Facts

Immigration is entering a country where you are not a native to take up permanent residence.  Emigration is leaving a country where you have been a citizen.  Example: Leaving England as an Emigrant and coming to America and entering as an Immigrant.

Major ports of entry were Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and New Orleans.

Ellis Island opened as an immigrant processing center on 1 January 1892.

Immigrants entering the U. S. through New York City were processed between 1 January 1892 and 14 June 1897 and again between 17 December 1900 and 1924.  Visit to search for an ancestor arriving in that time period.'  The reason for the break between 1897 and 1900 was that the Ellis Island immigrant processing center burned to the ground in 1897.

During 1932, Ellis Island served as a point of deportation.

Ellis Island became a U.S. Coast Guard Station when the U. S. entered World War II in 1942.

Ellis Island was closed in 1954 and declared a National Park in 1956.

After many years of disuse, Ellis Island was reopened in 1990 as a museum.

Ellis island was owned by a New Jersey merchant-farmer names Samuel Ellis during the American Revolution.  After his death the state of New York purchased the island for $10,000.00.  It was later sold to the U. S. government.

Church archives might help you find early passenger records.  Immigrants often arrived with Introductory documents used to join a church in America.

If you can't find an ancestor in US passenger lists, try looking in Canadian records.  Immigrants often found it easier and less expensive to sail to Canada and travel overland to the United States.

Our ancestors' names were NOT changed at Ellis Island.  In fact, immigrants' names were recorded by officials in the countries they left from.  Questions were asked at Ellis Island to compare the information on the list that was compiled in the home country.

Former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia worked at Ellis Island from 1907 to 1910 as a translator/interpreter with the Ellis Island inspectors helping immigrants entering the U. S.

Immigrants entering the U. S. through New York City were processed at Castle Garden between 1 August 1855 and 18 April 1890.  Visit to search for an ancestor arriving in that time period.

Immigrants entering the U. S. through New York City were processed at the Barge Office between 19 April 1890 and 31 December 1891, and a second time from 15 June 1897 and 16 December 1900.