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Guide to locating citizenship or naturalization records for ancestry, family history, and genealogy research. | Guide to locating citizenship or naturalization records for ancestry, family history, and genealogy research. | ||
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==What | ==What Citizenship or Naturalization Records Are== | ||
===United States=== | ===United States=== | ||
*Naturalization is the '''''legal process''''' our immigrant ancestors went through to become citizens of the United States. Becoming naturalized meant our foreign-born ancestors could vote, run for a government office, serve on a jury, pay taxes, receive the protection of the law. | *Naturalization is the '''''legal process''''' our immigrant ancestors went through to become citizens of the United States. Becoming naturalized meant our foreign-born ancestors could vote, run for a government office, serve on a jury, pay taxes, receive the protection of the law. | ||
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While most countries had a process for immigrants to become citizens, some countries (such as Germany) kept citizenship listings for all their citizens and provided proof of citizenship documents for all. Interestingly, citizenship for families in Switzerland was held by town as documented in the [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/famn/?lg=e Register of Swiss Surnames]. | While most countries had a process for immigrants to become citizens, some countries (such as Germany) kept citizenship listings for all their citizens and provided proof of citizenship documents for all. Interestingly, citizenship for families in Switzerland was held by town as documented in the [http://www.hls-dhs-dss.ch/famn/?lg=e Register of Swiss Surnames]. | ||
== | ==Found in Citizenship and Naturalization Records== | ||
===United States=== | ===United States=== | ||
*Before 1906, a '''declaration of intent''' will give name, the home country, and the date. | *Before 1906, a '''declaration of intent''' will give name, the home country, and the date. | ||
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Content varies for other countries, but may include some or most of the above items. | Content varies for other countries, but may include some or most of the above items. | ||
==How | ==How to Find Citizenship and Naturalization Records== | ||
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