Argentina Emigration and Immigration

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Argentina

Emigration and Immigration

How to Find the Recprds

Online Records

• CEMLA Centro de Estudios Migratorios Latinoamericanos Database of immigrant arrivals in Argentina.
• Ancestros Argentineos Information on Argentine immigration in Argentina.
• Apellidos Argentineos Databases and other information regarding Argentine immigrants in Argentina
• Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild Choose a volume and then choose Argentina under "Listed by Port of Departure" or "Listed by Port of Arrival".
• 1623-1816 Padrones y relación de extranjeros e indios, 1623-1816
• 1817-1821 Pasaportes, 1817-1821 Passports issued to persons leaving through the Port of Buenos Aires for destinations within Argentina and in other parts of the world.
• 1821-1871 Entradas y salidas de pasajeros, 1821-1871, lists for disembarkation at and embarkation from the Port of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Includes some passports.
• 1882-1920 Barcos de Agnelli Passenger lists 1882-1920
• 1882-1950 Immigration Records of Argentina, index
• 1882-1960 Ships arrived to the Port of Buenos Aires between 1882 and 1960, index by ship. Click on the name of the ship to view the list of passengers. Not complete.
• 1883-1937 Argentina, Migration Records, 1883-1937 , images, Passenger lists and other migration records housed at the Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• 1883-1937 Argentina, registros migratorios, 1882-1937 images, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Departamento Documentos Escritos, Archivo General de la Nación (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
• 1890-1960 Passenger Lists Leaving UK 1890-1960 at FindMyPast; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Argentina
• 1921-1939 Reseñas de pasaportes de varios consulados, 1921-1939; images only - includes those in Argentina
• 19th Century Entrada de Pasajeros a Argentina (Passenger entry to Argentina, XIX century)

Cultural Groups

• British Settlers in Argentina and Uruguay
• Gen Francesa Helps and links to databases for French immigrants to South America.
• Irish Settlers in Argentina
• The story of the Irish in Argentina, indexed
• Five thousand Welsh Patagonians
• History and records of Welsh Nonconformist churches in Patagonia, 19th/20th century Censuses and records of proceedings of the immigrants and Indian populations who lived in Buenos Aires and some of the old tax districts of the Viceroyalty of Rio de La Plata.
• 1822-1889 Irish to Argentina (1822-1889)
• 1822-1929 Irish Passengers to Argentina (1822-1929)
• 1829-1902 Various documents concerning emigration and other papers of the Council of State, 1829-1902 Various documents concerning emigration for the Swiss canton of Valais to South America, notably Argentina and Brazil.
• 1870-1945 Auswandererkartei von Rußlanddeutschen nach Argentinien, 1870-1945, images of index cards, arranged alphabetically by surname, for German-speaking emigrants from Russia to Argentina. Provides information on place of origin, state of allegiance, birth and death date and place, religion, date of emigration, destination abroad, profession, full name of spouse, birth and death date and place, place and date of marriage; names, birth places and dates of children, their residences and spouses' names. Information often incomplete.
• 1870-1945 Auswandererkartei von Rußlanddeutschen nach China und Nordamerika : 1870-1945 Index cards, arranged alphabetically by surname, for German-speaking emigrants from Russia to China, North America, Argentina, elsewhere. Includes birthplaces and dates for both spouses and children, date of emigration and destination, place and date of marriage, children's names and documentary references.
• 1904-1914 Germany, Bremen Passenger Departure Lists, 1904-1914 at MyHeritage; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Argentina
• 1920-1939 Germany, Bremen Emigration Lists, 1920-1939 at MyHeritge; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Argentina

National Archives

• 1883-1937 Argentina, Migration Records, 1883-1937 , images, Passenger lists and other migration records housed at the Archivo General de la Nación in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
• 1883-1937 Argentina, registros migratorios, 1882-1937 images, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Departamento Documentos Escritos, Archivo General de la Nación (Buenos Aires, Argentina)

People desiring to leave Argentina were required to request permission from the government. These records are available for research in the National Archives of Argentina. Records of genealogical value at national archives include: protocols of scribes (including wills, powers, titles of land, etc.), probate courts, censuses, data and titles of lands, church records, civil records, court records, military records, emigration lists, land records, colonial records, and more.

General Archive of the Nation (Archivo General de la Nación)
Av. Leandro N. Alem 246
Buenos Aires
Telephone: (54 11) 4339-0800 int. 71037

• Contact
  
• Website
  
• Request certified copies of immigrant income The step by step to request digitized copies of the registry of entry of immigrants by sea.

Other Records of Departure

Other records that might have information on immigrants include:

• Permissions to emigrate.
• Newspaper announcements.
• Probates of relatives who stayed.
• Church records (annotations).
• Police Lists/ Registrations.
• Passports.
• Court Records.

Finding the Town of Origin in Argentina

If you are using emigration/immigration records to find the name of your ancestors' town in Argentina, see Argentina Finding Town of Origin for additional research strategies.

Argentina Emigration and Immigration

"Emigration" means moving out of a country. "Immigration" means moving into a country. (See Immigration into Argentina.)
Emigration and immigration sources list the names of people leaving (emigrating) or arriving (immigrating) in the country. These sources may be passenger lists, permissions to emigrate, or records of passports issued. The information in these records may include the emigrants’ names, ages, occupations, destinations, and places of origin or birthplaces. Sometimes they also show family groups.

Emigration

One option is to look for records about the ancestor in the country of destination, the country they immigrated into. See links to immigration records for major destination countries below.

Brazil Canada France Israel Italy Serbia and Montenegro Spain United States Uruguay

• People from Argentina known as Argentines whom live overseas in communities across the Americas (like Uruguay and Brazil until the 1990s), western Europe (esp. Spain, Italy, Germany, France and the U.K.) and elsewhere (i.e. Israel), mainly are political refugees from the military junta in the late 1970s and 1980s.
• Some Argentines chose to leave their country during the troubled years of government turmoil in the 1970s and 1980s.
• Emigrants from Argentina left records documenting their migration in the country they left as well as in the country they moved to.
• Most Argentinian emigrants left through Buenos Aires or the major cities with international transportation.
• There are records of departures including emigration lists, passport records, and passenger lists.
• The information in these lists varies over time but usually includes the emigrants’ names, ages, occupations, and destinations. In addition, relationships and last residence or birthplace may be given.

Argentine Immigration Records by Country of Destination

Brazil

Brazil Online Records

• The data banks on Argentine emigrants to the United States, Argentina and Brazil (Cerca_Le_Tue_Radici: registri di sbarco delle navi giunte nei porti di New York, Buenos Aires e Vitoria, limitatamente ai passeggeri di nazionalità italiana.
• Brazil Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Brazil Background

• Most Argentines outside Argentina are people who have migrated from the middle and upper middle classes.
• The first wave of emigration occurred during the military dictatorship between 1976 and 1983, with principally to Spain, USA, Mexico and Venezuela.
• The last major wave of emigration occurred during the 2001 crisis, mainly to Europe, especially Spain, although there was also an increase in emigration to neighboring countries, particularly Brazil, Chile and Paraguay.

Canada

Canada Online Records

• Canada Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Canada Background

• The Canadian Immigration Act of 1952 resulted in an increased number of skilled and educated Argentine immigrants to Canada. The majority were fleeing the economic decline and political turmoil following the Revolución Libertadora. An average of 400 Argentines immigrated to Canada annually from 1964 to 1972.
• Beginning in 1973, increased instability, terrorism and high inflation in Argentina created another wave of immigration to Canada. The rate of immigration increased to more than 1000 persons annually during the mid-1970s. The influx lasted until 1983, coinciding with the progress of Argentine democracy.
• The highest concentrations of Argentine Canadians are in Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec.

France

France Online Records

• France Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

France Background

Argentinians in France in 2012 numbered 11,899 (or up to 15,000).

Israel

Israel Online Records

• Israel Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Israel Background

• Argentine Jewish immigration to Israel has been, and still is, the largest and most significant migratory flow from South America. This is because Argentina has one of the largest Jewish communities in the world. Because of this, many Jewish Argentines are able to make aliyah and become Israeli citizens through the Law of Return. The Argentine community in Israel is about 50,000 people, although some estimates put the figure at 70,000, making it one of the fastest growing groups in the country.
• Since the establishment of the State of Israel there has been an Argentine Jewish migratory flow to Israel although this flow has fluctuated over time.
• Argentina has maintained long and stable relations with Israel. The South American nation was always opened to immigrants, and Jews were no exception to this except for a brief period when Jewish immigration was banned. Despite this, thousand of Jews entered Argentina and made it their home.
• It was not until the 1976 Argentine coup d'état when a large number of Jews fled the country in search of safety.
• The number of Argentine Jews emigrating to Israel greatly increased throughout the period of the Dirty War. Many of them settled permanently in Israel while others returned to Argentina after the fall of the junta.
• Many Jewish Argentines choose Israel as an alternative to settle due to political and economic instability that has rocked Argentina in recent decades.
• It was during the Argentine crisis of 2001 when Israel saw the largest number of olim from the South American country.
• The 1992 attack on the Israeli embassy and the 1994 bombing of the Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires also helped create an impetus for Jews to emigrate.
• There is a significant number of non-Jewish Argentines, having, or being married to somebody who has, at least one Jewish grandparent, who choose Israel as their new home, either permanently or temporarily.

Italy

Italy Online Records

• Italy Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Serbia and Montenegro

Serbia and Montenegro Online Records

• Serbia Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians
• Montenegro Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Spain

Spain Online Records

• Spain Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Spain Background

• Between 1857 and 1940, more than 2 million Spanish people emigrated to Argentina, mostly from Galicia, Basque Country, Asturias, Cantabria in northern Spain, Catalonia in northeast Spain, and also from Andalusia in southern Spain.
• As a result of political, social and economic problems that hit the country in recent decades, many Argentines chose to emigrate, mainly to other countries in the Americas or countries where their parents and/or grandparents came from (mainly Spain and Italy).
• In 2018, 256,071 Argentines lived in Spain. 18,390 lived in Catalonia, with 13,387 in Barcelona. 12,635 lived in Andalucia, with 6,589 in Málaga. 10,526 lived in Valencia, with 5,510 in Alicante. 9,706 lived in Madrid, and 6,746 lived in the Balearic Islands.
• The Argentines are the fourth most numerous Latin American community in Spain.

United States

United States Online Records

• The data banks on Argentine emigrants to the United States, Argentina and Brazil (Cerca_Le_Tue_Radici: registri di sbarco delle navi giunte nei porti di New York, Buenos Aires e Vitoria, limitatamente ai passeggeri di nazionalità italiana.
• United States Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Uruguay

Uruguay Online Records

• Uruguay Emigration and Immigration – Wiki page with additional larger databases which also include Argentinians

Uruguay Background

• Many Argentine-born persons reside in Uruguay, for a number of reasons. Both countries share the same language, culture and ethnicity and their populations bear striking similarities. There is no need for special migration documents, and circulation is relatively easy. Uruguay is a small, quiet country, with wide beaches on the Atlantic Ocean, so many Argentines choose Uruguay as their usual holiday destination, some of them even as permanent residence. Argentine people come to Uruguay in search of a better quality of life.
• The 2011 Uruguayan census revealed 26,782 people who declared Argentina as their country of birth.[6] In 2013, there were almost 6,000 Argentine citizens registered in the Uruguayan social security.

Immigration into Argentina

• Ethnic groups of Argentina in Wikipedia, a more thorough list of immigrants from many countries.
• Argentina is considered a country of immigrants. Argentines usually refer to the country as a crisol de razas (crucible of races, or melting pot).
• In colonial times, the ethnic composition of Argentina was the result of the interaction of the pre-Columbian indigenous population with a colonizing population of Spanish origin and with sub-Saharan African slaves.
• Between 1857 and 1950, Argentina was the country with the second biggest immigration wave in the world, at 6.6 million, second only to the United States. *However, immigration did not have the same impact in the whole country. According to the 1914 national census, 30% of Argentina's population was foreign-born, including 50% of the people in the city of Buenos Aires, but foreigners were only 2% in the provinces of Catamarca and La Rioja (North West region).
• Most Argentines are descended from the 19th- and 20th-century immigrants of the great immigration wave to Argentina (1850–1955), with a great majority coming from European countries, particularly Italy and Spain.
• Argentina is home to a significant Arab population; including those with partial descent, Arab Argentines number 1.3 to 3.5 million, mostly of Syrian and Lebanese origin. As in the United States, they are considered white. The majority of Arab Argentines are Christians belonging to the Maronite Church, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholic Churches.
• The Asian population in the country numbers around 180,000 individuals, most of whom are of Chinese and Korean descent, although an older Japanese community originating from the early 20th century still exists.[282]
• From the 1970s, immigration has mostly been coming from Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru, with smaller numbers from the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Romania.

History

• After independence was won, the government encouraged immigration. Free land, tools and animals were given to these new colonists if they would work on the land for five years.
• In 1824, the Commission of Immigration began advertising to attract European immigrants to create new agriculture communities in the vast open lands outside the great Buenos Aires. One of the first groups sponsored came from the British Isles in Feb 1825, departing from Glasgow and Liverpool. Some of the first Irish settled in these outskirts Buenos Aires and south of Santa Fe.
• Starting around 1853, the project to colonize took force. Immigrants with contracts settled in the provinces of Santa Fe, Chaco, and Entre Rios. In 1857, these contracts brought families from Switzerland, the Piedmont area in Argentina, and the Haute–Savoie and Savoie departments in France. Russians and Germans also began coming at this time.
• Until 1876, Santa Fe and Entre Rios were at the head of the new colonization movement.
• After this wave of contracted immigrants, other independent immigrants came.
• By 1875, 68,277 new immigrants had entered Argentina. From 1870–1890, a million and half more came. In the latter part of this period, hundreds of Russian Jewish Refugees came and settled the province of Entre Rios.
• The Welsh came and settled the southern zone of the country.
• The latest of the new arrivals were Koreans, Chinese, Taiwanese, and the Africans.
• Most immigrants to Argentina arrived at the port of Buenos Aires or crossed the Uruguay border from Montevideo.

Italy

Italy Online Sources

• 1882-1920 Agnelli Ships - Records of the entry of Italian immigrants Agnelli Boats is a registry of the entry of Italian immigrants organized by year and by ship.
• 1882-1929 Centro Altreitalie Three databases, available online, with the landing lists of Italians in Argentina, Brazil and the United States.
• Apellidos Italianos Databases and other information regarding Italian immigrants in Argentina

Argentina Background

Italian settlements in Argentina, along with Spanish settlements, formed the backbone of today's Argentine society. Argentine culture has significant connections with Italian culture in terms of language, customs, and traditions.

Italian is the largest ethnic origin of modern Argentines, after the Spanish immigration during the colonial population. It is estimated that up to 30 million Argentines have some degree of Italian ancestry (62.5% of the total population).

Italians began arriving in Argentina in large numbers from 1857 to 1940, totaling 44.9% of the entire postcolonial immigrant population, more than from any other country (including Spain, at 31.5%). In 1996, the population of Argentines of partial or full Italian descent numbered 15.8 million when Argentina’s population was approximately 34.5 million, meaning they represented 45.5% of the population. Today, the country has 30 million Argentines with some degree of Italian ancestry in a total population of 40 million.

For Further Reading

• Ethnic groups of Argentina in Wikipedia
• Argentina - Emigration and immigration
• Argentina - Emigration and immigration - Indexes

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