Naturalization records document the naturalization of a citizen: the legal process where a non-citizen becomes a citizen of a country.
To begin your research into an ancestor's naturalization, first search for information about the naturalization laws for their home country, including a timeline for who could become naturalized and what was required. Not all immigrants had to undergo naturalization, and not everyone was legally able, depending on the country and era.
Acquiring a genealogy how-to book for your ancestor's country might help in learning more about the naturalization process.
Naturalization can be a local court process, or it may be standardized in a specific type of court. For example, in the United States, before 1906, an ancestor could have gone to any courthouse to be naturalized.
To be naturalized, a person may have to fill out paperwork. The naturalization process may result in a lengthy paper trail or none at all. As part of the process, they may have had to prove residency in their new country for a specific number of years and maybe include witness statements providing you information about their FAN Club (Friends, Associates, and Neighbors).
Naturalization records will differ depending on the time period and the country. But some of the information you may find includes:
- Name
- Birth date and place
- Port where they entered the country
- Occupation
- Spouse name
- Children's names
- Residential address
Why research naturalization records?
Why seek out naturalization records? Knowing that an ancestor was naturalized, thus becoming a citizen of a new country, can mean finding other documents. For example, a citizen may be eligible for a passport, land, or other government benefits that lead to records. In addition, the naturalization record might provide you with information that is not found in other records.
Where to find naturalization records
As we consider possible records, remember that there may be differences between citizenship and naturalization records. A citizenship record might be given to someone who acquired citizenship through a means other than naturalization, such as derivative citizenship (for example, when a wife derives citizenship from a husband). Naturalization has to do with citizenship, but a naturalization document records information for someone who applied for and/or obtained citizenship through the naturalization process.
In addition, a person may have started the naturalization process but failed to finish it for several reasons. Make sure that you carefully analyze the records you find and note what part of the process they record. Seek out all of the documents that would have been relevant for that time and location.
Some historic naturalization records will be found online through genealogy websites. Because naturalization may include paperwork from various government agencies, one database may not have all of the documents for your ancestor.
Once you've exhausted online sources, other places to look include courthouses and local and national archives. Check the country's national archive website to learn about immigration and naturalization records.
When you can't find naturalization records
There are numerous reasons you may not find an ancestor's naturalization records. This can depend on the country, the time period, and the laws. Some reasons include:
- They were not allowed citizenship
- They were not required to naturalize
- There was no process for naturalization in that time period
- They had derivative citizenship through a husband or a parent
- They chose not to gain citizenship
- The records are not extant
Remember that not everyone who migrated to a new country wanted to become a citizen. It is possible that they lived their entire lives in a country without becoming a citizen, and there may not have been a reason for them to gain citizenship.