Passenger lists are records of the names of the people who traveled on a given ship. These records are created at the port of departure. In the mid-20th century, passenger lists may refer to ship or air travel.
The genealogical benefit of these lists is that they document when an ancestor or an ancestral family left their homeland (or a port near their homeland) and arrived in a new country.
Though these records are used to research immigrant ancestors, they can also be used to track ancestors who visited their homeland or traveled for work or leisure.
Genealogical information on passenger lists
Passenger lists can be invaluable in tracking an immigrant ancestor. However, they may contain very little information depending on the time period. Generally, records after the late 19th century will include more information than earlier lists.
Genealogically relevant Information on these records may include:
- Name of passenger
- Age
- Names of family or friends they are traveling with
- Name of the ship
- Date
- The place they traveled from
- Final destination
In addition, if a vital record event happened during the trip, such as a birth or death, that may be noted on the passenger list.
Problems using passenger lists
One of the issues in using passenger lists in your genealogical research is depending on when your ancestor emigrated or traveled, they may not have been kept. Learning more about the country they came from and where they arrived can help you ascertain whether records exist. In addition, keep in mind that they may not have left from a port near where they lived.
It is possible that these records do not exist because they were destroyed or lost. In addition, not all records have been indexed or digitized, which can make research more difficult.
Another issue you may encounter is researching an ancestor with a first or surname. If the person did not travel with other known family members, it can be challenging to determine if the person listed is your ancestor.
While many records are online, not all are. You may have to travel or hire someone to search the records. Consult finding aids like Cyndi's List and the FamilySearch Research Wiki to determine what records exist and where they are found.
One frequently believed myth, specifically with those who arrived in the North American port Ellis Island, is that people's names were changed when they arrived at a port. Names were listed from the port of departure. In addition, translators were available at Ellis Island.
Tips for searching passenger lists
If you cannot find your ancestor in passenger records, try using various search strategies to enhance your search. Some genealogy websites allow searches using wild cards and Soundex. This can help find mentions of ancestors whose names are misspelled or spelled differently than expected.
Remember that some immigrants stayed in a new location for a limited time to make money and then returned for good or to visit family. Those who returned for good were called "birds of passage." Don't stop researching passenger lists because you find one instance of an ancestor arriving in a new homeland. Repeat the search to determine if they ever went back to visit. In addition, a family member may have come on their own, and other family members arrived later when they could afford to.
Always start your research from the end of the immigrant's life, carefully moving backward. Don't "jump the pond" until you have fully documented an immigrant's life in their adopted homeland. Records like an obituary, census, or a child's birth certificate may help you identify what country they emigrated from.
Accessing passenger lists
Learning more about passenger lists is advisable by consulting a genealogy book about where your ancestor emigrated. Books that cover the topic of immigration can assist you in determining what records exist (or don't) and where they are located.
Passenger lists can be found on free and subscription genealogy websites.
Online passenger records for the port they left or arrived at may also exist on the website of that port. Examples include Ellis Island in New York, United States and Bremen (Germany) Passenger Lists.
Search passenger lists on MyHeritage
Explore more about passenger lists
- MyHeritage – Immigration and Travel
- Ship Passenger Lists and Records Online
- The Ships List- a website that helps find your ancestors on ships' passenger lists, immigration reports, newspaper records, shipwreck information, ship pictures, ship descriptions, shipping-line fleet lists and more.
- How do I look for records of passengers on the UK National Archives