
How To Search Ellis Island Records for Ancestors
Not sure how to go about tracking down Ellis Island records of your ancestor's arrival? With these tips and resources, you'll find them in no time!
Read More
4 Birthright Citizenship Facts Genealogists Should Know Premium
For nearly 150 years, all individuals born on US soil have automatically gained US citizenship. What is birthright citizenship, and what does it mean for genealogists?
Read More
Tips for Searching the New York Passenger Lists Premium
Between 1820 and 1920, nearly 80 percent of US immigrant arrivals landed at New York ports. Now the full run of New York passenger and customs lists, 1820 to 1957, are free to search on the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation website. Searching New York Passenger Lists in Five Steps A. Search nearly 65 million […]
Read More
Tracing Immigrant Ancestors Who Entered Via Canada or Mexico Premium
Your immigrant ancestors may have arrived over the Canadian or Mexican border—even crossing multiple times. Here’s how to trace them.
Read More
Tips for Tracing an Early Scottish Immigrant Premium
Researching your Scottish ancestors? Check out these tips for linking a 1700s South Carolinian back to his hometown in Scotland.
Read More
Understanding Chain Migration Premium
Immigration is a hot topic these days, and a lot of people are using the phrase "chain migration". What exactly does that mean? We're here to explain.
Read MoreFree 10 Essential Genealogy Research Forms
Sign up for the Family Tree Newsletter and get 10 research forms as a special thanks!

Search New York Passenger Lists for Free
Ellis Island opened to New York-bound immigrants in 1892. But the free Ellis Island website has added New York ships' passenger lists all the way back to 1820. We'll show you a list and give you search tips for finding your ancestor's record.
Read More
Case Study: Using Passport Applications in Immigrant Research Premium
Here are tips on finding an ancestor's place of origin from passport applications, a commonly overlooked genealogy record.
Read More
How I Used Chain Migration to Find Welsh Ancestors Premium
Cluster research is a handy tool for finding one’s ancestors. Here is a case study using chain migration to find Welsh ancestors.
Read More
Debunking Three Myths About Your Immigrant Ancestors
When America's immigrant heritage comes up, you hear myths that obscure our ancestors' true experiences. Here are three of the most common, debunked.
Read More
Unusual Records: Registration Affidavit of Alien Enemy Premium
Sometimes genealogists need to be creative in our search for information about our ancestors. In this part of our ongoing series on unusual records, Rich discusses “Registration Affidavit of Alien Enemy” documents.
Read More
Unusual Records: Petitions for Naturalization Premium
In this newest installment of his series on overlooked immigration records, Rich is sharing what you can possibly find by tracking down an ancestor's Petition for Naturalization.
Read More