Citations—Naturalization Records
Our ancestors did not just want to immigrate to the United States. They wanted the right to vote and hold office. They wanted to become naturalized and be citizens of the United States. In most instances, that required declaring their intention to become a citizen, filing a petition to become naturalized, and obtaining a court order finalizing the naturalization. At one point in history, an immigrant could go to the courthouse immediately after they stepped off the ship and file their intention to become a citizen. However, many waited until they reached their destination to file. Then they waited a certain number of years, based on the current laws, to file their petition to become naturalized. Until 1906, naturalizations were under the jurisdiction of any local court in the county of residence. For the most part, after 1906, naturalizations came under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Naturalization files obtained from NARA may contain the certificate of arrival that provides the date and name of ship for immigration.
Elements of the citation could include: name of the person being naturalized, year, file number, name of the court, location of the court, volume, page, city, state, record group title, record group number, record repository, repository location, film creator, and film number.
| First Footnote or Endnote | Subsequent Footnote or Endnote | Bibliography | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courthouse | [Name] [document] ([year]), naturalization file [number], [State], [Name of court], [Location of court]; volume [number or letter], page [number], [Courthouse], [City or town], [State]. [Comments].[Name] [document] ([year]), naturalization file number], [State], [Name of court], [Location of court]; vol. [number or letter], p. [number]. | [Name] [document] ([year]), naturalization file number], [State], [Name of court], [Location of court]; vol. [number or letter], p. [number]. | [Name of court], [State], [Court location]. Naturalization records. |
| Example | John Fagyal petition for naturalization (1917), naturalization file 5635, Missouri, District Court of the United States for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri; volume 54, page 85, United States Court House and Custom House, City of St. Louis, Missouri. [In the early 1980s, this author went to the United States Court House and Custom House on Market Street in St. Louis, Missouri, to get a copy of the declaration of intention and naturalization for John Fagyal. The clerk informed me it was illegal to make a photo or photocopy from the bound record books. This author hand copied the records, word for word, from the original bound volumes.] | John Fagyal petition for naturalization (1917), naturalization file 5635, Missouri, District Court of the United States for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri; vol. 54, p. 85. | U.S. District Court, Missouri, Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District. Naturalization records. |
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| NARA record filmed by FHL | [Court name and location], Naturalization Records, “[Title of record],” Naturalization file number [number] ([year]), volume [number or letter], pg. [number], for [Name of person being naturalized]; [Record repository], [Repository location]. FHL microfilm [number], item [number]. | [Court name and location], Naturalization Records, “[Title of record],” Naturalization file number [number] ([year]), volume [number or letter], pg. [number], for [Name of person being naturalized]. | [Jurisdiction]. [Court name and location]. Naturalization Records. [Record repository], [Repository location]. FHL microfilm [number]. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. |
| Example | District Court for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri, naturalization records, “Naturalization certificate stubs, January 1907–May 1926,” Naturalization file number 723413 (1917), volume 20429, pg. 13, for John Fagyal; NARA–Central Plains Region, Kansas City, Missouri; FHL microfilm 1764877, item 3. | District Court for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri, naturalization records, “Naturalization certificate stubs, January 1907–May 1926,” Naturalization file number 723413 (1917), volume 20429, pg. 13, for John Fagyal. | United States. District Court for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri. Naturalization Records. National Archives and Records Administration, Central Plains Region, Kansas City. FHL microfilm 1764877. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. |
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| NARA copies- Declaration of Intention | [Name] [Record type], ([year filed]), naturalization file no. [Number], [Name of court]; [Record group title], Record Group [number]; [Repository], [Repository location]. | [Name] [Record type], ([year filed]), naturalization file no. [Number], [Name of court]. | [Name of court], [state], [district]. Naturalization Records, [year range]. [Record group title]. Record Group [number]. [Repository], [Repository Location]. |
| Example | John Fagyal declaration of intention, (1910), naturalization file no. 4182, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri; Records of U.S. Circuit and U.S. District Courts, Record Group 21; National Archives–Central Plains Region, Kansas City. | John Fagyal declaration of intention, (1910), naturalization file no. 4182, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri. | Circuit Court of the United States for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri. Naturalization Records, 1849–1911. Records of U.S. Circuit and U.S. District Courts. Record Group 21. National Archives–Central Plains Region, Kansas City. |
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| Certificate of Arrival | [Name] [record type], ([year filed]), naturalization file no. [number], [Name of court]; [Record group title], Record Group [number]; [Repository], [Repository location]. | [Name] [record type], ([year filed]), naturalization file no. [number], [Name of court]. | [Name of court], [District] [State]. Naturalization Records, [year range]. [Record group title]. Record Group [number]. [Repository], [Repository Location]. |
| Example | Balint Fagyal certificate of arrival (1909), naturalization file no. 11757, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri; Records of U.S. Circuit and U.S. District Courts, Record Group 21; National Archives–Central Plains Region, Kansas City. | Balint Fagyal certificate of arrival (1909), naturalization file no. 11757, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri. | District Court of the United States for the Eastern Division, Eastern Judicial District of Missouri. Naturalization Records, 1868–1991. Records of U.S. Circuit and U.S. District Courts. Record Group 21. National Archives–Central Plains Region, Kansas City. |
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Last modified:
30-Jun-2016 08:36