Records |
| research.If you've worked your way far enough | | | | Administration. Naturalization is the process by |
| back, it might be time to start checking the | | | | which a a person becomes an American citizen. |
| Census.But first, you'll want to understand that | | | | By law, a person can be naturalized in any |
| while the Census Bureau collects some great | | | | "regular" court. The Immigration and Naturalization |
| genealogical information, it has the responsibility of | | | | Service has records for the entire country |
| confidentiality. As a result, the Decennial Census of | | | | beginning in 1906, but before this time, the |
| Population and Housing on individuals does not | | | | procedure will only be located in the records of |
| become available to the public until after 72 | | | | the court where it took place. These records |
| years.That's why you have to have worked your | | | | often provide a person's birth date and location, |
| way far enough back in your research before | | | | occupation, immigration year, marital status and |
| you'll find the Census helpful.But here's what you'll | | | | spouse information, witnesses' names and |
| really like ... not only will the Census records help | | | | addresses, and more.For Pre-1906 |
| you locate where an acestor lived, after 1840 the | | | | Naturalizations:Contact the State Archives for the |
| Census collected age, place of birth, occupation, | | | | state where the naturalization occurred to request |
| personal wealth, education, spouse, children, hired | | | | a search of state, county, and local courts |
| hands, and even immigration information. A gold | | | | records.Contact the NARA regional facility that |
| mine for genealogists.Copies of the original | | | | serves the state where naturalization occurred to |
| decennial census forms from 1790 through 1930 | | | | request a search of Federal court recordsFor |
| are available on microfilm for research at the U.S. | | | | Naturalizations After 1906:After 1906, the courts |
| National Archives and Records Administration in | | | | forwarded copies of naturalizations to the |
| Washington, DC ( at Archives regional centers, | | | | Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). |
| and at select Federal depository libraries | | | | Naturalizations from Federal Courts are held in the |
| throughout the United States. In addition, these | | | | NARA's regional facilities for the Federal courts for |
| records are available at various other libraries and | | | | their area. Learn more: are some additional |
| research facilities throughout the United | | | | resources that you might find helpful for learning |
| States.You can also check with the reference | | | | learn more about the Census and how to access |
| librarian at your local library and see if they're set | | | | all the incredible information available to genealogy |
| up to borrow microfilm through the National | | | | researchers:USGenWeb Census Project Census |
| Archives' census microfilm rental program.There's | | | | Bureau's Genealogy Page Finder nothing quite as |
| something else you're really going to like ... | | | | exhilarating as uncovering new information about |
| immigration records are also on microfilm at the | | | | your ancestors. If you've reached a point where |
| National Archives. These records have been | | | | you aren't quite sure what to try next in your |
| collected for all major U.S. ports since 1820. They | | | | genealogy research, The Census might just be |
| include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore | | | | your best bet. Even if you aren't at that point, it's |
| and New Orleans. The western ports of San | | | | a resource that you should familiarize yourself |
| Franciso and Seattle are also archived, though | | | | with. Sooner or later, it's likely that's where your |
| those records weren't started until late in the 19th | | | | research is going to led you. |
| Century.Here's what these immigration records | | | | |