The Ancestor Hunt regularly adds and updates new collection links, as well as searches for and fixes broken links.
(This page's most recent update is January 2025)
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Immigration Records are some of the richest genealogy record sets and can provide excellent clues as well as data about your ancestors. Specifically, when they came to America or traveled but did not immigrate. Emigration records can tell you when they left their homeland and can direct you to when they might have immigrated if you are having trouble finding the immigration record.
What types of information are available in these records? First of all, let me clarify that naturalization records are a related type of record. You can discover online naturalization collections and records available via links on this website on the Naturalizations Page. In the Petition for Naturalization record for example, where and when the applicant arrived in the U.S. is stated. The Certificate of Arrival is another immigration document used in the naturalization process.
Here’s an article that will list the information available: 45 Reasons to Research Immigration Records
Regarding immigration – it bears repeating – not EVERYONE came through Ellis Island. It was opened between 1892 and 1954. Approximately 12 million people came through that immigration station. The highest year was 1907 when just over 1,000,000 people came through. For immigrants landing in the U.S. ports in the 19th century and early 20th century, the busiest ports were New York, Baltimore, Boston, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. There were almost 100 ports that were used by immigrants to enter the U.S., via the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes.
It is also helpful to review emigration records as well. It sometimes occurs that an immigration record is not available online for a variety of reasons, but you might find some useful information from emigration records where one of you’re ancestors embarked on their journey to America.
Here are a few free online sites that have online emigration records available.
Denmark – The Digital Danish Emigration Archives
Norway – Digital Archives – Emigrant Records
Germany – Oldenburg Emigrants Database
Ireland – Irish Famine Emigrants 1846-1851 database
Russia – Russians to America Passenger Data File, 1834 – 1897
Germany – Germans to America Passenger Data File, 1850 – 1897
Italy – Italians to America Passenger Data File, 1855 – 1900
Germany – Hamburg Passenger List
Also listed are passenger lists for travel that may not have been immigration-related. I have discovered interesting clues and information from non-immigration travel records as well.
Below are links to Free Online Immigration and Travel Collections. The first set is general nationwide collection links, followed by the collection links for the specific state.
Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections’ images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital. To take full advantage make sure that you are logged in to FamilySearch. The results may be different if you are signed in, rather than not.
Pennsylvania Immigration Records
United States
- Emergency Passport Applications Issued Abroad, 1877-1907; Indexes, 1874-1918
- Germans from Russia, Miscellaneous Passenger Manifests
- Immigration of Germans to the United States, created, ca. 1977 – 2002, Documenting the Period 1850 – 1897
- Immigration of Italians to the United States, created, ca. 1977 – 2002, Documenting the Period 1855 – 1900
- Immigration of Russians to the United States, created, ca. 1977 – 2002, Documenting the Period 1834 – 1897
- Index to Mennonite Immigrants on United States Passenger Lists, 1872 – 1904
- Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918
- Index to Naturalizations of World War I Soldiers, 1918
- Index to the Passenger Lists to the United States from Oct. 1, 1819 to Sept. 30, 1820
- Japanese Immigrants to the United States (from BYU Idaho), 1887-1924
- Mormon Migration Database, 1840-1932
- New York, Castle Garden
- New York, Ellis Island
- Passenger and Immigration Lists Index: a Guide to Published Records of more than 720,000 Immigrants who came to the New World between the Sixteenth and the mid- Twentieth Centuries
- Passenger Lists from Ireland
- Passenger Lists of Ships coming to North America, 1607-1825
- Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving in the United States Register
- Pilgrim Ship Lists Early 1600s – Several Arrival States
- Special Passports 1829-1897; Indexes, 1829-1894
- Supplemental Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Atlantic & Gulf Coast Ports (excluding New York)
- Swedish Passenger Arrivals in U.S. Ports, 1820-1850
- U.S., German Immigrants, 1712-1933 (free Index, Images require a subscription)
- United States Immigration, Ship Arrivals & Passenger Lists
- United States, Border Crossing from Canada to United States, New Brunswick, Records of Aliens Pre-Examined at Saint John, New Brunswick, Prior to Admission at the U.S.-Canada Border, 1917-1942
- United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1894-1954
- United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, Land Border Entries and Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, 1894-1905
- United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, Records and Certificates of Aliens pre-examined at Winnipeg, Manitoba Prior to Admission at the U.S.-Canada border, 1917-1954
- United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1895-1956
- United States, Border Crossings from Mexico to United States, 1903-1957
- United States, Eastern US Ports, Passenger Lists
- United States, Famine Irish Passenger Index, 1846-1851
- United States, Germans to America Index, 1850-1897
- United States, Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
- United States, Index to Alien Case Files, 1940-2003
- United States, Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, 1820-1874
- United States, Index to Passenger Lists, 1820-1940
- United States, Italians to America Index, 1855-1900
- United States, Japanese Americans Relocated During World War II, 1942-1946
- United States, Japanese Immigration Index
- United States, New England, Passenger and Crew Lists, 1911-1954
- United States, Passport Applications, 1795-1925
- United States, Passport to Paradise: the Copenhagen “Mormon” Passenger Lists
- United States, Russians to America Index, 1834-1897
Pennsylvania
- Allegheny, Pittsburgh, Naturalization Card File Index, 1906-1990
- Amish Immigrant Ships: a List of Amish Immigrants to the New World
- Berks County, Switzerland: Early Anabaptist Family Sites, Eshbach Homestead Near Lauperswil, Switzerland
- Bucks County, Migration, Internal, The Sailing of the Ship “Submission” in the Year 1682, with a True Copy of the Vessel’s Log
- Case Files of Chinese Immigrants from District No. 4 (Philadelphia) of the Immigration and Naturalization Service
- Chester County, Migration, Internal, Miscellaneous Records
- Chester County, Swiss and German Mennonite Immigrants from the Palatinate, 1704-1717
- Chester County, Swiss and German Mennonite Immigrants from the Palatinate, 1718-1726
- Early Immigrants to Pennsylvania 1680s-1726
- Erie, Crew Lists Arriving at Erie, 1952-1957
- Erie, Crew Lists Arriving at Erie, Collection Record, 1952-1957
- German Ships to Philadelphia 1727-1739
- German Ships to Philadelphia 1740-1752
- German Ships to Philadelphia 1753-1772
- German Ships to Philadelphia 1773-1795
- German Ships to Philadelphia 1796-1808
- Germantown, German Families
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals Vol. 1
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals Vol. 2
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals Vol. 3
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals Vol. 4
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals Vol. 5
- Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild, Philadelphia Arrivals Vol. 6
- Immigration Lists, Oaths of Allegiance, Books A-G, 1728-1775
- Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania, 1682-1750
- Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, 1800-1906
- Index to the Names of 30,000 Immigrants – German, Swiss, Dutch and French – into Pennsylvania, 1727-1776
- Palatine German Ship Passenger Lists to PA
- Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia, 1800-1882 with Index 1800-1906
- Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia,1883-1945; Index (soundex) to Passenger Lists Arriving at Philadelphia, 1883-1948; Book Indexes, 1906-1926
- Passenger Lists of Vessels for Baltimore and Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania German Pioneers from the County of Wertheim
- Pennsylvania German Pioneers Passenger Lists, Palatine German Immigrant Ships to Philadelphia 1727-1808
- Pennsylvania German Pioneers, Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808
- Pennsylvania German Pioneers; a Publication of the Original Lists of Arrivals in the Port of Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808
- Pennsylvania, A Collection of upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776
- Pennsylvania, A Collection of upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776
- Pennsylvania, A Collection of upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776 with a Statement of the Names of Ships, whence they sailed and the Date of their Arrival at Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania, A Collection of upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727 to 1776, with a Statement of the Names of Ships, whence they sailed, and the Date of their Arrival at Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania, A Collection of upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and Other Immigrants in Pennsylvania from 1727-1776, with a Statement of the Names of Ships, whence they sailed, and the Date of their Arrival at Philadelphia
- Pennsylvania, A List of Eighteenth-century Emigrants from the Canton of Schaffhausen to the American Colonies, 1734-1752
- Pennsylvania, A List of German Immigrants to the American Colonies from Zweibruecken in the Palatinate, 1750-1771
- Pennsylvania, Application for Passes, 1775-1790
- Pennsylvania, Card Index to Pennsylvania Germans in Several Immigrant Magazines
- Pennsylvania, Crew Lists Arriving at Erie, 1952-1957
- Pennsylvania, Eastern District Naturalization Indexes, 1795-1952
- Pennsylvania, Emigrants from the Palatinate to the American Colonies in the 18th Century
- Pennsylvania, Emigrants from Wuerttemberg; the Adolf Gerber Lists
- Pennsylvania, Historic background and Annals of the Swiss and German Pioneer Settlers of Southeastern Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania, Immigrant Servants Database
- Pennsylvania, Immigration of Irish Quakers to Pennsylvania, 1682-1750
- Pennsylvania, Impost Books of the Collector of Customs at Philadelphia, United States. Department of the Treasury
- Pennsylvania, Landing Reports of Aliens, 1798-1828
- Pennsylvania, Les enfants de la Princess Augusta, Migrations du Ban de la Roche vers l’Amérique; 18, 19 et 20ème siècles, Descendance Connue de Jean-Georges Wiedemann, maître-marechal ferrant à Rothau (67), des deux côtés de l’Atlantique
- Pennsylvania, Les voyageurs de la «Princess Augusta», Migrations du Ban de la Roche vers l’Amérique; 18éme siècle
- Pennsylvania, Names of Foreigners Who took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775, with Foreign Arrivals, 1786-1808
- Pennsylvania, Notes of (non-Quakers) Early Settlers of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania, Notes on English Quakers in Pennsylvania, Late 17th & Early 18th Centuries
- Pennsylvania, Notes on Immigrants to Pennsylvania, 1681-1737
- Pennsylvania, Notes on Swedes [Swedish] Immigrants
- Pennsylvania, Notes on Welsh Immigrants, Late 17th & Early 18th Centuries
- Pennsylvania, Passenger Ship Records, 1681-1770
- Pennsylvania, Pennsylvanians in Ohio
- Pennsylvania, Records of the Russian Consular Offices in the United States, 1862-1928
- Pennsylvania, Redemptioners and indentured Servants in the Colony and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania, The First Swiss Settlements in America
- Pennsylvania, The Founding of the German Churches of Pennsylvania
- Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania-German in the Settlement of Maryland
- Pennsylvania, Welsh Founders of Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia Case Files of Chinese Immigrants, 1900-1923
- Philadelphia from 1727 to 1808
- Philadelphia Passenger List Index Cards, 1883-1948
- Philadelphia Passenger List Index Cards, Collection Record, 1883-1948
- Philadelphia Passenger Lists Index, 1800-1906
- Philadelphia Passenger Lists Index, Collection Record, 1800-1906
- Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1800-1882
- Philadelphia Passenger Lists, 1883-1945
- Philadelphia Passenger Lists, Collection Record, 1800-1882
- Philadelphia Passenger Lists, Collection Record, 1883-1945
- Philadelphia, A Portion of Registry of Arrivals at Philadelphia, 1682-1686
- Philadelphia, Card File of Detainee Immigrants, 1914-1921
- Philadelphia, Case Files of Chinese Immigrants, 1900-1923
- Philadelphia, Immigrant Records, 1884-1952
- Philadelphia, Immigration (Lazaretto Register), 1847-1893
- Philadelphia, Immigration Lists, Oaths of Allegiance in Philadelphia, Books A-G, 1728-1775
- Philadelphia, Inbound Alien Crew Lists with Related Forms, at the Port of Phila, PA, 1946
- Philadelphia, Jewish Immigrant Aid Societies’ Records of Jewish Arrivals, 1913-1947
- Philadelphia, Jewish Petition Cards to Bring Relatives to the United States, 1923-1935
- Philadelphia, Landing Reports of Aliens, 1798-1832
- Philadelphia, Landing Reports of Aliens, Collection Record, 1798-1828
- Philadelphia, Landing Verification Cards, 1907-1914
- Philadelphia, Lists of Foreigners Who Arrived at Philadelphia, 1791-1792
- Philadelphia, Lists of Foreigners Who Arrived at Philadelphia, 1791-1792
- Philadelphia, Lists of Palatine Immigrants Who Arrived in Philadelphia in 1727
- Philadelphia, Passenger List of the Ship “Elizabeth,” Which Arrived at Philadelphia in 1819
- Philadelphia, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Philadelphia,1883-1945; Index (soundex) to Passenger Lists Arriving at Philadelphia, 1883-1948; Book Indexes, 1906-1926
- Philadelphia, Prepaid Steamship Ticket Record, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 1906-1948
- Philadelphia, Records, 1884-1934
- Philadelphia, Registry of the Redemptioners, 1785-1804, 1817-1831
- Philadelphia, Rupps 30,000 Names (extract), Emigrants Landed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1730-1800; December 11, 1739, Among Others, Hans Jacob Free; 75 Palatines on the Ship Lydia, Captain James Allen, from London
- Philadelphia, Seamen’s Proofs of Citizenship, 1791-1861
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775
- Philadelphia, Ship Registers for the Port of Philadelphia, 1726-1775, (continued from Vo. XXVII, Page 498)
- Philadelphia, Switzerland: Early Anabaptist Family Sites, Engel Sites in the Emmental and the Jura
- Philadelphia, The Compass, Multiple Volumes
- Philadelphia, Ticket Purchase Books and Index, 1899-1930
- Philadelphia, Ticket Purchase Books, 1890-1934
- Philadelphia, Trans-Atlantic Travel for Palatines
- Philadelphia, United States, Eastern US Ports, Passenger Lists
- Records of the Russian Consular Offices in the United States
- Records of the Special Boards of Inquiry, District 4, Philadelphia, 1893-1909
- Ships to Pennsylvania, 1600-1699
- Ships to Pennsylvania, 1800-
- Wayne County, Court of Common Pleas, Naturalization Records, 1799-1906
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!