Immigration and Ships Passenger Lists Research Guide
Section 4.0 - Example 1  - Last updated February 15, 2005
Return to Section 4.0 of Guide
Example - 1
Researching in Indexed Years (1820 to circa1891)
In searching in indexed years, you first find the microfilm roll of the index having the immigrants name, then you search that microfilm to find the index card with the immigrant's name which shows the ship that the immigrant arrived on, and finally, you locate the microfilm containing that ship's passenger list and find the immigrants listing on that list.  The following is a step-by step example illustrating this procedure.
Searching the Port of New York 1820 to 1846 (Indexed Years) - for Claus Lange

Step 1.  Locate the listing for the index of passenger arrival records from the table shown in Section 4.2. (A portion of this table showing the Port of New York listing is reproduced beow)

PORT OF NEW YORK
Index to Passenger Lists                                     M261 (Rolls 1-103)                                                               0350204
                1820-1846
Passenger Lists                                                      M237 (Rolls 1-675)                                                                  0002246
                1820-1897
Register of Vessels                                                M1066 (Rolls 1-27)                                                                  1415143
                1789-1919

As seen from this table,  the Index to the Passenger Lists - 1820 to 1846 - for the Port of New York is NARA microfilm record group M261 - FHC number 0350204.

Step 2A.   Researching in the National Archives - (see below for Researching at an LDS FHC)
Look in the NARA catalog for Record Group 36 (or log unto the National Archives web site for Record Group 36  ) to locate the detailed NARA microfilm roll number in record group M261  containing the index card with your ancestor's name.    As seen on this NARA catalog page, which is reproduced below,  the name Lange would be located on roll 55 (L-Lau).
 

INDEX to PASSENGER LISTS of VESSELS ARRIVING at NEW YQRK - 1820 to 1846
RECORDS OF THE U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
GROUP 36 - M261 (Rolls 1-103)
1 A--Alo  36 Gile-Gom 71 Muller, H-Murp
2 Alp-Art 37 Gon-Grau 72 Murr-Neu
3 Aru-Bal 38 Grav-Gro 73 Nev-Ny
4 Ball--Bas 39 Grt--Hai 74 O--On
5 Bass--Bel 40 Haj--Hanr 75 Op--Par
6 Bell--Bex 41 Hans--Harv 76 Pas--Pet
7 Bey--Blum 42 Harw--Heh 77 Peu--Poq 
8 Blum--Box 43 Hei--Hern 78 Por--Qug
9 Boy--Bree 44 Hero--Hir 79 Qui--Rea
10 Bref--Browl 45 His--Hoo 80 Reb--Rex
11 Brown--Buckl 46 Hop--Hug 81 Rey--Ril
12 Buckm--Buts 47 Huh--Irw 82 Rim--Rof
13 Butt--Cam 48 Is--Jog 83 Rog--Ruf
14 Can--Cart 49 Joh--Jon  84 Rug--Sap
15 Caru--Cha 50 Joo--Keem 85 Sar--Schl
16 Che--Cla 51 Keen--Kennd  86 Schm--Schv 
17 Cle--Coll 52 Kenne--Kim 87 Schw--Shap
18 Colm--Cook 53 Kin--Kob 88 Shar--Simo
19 Cooke--Coy 54 Koc--Ky 89 Simp--Smith, K.
20 Coz--Cul  55 L--Lau  --This roll contains Lang 90 Smith, L.--Spi 
21 Cum--Dan 56 Lav--Leo 91 Spl--Ste
22 Dao--Deh 57 Lep--Loa 92 Stf--Su
23 Dei--Did 58 Lob--Lur 93 Sv--Tha
24 Die--Dona 59 Lus--Mahn 94 The--Til
25 Donb--Dox 60 Maho--Mark 95 Tim--Turl
26 Doy--Dunm 61 Marl--Mat 96 Turm--Vi
27 Dunn--Ed  62 Mau--McCap 97 Vl--Walse
28 Ee--Er 63 McCar--McCu 98 Walsh--Waz
29 Es--Farq 64 McD--McGi 99 Was--Wer
30 Farr--Fil 65 McGl--McKem 100 Wes--Wile
31 Fim--Fle 66 McKen--McNa 101 Wilf--Wily
32 Fli--Fo 67 McNd--Me 102 Wim--Wri
33 Fr--Fus 68 Mi--Mok 103 Wro--Z
34 Fut--Gar 69 Mol--Morh

35 Gas--Gilb 70 Mori--Muller, G.

Step 2B -  Researching at an LDS FHC  - Look in the FHC catalog to find the proper roll number.  If you are using the Computer Library Catalog at the FHC, an easy way to locate the catalog page that shows this index is to select "Film / Fiche Number Search" and enter the FHC microfilm number shown on the table in Section 4.2.  Then find the appropriate roll number in the catalog. (Refer to Section 2.0 of this Guide for detailed instructions.)  After you have located the appropriate film roll number, you should order that microfilm roll.

For this example, you would first enter the number 0350204, which you found in Step 1,  into the computer.  The index list with the microfilm numbers appears on the monitor.  The partial table below is an excerpt from that catalog page.  Note that film number  0350258 contains the index for L-Lau.  Therefore order microfilm roll 0350258.

MICROFILM SHOWING SAMPLE INDEX CARDS
Port of New York - 1820 to 1846 (NARA - Roll 55 - M261)
 Index Card
 

                                           THESE CARDS SHOW:
                                                                                       Name of Passenger:
                                                                          Family Members:
                                           Nationality/Last Residence/Destination:
                                                                     Age/Sex/Occupation:
                                                 Port/Ship Name & Date of Arrival:

CAUTION:
Be alert when using these films!!  What you see here is only one-half of
the film.  There is another set of similar images on the other half of the film.
You have to adjust the film in the microfilm reader to see the other half.
 

This card shows that C. Lang arrived at the port of New York aboard the ship
Falcon on 6-11-1827.
 
 
 

HINT - You very likely may find more than one index card that could refer to your ancestor. Make note of the names and related information for all possible candidates to permit you to research these further if required.  Also, you normally can make copies of the selected page of the microfilm for a nominal fee. It is suggested that you copy the index card for each candidate for reference as you proceed with your search.  This may save you the time to go back to make a second search of the index.

Step 4A.   Researching in the National Archives - (see below for Researching at an LDS FHC)
Based on the information on the above index card, look in the NARA catalog for Record Group 36 (or log unto the National Archives web site for Record Group 36  ) -  Passenger Lists for the Port of New York - M237.  Find the microfilm roll number corresponding to the date of arrival that you found on the index card.

For this example, search for the microfilm containing the date 6-11-1827.  The NARA catalog - Passenger Lists for the Port of New York, 1820-1897, which is partially reproduced below, shows that microfilm M237- roll 10  includes passenger lists from June 1, 1827 to Nov. 16, 1827.  Obtain this microfilm roll..

Part of NARA Catalog - M237 - Passenger Lists for the Port of New York, 1820-1897
Roll      Dates
1         Jan. 7, 1820--June 30, 1821
2         July 2, 1821--May 17, 1822
3         May 18, 1822--Mar. 26, 1823
4         Apr. 3--Nov. 17, 1823
5         Nov. 18, 1823--Aug. 11, 1824
6         Aug. 12, 1824--Apr. 30, 1825
7         May 2--Dec. 29, 1825
8         Jan. 2--Aug. 31, 1826
9         Sept. 2, 1826--May 30, 1827
10        June 1, 1827--Nov. 16, 1827  --This roll contains 6/11/1827
11        Nov. 21, 1827--June 30, 1828
12        July 1, 1828--Feb. 28, 1829
13        Mar. 4, 1829--Apr. 30, 1830
<snip>

Step 4B -  Researching at an LDS FHC  - For this example, you first enter the number 0002246 as found in the table in Section 4.2 for the Passenger Lists for the port of New York - 1820-1897.  Then, the passenger list with the microfilm numbers with the corresponding dates appear on the monitor.  Search for the date (6-11-1827) and find that microfilm roll 0002255 contains passenger lists from 1 Jun 1827 to 16 Nov. 1827.  Therefore order microfilm roll 0002255
.
Step 5 - Place the microfilm roll of the passenger list in the microfilm reader.  Search through the microfilm to locate 11 June, 1827 and then look for the passenger list for the ship Falcon that was named on the index card. (You will see a passenger list similar to the one shown in section 4.1.)  After you have located the passenger list for that ship,  search that list to find your ancestor's name and other desired information.

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