Immigration Research

Between 1824-1924 some 34 million Europeans immigrated to the United States.  A primary reason was the Industrial Revolution.  Farmlands in Europe were being reduced and farmers, craftsmen and laborers were living in poverty. These European people believed that the United States was truly a land of opportunity and were willing to change their whole way of life to take advantage of the opportunities.

Another reason was political.  The 1848 revolution in Germany caused many political refugees to seek a new country.  Therefore, many oppressed people felt the United States to be a sanctuary for them.  Here was a country where rights were actually guaranteed to all people by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  In the United States of America they believed they would have opportunities for education and be free to practice their religion and own property.   No wonder then, that millions of Europeans came to the United States believing that they would have better lives than the ones they left behind.

The decision to leave their homeland was only the beginning of a long and difficult journey that lasted two to three months.  Aboard ship the immigrants found unbelievably intolerable conditions.  Most could only afford steerage passage.  The steerage compartments were about five feet high with two tiers of beds.  Men, women and children and sometimes as many as 900 people, were crowded together with room only for themselves and their belongings rolled up next to them.  Each person was provided a narrow cot but often it was not even wide enough to turn over.  Beds and bedding were not aired out or washed until the day before arrival and inspection by government officials.  Most of the time the only air and light available was through a hatchway, that had to be closed during stormy or rough weather.  The air became increasingly filthy and foul as the journey progressed.  Food was often insufficient and not cooked properly.  Grain that had hardened and served as a lump, was very common. Clean water was also insufficient for the needs of the steerage passengers. Toilets were inadequate for the number of people aboard, and the stench that permeated the air was unimaginable.

Before 1847, immigrants arriving in the United States were faced with chaos.  There was no official reception area.  Once the immigrants got to the dock, the situation deteriorated even further. They were sold tickets to the wrong destinations, cheated while changing money and talked into paying money for rundown boarding houses.   In 1855 the Castle Garden Receiving Station was opened to regulate the processing of incoming passengers.

In 1887, however, charges of corruption within the administration of Castle Garden led to an investigation of abuses.  The investigative committee subsequently recommended that immigration regulation be turned over to the federal government.  Ellis Island was selected as the new site and was opened in January, 1892.  Immigrants were now taken to Ellis Island for processing.  However, since Ellis Island could handle only about 5,000 people a day, it was not uncommon for another 10,000-15,000 to wait on ships for two days just to get there.

Once on Ellis Island, the immigrants went through medical examinations.  If the doctors saw anything indicating a possible contagious disease or something that would cause the immigrant to become a public charge (such as a mental or physical handicap) the immigrant’s shoulder was marked with chalk for a further examination.  Naturally, most immigrants did not understand what was happening and often had to wait days for a family member to have a further examination. If a person failed the medical examinations, he or she was subject to deportation.

After medical examinations the immigrants had to answer a series of questions including their ability to read and write, their final destinations in the United States, how much money they had and if they were joining relatives in the United States.  About 20 percent of immigrants were held over for further questioning (where they could not have a lawyer or communicate with family and friends).  It took up to two weeks for these cases to be decided. During this time, the immigrants were housed in crowded buildings but were fed and given medical care.

Finding the information about your ancestors who immigrated to the United States can be a rewarding experience.  Learning what ship they immigrated on and where they landed in America is an important piece of your family's history.  We can help you find the passenger lists for your ancestors.

To find the town or region your ancestor emigrated from we must find all of the records and information available in United States sources.  This includes:

• Exact and Full Name
  It is necessary to account for ethnicity name variants (i.e.: Joseph Greene, an Italian immigrant, will likely be found in passenger lists as Giuseppe Verdi) and/or formal name changes (i.e.: many Eastern European immigrants shorted or changed their surname upon entry into the United States).

• Vital Records Dates and Family Relationships
  Birth, death and marriage records, upon availability, should be obtained as these records often identify the immigrant's parent's names or they provide sufficient specific dates and places of birth that will allow positive identification of the immigrant in International records.

• Immigration Date
  Census records, naturalization records and sometimes family histories will list a specific date of immigration and a port of entry into the United States. Naturalization records after June 1906, are extraordinarily helpful because they contain a large amount of genealogical material. The Family History Library has volumes and volumes of these very important records.

• A History of the Immigrant's Life in America
  Tracing the immigrant family in census records, court records, naturalization records, vital records, military records and county histories, etc. allows us to develop a "history" of your immigrant that will reveal his or her occupation, any relatives in the United States, naming patterns of his or her children, and a host of other important details.  You can assist us in this step by carefully reviewing any documents and records you or other family members may have.

After the above steps have been completed, and a place of origin has been found in the old country for your ancestor/ancestors, then research would typically continue in European records.  The Family History Library holds a wealth of records for Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Norway, Sweden, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, countries of the former Soviet Union, and many more.  We work with researchers in those countries to find the information and have the information translated into English if needed.  We can help you locate the origins of your immigrant ancestor.

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