California Immigration Records Index

In California, various immigration records are invaluable to genealogists tracing their ancestors' origins. Key records include passenger arrival lists, naturalization records, and border crossing records. Passenger arrival lists, often available through the National Archives or local repositories, document when immigrants arrived by ship, offering names, ages, and sometimes occupations. Naturalization records, held by county courts and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, detail when immigrants became U.S. citizens, providing additional personal information. Border crossing records from the U.S.-Mexico border or ports like San Francisco can help track individuals who entered through less traditional routes. These records offer critical insights into family history, connecting individuals to their places of origin and migration patterns, making them essential tools for genealogists.

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Collections available in CaliforniaCollections available in California


California Passenger Lists, 1893-1957 2,398,631 records available California, San Diego Passenger Lists 158,968 records available California and Hawaii, Chinese immigration to the United States 131,688 records available California, San Francisco Immigration Special Inquiry Detainees, 1910-1941 66,305 records available See the entire collection catalog of immigration records in California

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