Understanding the time period your ancestor immigrated to, and lived in, the U.S. relative to the records and strategies that are most useful for the time period can help you focus your research. Let’s look at three hypothetical examples.

Ancestor 1 arrived in America in 1910. For any ancestor who arrived after 1906 Naturalization and Passenger Lists are almost always useful. Family Records, Extended Family Research, FAN Club Research, Family Structure, U.S. Church Records are useful also, if needed.

Ancestor 2 came to America in 1840 and died in 1905. Family Records, Extended Family Research, FAN Club Research, Family Structure and U.S. Church Records are all useful. Census Research and Correlation, Military Records and Newspaper Research are also often useful, while Passenger Lists are sometimes useful, along with Naturalization, Passports and Border Crossings depending on the time period.

Ancestor 3 came to America in the late 1600s. Compiled Genealogies, U.S. Land Records, Town & County Histories and Scholarly Research may be useful in this time period when they are often not as useful in later time periods. Family Records, Extended Family Research, FAN Club Research, Family Structure and U.S. Church Records, all are often useful for solving early immigration cases.

Use the “Records and Strategies Usefulness” chart to help understand where to focus your efforts, but never overlook a record type or strategy if you aren’t finding the answer to your research problem.

We’ve all got an ancestor or two (or more) whose name(s) were not the average John Smith, Mary Jones or William Davis. And, if your ancestor came from Poland, Russian, Germany, Czechoslovakia or another country with uniquely spelled and sounding names, you will probably find a variety of spellings of your ancestors names. Consistent spelling is a fairly new idea, and for our ancestors it really wasn’t important. People often spelled phonetically - they wrote down what they thought they heard. Throw in the fact that letters of the alphabet in other languages made different sounds and you can get some very creative spellings of names. Just because it’s spelled differently doesn’t mean it’s not your ancestor!

EXAMPLE 1 When the Christian Warning family settled in West Seneca, Erie County, New York the census taker probably didn’t speak German. On the 1870 U.S. census the name Warning was recorded as “Vorning,” which is about what it sounded like in German.

EXAMPLE 2 And sometimes a name would be spelled differently within the same document! Conrad Bauer’s birth record recorded his first name as “Conrad” and “Konrad” in the body of the document. The letters C and K sound the same in German, so why not use a K when you feel like it?

EXAMPLE 3 Unusual names were often spelled in “creative” ways. Celestia Shackleford’s first name was uncommon in Virginia, and a Southern accent may have contributed to how it must have sounded. The census taker wrote what he thought he heard “Seluster.”

EXAMPLE 4 Even in the place of origin names were spelled differently. A note in the baptismal register from Warnow, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Germany written by the priest explained that the name “Warning” was spelled “Warneke” “Warning” and “Warnick” in different parishes.

Learn how to use wildcards in your searches when you think the name may have been misspelled. Wildcards are a technique where you replace potentially misspelled letters in a word with an asterisk (*) to represent any number of letters, or a question mark (?) to represent one letter. For example, to search for variants of the surname “Warning” you could enter the wildcard “W*rn*” this would return results like “Warning” “Warneke” “Warnick” “Wornin” “Werner” etc. Read more about using wildcards from Lisa Lisson’s blog article Use A Genealogy Wildcard Search For Better Ancestor Search Results.

Read more about name variations in U.S. records on the FamilySearch Wiki and check out the Spelling Substitution Tables also on the wiki.

Source: Example 1: St. Peters United Church of Christ (West Seneca, Erie, New York), "Burial Register,"page no. not recorded, Daniel Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm Otte, born 1808 in Boldebuck, Gustrow, Mecklenburg Schwerin, died 16 Feb 1871; Church Offices, West Seneca.

Source: Example 2: St. Mary's Catholic Church (Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana), , Organized by year, Barbara Bauer, Death Record 4 January 1886, Burial 6 January 1886, born in Großachsen, Baden; FHL microfilm 1,491,995, item 5.

One of the most likely record groups that might include the birthplace of your ancestor are United States church records. Lutheran and Catholic church records are often very thorough and well preserved, but all sects should be searched. Talk to older members of the family and check obituaries, funeral notices, death certificates, cemetery records, and newspaper articles for the church your ancestor attended. More and more of these records are being digitized and put online—check the FamilySearch catalog to see if the church records you’re looking for are there. If records aren’t online contact the church directly, in person if possible, and ask to look at the records. Also, check local and state archives to see if records have been deposited there. If your immigrant ancestor was German it is estimated that local U.S. church records list their birthplace 65-76% of the time. Read a study about this here.

Sunny Morton’s excellent book “How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: A Genealogist's Guide” is an excellent resource. Read the review of the book by Nicole Dyer on FamilyLocket.com by clicking on the link above. Watch Sunny’s presentation “Family History in U.S. Church Records” online from the Library of Congress.

EXAMPLE 1 The death record for Daniel Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm Otte was found by going to the church and searching, with the staff, to find the record book. In a dusty closet at the bottom of a stack of old books, we found the church records. Dating back to the mid-1800s, the book was full of records for Daniel’s and associated families. Daniel’s record recorded his birthplace, birthdate, and age. German records were later searched and his birth record was found.

EXAMPLE 2 Catharina Barbara Wolf’s birthplace was recorded in her death record found in the microfilmed records of St. Mary’s Catholic Church of Indianapolis, Indiana. These records were online at FamilySearch.org.

You should find your immigrant ancestor in the ship passenger arrival list, and the good news is you almost certainly can. Their name may be spelled wrong, indexed wrong or be somehow different, but they are almost certainly there. And, ship passenger lists are highly available. If you ancestor arrived in the U.S. after 1906 the list typically listed the place the person was born and the last place they lived (usually with an address) before immigrating.

Pre-1906 lists usually list only the country of birth, but still are critical in solving your immigration problem. These lists should be carefully examined—pay careful attention to all members of the family and those listed near them on the list that probably came from the same place as your ancestor. Gathering this information and recording it will be important as you search census and other records to compare and correlate information.

Search passenger lists at Ancestry.com. Another useful website for finding your ancestor in passenger lists is SteveMorse.org. You can also find great passenger lists at FamilySearch.

Some European ports have emigration passenger lists. The Hamburg Passenger lists are of particular note as they have been well preserved and indexed. Many persons from Germany, Poland, and other countries near northern Germany came to the U.S. from the port of Hamburg. These lists are fairly easy to search and many entries list the town the person had most recently been living in on these lists. Search the “Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934” on Ancestry.com. Read more about how to use these lists by reading the “Hamburg Passenger Lists” article on the FamilySearch wiki.

Pre-1850 passenger lists to the U.S. can be searched via Ancestry.com’s database “U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s.” This database is from the Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, by William P. Filby. These indexes contain nearly 5 million names of individuals who arrived in U.S. and Canada ports from the 1500s through the 1900s and are considered the best place to search for early U.S. passenger records.

EXAMPLE 1 The elusive Martin Hart’s passenger list from 1909 included his birthplace of Thornley, [Durham], England, his last place of residence with his brother, Michael Hart, in Trindon, Durham, England, and his destination of Rend City, Benton, Illinois where his brother Thomas Hart was living at the time.

EXAMPLE 2 Heinrich Klies left Hamburg for the U.S. on 26 April 1873 with his wife, three children, and his widowed mother Sophie [Anna Sophia Wiencke], listing Seedorf, Lauenburg, [Schlewig-Holstein] as the last place they had lived.

EXAMPLE 1: Source: Passenger manifest, S.S. Saxonia, 1 September 1909, p. 39 (stamped), 40 (unnumbered) 40B (stamped), line 10, entry for Martin Hart, age 31, arriving at Boston; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 November 2016); citing NARA microfilm publication T843, roll 128.

EXAMPLE 2: Source: "Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934," database and digital images, Ancestry.com (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 January 2020), Sophie Klies listed with her son Hinrich Klies, 26 April 1873, Ship Vandalia, Hamburg to New York; citing Hamburger Passagierlisten; Volume: 373-7 I, VIII A 1 Band 028 B; Page: 363; Microfilm No.: K_1718.

If it was possible that your ancestor was naturalized you want to find the records associated with that process. If your ancestor naturalized after 1906 these records will almost always provide the name of the town where they were born, and much more. Prior to 1906 you might find the town they were born in, but it’s less likely. Naturalization was a process that often took a few years to complete. First the person submitted a Declaration of Intent to Naturalize. The next step, which may have not been taken for a year or two, was to file a Petition for Naturalization. Finally they applicant was given a Certificate of Citizenship. Each of these steps produced documents that may be of genealogical value, and all should be searched for. Learn more about the process here. Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records on FamilySearch Wiki. Before 1906 Naturalization typically occurred at local courts, whereas after September 26, 1906 records were kept at the National Archives. Links can be found on the Wiki article referred to above. For online state resources see United States Naturalization and Citizenship Online Genealogy Records

EXAMPLE Naturalization records for Martha (Hettwer) Sieverding include her Certificate of Arrival, Petition for Naturalization and Oath of Allegiance. Her Petition for Naturalization identified her birthdate as 30 January 1905 and birthplace as Buchelsdorf, [Neustadt, Oppeln, Schlesien], Poland. Martha’s arrival information of 7 May 1928 at New York on the S.S. Columbus made it easy to find her ship passenger record.

Source: "Indiana Naturalization Records and Indexes, 1848-1993," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HV3N-JH2M : 4 August 2020), Martha Sieverding, 19 Oct 1937; citing Naturalization, Indianapolis, Marion, Indiana, United States, NARA NAID 5682644, National Archives at Chicago, Illinois, n.d.

But you say “My ancestor didn’t get a passport and why would be on a border crossing list?” You may be surprised to find out that your ancestor traveled back to their home country to visit family, and even in the 1800s there are passport application files available. Often passport applications list the town of birth. Many of these records have now been indexed so they are definitely worth searching to see if your ancestor shows up in them. Search U.S. Passport Applications 1795-1925 on Ancestry.com or FamilySearch.org.

EXAMPLE 1 The passport of Louis Schneider is full of valuable information including his birthdate of 3 Jun 1851 and the name of the town where he was born—Nieder Ofleiden, Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany.

Border crossing records can be very helpful when trying to track an elusive ancestor. Many of these records have been indexed and may provide information about when and where your ancestor immigrated and even the date of arrival, port and name of the ship they arrived in. Ancestry.com has at least four Border Crossing databases for U.S. to Canada, Canada to U.S., and Mexico to U.S.

EXAMPLE 2 Martin Hart lived in the Detroit area in the early 1900s, but he met and married Laura Sherwood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. On 12 Mar 1912 Martin crossed the border from the U.S. to Toronto and left behind a record that stated that he arrived in the U.S. on the S.S. Saxonia on 1 Sep 1906 at the port of Boston, Massachusetts. Although the year was incorrect, this record made it possible to locate his ship passenger record of 1 September 1909 on the Saxonia to Boston.

Source: Example 1: "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-FY5Q : 16 March 2018), Louis Schneider, 1896; citing Passport Application, New Jersey, United States, source certificate #, Passport Applications, 1795-1905., 459, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Example 2: Detroit Border Crossing Index, 31 March 1912, index card (unnumbered), Martin Hart, age 25, arriving in Detroit from Windsor, Ontario, Canada; digital images, Ancestry.com (http:www.ancestry.com : accessed 6 November 2016); citing NARA publication M1478, roll no. 028.

Many immigrants served in the U.S. Military, some in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, and World War II. World War I and II Draft Cards sometimes list the birthplace of the person, military pension files often include letters, affidavits, and copies of marriage and/or birth records of the applicant and/or his widow and/or children.

World War I Draft Registration Cards can be searched at FamilySearch and Ancestry. World War II Draft Registration Cards are also available at FamilySearch and Ancestry. Alien World War II Draft Registrations are also available at Ancestry. Civil War Pension Files can be found on Fold3.com and indexes to pension files are found on Ancestry and FamilySearch.

EXAMPLE 1 Although he wasn’t the direct ancestor, the Civil War pension file for Georg Maximillian Bauer included a copy of his birth record of 24 Jan 1839 from the Catholic Church in Leutershausen, Baden, Germany.

EXAMPLE 1: Source: "Catholic Pastorate, Leutershausen, Baden, Copy of Birth Certificate for Georg Maximilian Bauer, 20 March 1909, George Bauer (Pvt., Co. P, 32nd Ind. Vols., Civil War),'" application no. 169546, certificate no. 151717, United State of America, paper facsimile from Susan Murphy, direct descendant of Georg Maximilian Bauer, typically, such files appear in Record Group 15, National Archives, Washington, D.C.

EXAMPLE 2 The World War I Draft Registration Card for Alphones Frank Durckel recorded his birthplace as Mulhausen, Alsace, Germany.

EXAMPLE 1: Source: "United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6DN-NNH : 23 February 2021), Alphonse Frank Durckel, 1917-1918.

Newspaper articles can provide clues to relatives that might become part of extended family research. Newspaper funeral notices can lead to finding the church that your ancestor’s church death record might be found in. Newspaper obituaries sometimes name the hometown of the ancestor also, or they might provide information on when they immigrated.

Subscription based newspaper sites Newspapers.com and GenealogyBank.com are wonderful resources for Newspaper research. Free sites ChroniclingAmerica.loc.gov, Elephind.com and Google News Archive are excellent resource also. Ancestry.com has a great obituary collection “U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current” that should be searched.

Don’t forget to search foreign-language newspapers. Your immigrant ancestor probably associated with people from the old country and if they read a newspaper it likely was one in the language of the country they came from if one was available. This is particularly true of German immigrants because there were many German-language newspapers available. To find German-language newspapers by location read “Historical German American Newspapers Online” on The Ancestor Hunt. Also check out the articles on how to research newspapers on The Ancestor Hunt.

EXAMPLE Although he was not the direct ancestor being researched, Henry Grein’s obituary was a gold mine of information, providing Henry’s birthplace of Heidelbach, Alsfeld, Hessen, his birthdate of 16 May 1836, and his immigration date of 17 September 1852.

Source: "Henry Grein Dead.," Obituary, Buffalo Courier, 26 August 1902, p. 10, col. 3; online images, fultonhistory.com (fultonhistory.com : accessed 29 April 2014).

Finding the hometown for ancestors who came to America before 1800 presents unique challenges. Many of the record types that can be used to find the hometown of the ancestor are unavailable for this time period. But, it is possible to identify the hometowns of some of these ancestors.

If your ancestor lived in New England you may have more success than for those who came to the southern colonies as early church and town records for many New England towns survive. Immigrants to Pennsylvania also may be found in records unique to that colony, in particular German immigrants.

Anyone trying to find ancestors in Colonial America should watch the “Colonial Immigration” presentation by Beth Foulk, in the FamilySearch Help Center. Also, read the “Early U.S. Immigrant Records” article on the FamilySearch Wiki.

A starting point for anyone trying to find immigration records prior to 1820 is the “Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1500s-1900s” on Ancestry.com. You can also access this information on MyHeritage.com. This database contains over five million names of persons arriving between 1500 and 1900. After finding a name in the index you will then need to locate the original record that the index refers to. The original records are usually found in libraries, like the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, some are at FamilySearch.org.

Record types, and strategies, still useful in this time period include: FAN Club research, extended family research, family structure analysis, Passenger Lists (see above), Newspaper (see Chronicling America), Church records (letters of introduction and transfer) and Emigration. Record types more unique to this time period include: Pre-Federal Naturalization Records, Oaths of Allegiance, Probate, Journals, compiled genealogies, town and county histories and scholarly research. Colonial land records, as demonstrated in the example, and indentured servitude records are also useful.

EXAMPLE Henry Stoneham came to Virginia sometime before 26 Jan 1675/6. In deed book, volume 4, of Lancaster County, Virginia Henry appointed two men, one of Sompting, Sussex and the other of Steyning, Sussex, to sell a small plot of land he was inheriting from his father, Henry Stoneham, who had died in “south lan sham” Sussex, England. Further research showed that “south lan sham” was actually South Lancing (adjacent to Sompting). Records from South Lancing for Henry’s birth and two additional generations were then discovered.

Source: Lancaster Co., Va., Deeds Vol. 4 1666-1682, Deeds Vol. 4 1666-1682, pp. 238-239, Henry Stoneham to Paul Wheeler, clothworker of London, 3 acres in South Lancing, Sussex, 26 Jan 1675/6; FHL microfilm 32,130.

A critical step in confirming that the family you are researching in the United States is the same family you have found in the country of origin is to compare, correlate and analyze the information and relationships to ensure they match. Compare the names, ages, genders and relationships of the individuals you have found. If you found a family, make sure the children are very close to the right ages. If you found children that died in the country of origin are they absent in United States records? There may be one person that you can’t match up - either they didn’t make the trip, or perhaps they married, or you couldn’t find their birth information. But, the basic structure of the family should match closely.

EXAMPLE The William and Mary Boldt family of West Seneca, Erie, New York was found on U.S. passenger lists, Hamburg passenger lists, U.S. census records and German parish records. The table shown compares the names of each family member with the data from each record. Notice that the three children in red died in Retgendorf, Mecklenburg-Schwerin before 1 Oct 1856 when the family departed Hamburg for the U.S.