How to Find Ellis Island Immigration Records on FamilySearch

How to Find Ellis Island Immigration Records on FamilySearch

This guide will show you how to locate the vital immigration records of your ancestors who arrived at Ellis Island, using FamilySearch.org.

Step 1: Access FamilySearch Records Search

• Go to FamilySearch.org and sign in to your free account.
• From the top menu, click on "Search".
• Then, select "Records" from the dropdown menu. This action will take you to the "Search Historical Records" page.

Step 2: Find the Ellis Island Collection

• On the "Search Historical Records" page, locate the "Find a Collection" search box. This box is typically on the right side of the page, above the "Browse all published collections" link.
• In this box, type "New York Passenger Arrival Lists" or "Ellis Island".
• Press Enter or click the magnifying glass icon to initiate the search.
• Look for the collection titled "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924" (or a similar title with these keywords and date range). Click on its title to open the collection's dedicated search page.

Step 3: Search within the Specific Collection

• Once on the "New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924" collection page, you will see a set of search fields specifically for these records.
• Enter your ancestor's "Name" (First and Last). Be aware of potential spelling variations when searching, as names were often transcribed phonetically or inaccurately by clerks.
• To narrow your results, add a "Birth Year" or "Arrival Year" range if known. For instance, you could enter "1900-1905" for an arrival year range.
• Optionally, you can add other details such as "Place of Origin" (e.g., a specific town or country) or "Ship Name" if you have this information, to further refine your search.
• Click the blue "Search" button to execute your query.

Step 4: Review Search Results and View Records

• Carefully examine the list of search results presented. Look for entries that closely match your ancestor's name, estimated birth year, arrival year, and any other known details.
• If you find a promising result, click on the entry's title to view an indexed summary of the record, which includes transcribed details.
• To see the original digitized document (the passenger manifest itself), look for and click the "Image" icon or a "View Original Document" link. This will open a viewer showing the scanned page from the manifest book.
• Browse the image. Confirm the details from the index, and look for additional family members, their last residence, destination, physical description, and other valuable genealogical information found on the manifest.

Step 5: Refine Your Search and Explore (If Needed)

• If your initial search does not yield the desired results, do not be discouraged. Try modifying your search terms.
• Experiment with different spellings of your ancestor's first and last names (e.g., "Schmidt" instead of "Smith," or "O'Connell" instead of "Connell").
• Widen the date ranges for birth or arrival years to account for possible inaccuracies in records or family memory.
• If a direct search by name fails, consider using the "Browse through images" option on the collection page (if available) and navigate by arrival year or ship name, although this can be a more time-consuming method.
• Remember that historical records often contain inconsistencies due to language barriers, transcription errors, or different record-keeping practices.