Minnesota Emigration and Immigration

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Minnesota

Emigration and Immigration

United States Immigration Online Genealogy Records

How to Find the Records

Online Resources

Minnesota has no ports of entry. Most immigrants to Minnesota arrived at a major eastern port such as New York (New York), Boston (Massachusetts), Philadelphia (Pennsylvania), or Quebec (Canada).

• 1500s-1900s All U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s at Ancestry; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Minnesota; Also at MyHeritage; index only ($)
• 1894-1954 - United States, Border Crossings from Canada to United States, 1894-1954 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1895-1956 United States, Border Crossings from Canada, 1895-1956 at MyHeritge; index & images ($); includes those with Destination of Minnesota
• 1910-1923 Minnesota, Baudette, Warroad, and International Falls Passenger Lists, 1910-1923 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1912-1956 - Minnesota Passenger and Crew Lists, 1912-1956 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• 1918 Web: Minnesota, Alien Registration Index, 1918 at Ancestry; index only ($).
• 1919 Iron Range Research Center, Minnesota Discovery Center; index only ($)
• 1920-1939 Germany, Bremen Emigration Lists, 1920-1939 at MyHeritge; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Minnesota
• 1922-1958 Minnesota, Duluth and Wisconsin, Superior Crew Lists, 1922-1958 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
• Index of Wagon Train Emigrants From Minnesota to Montana.
• Germans Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritge; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Minnesota
• Italians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritge; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Minnesota
• Russians Immigrating to the United States at MyHeritage; index only ($); includes those with Destination of Minnesota

Passport Records Online =

• 1795-1925 - United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925 at FamilySearch — index and images
• 1795-1925 - U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 Index and images, at Ancestry ($)

Offices to Contact

Although many records are included in the online records listed above, there are other records available through these archives and offices. For example, there are many minor ports that have not yet been digitized. There are also records for more recent time periods. For privacy reasons, some records can only be accessed after providing proof that your ancestor is now deceased.

National Archives and Records Administration

• The National Archives (NARA) has immigration records for arrivals to the United States from foreign ports between approximately 1820 and 1982. The records are arranged by Port of Arrival (See Part 5).

• You may do research in immigration records in person at the National Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408-0001.

• Some National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) regional facilities have selected immigration records; call to verify their availability or check the online Microfilm Catalog.
• Libraries with large genealogical collections, such as the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah and the Allen County Piblic Library also have selected NARA microfilm publications.

• Order copies of passenger arrival records with NATF Form 81.

U.S. Citizenship and and Immigration Services Genealogy Program

The USCIS Genealogy Program is a fee-for-service program that provides researchers with timely access to historical immigration and naturalization records of deceased immigrants. If the immigrant was born less than 100 years ago, you will also need to provide proof of his/her death.

Immigration Records Available

• A-Files: Immigrant Files, (A-Files) are the individual alien case files, which became the official file for all immigration records created or consolidated since April 1, 1944.
• Alien Registration Forms (AR-2s): Alien Registration Forms (Form AR-2) are copies of approximately 5.5 million Alien Registration Forms completed by all aliens age 14 and older, residing in or entering the United States between August 1, 1940 and March 31, 1944.
• Registry Files: Registry Files are records, which document the creation of immigrant arrival records for persons who entered the United States prior to July 1, 1924, and for whom no arrival record could later be found.
• Visa Files: Visa Files are original arrival records of immigrants admitted for permanent residence under provisions of the Immigration Act of 1924.

Requesting a Record

• Web Request Page allows you to request a records, pay fees, and upload supporting documents (proof of death).
• Record Requests Frequently Asked Questions

Minnesota Historical Society

The Minnesota Historical Society has Alien Registration Records made in February 1918, listing most non-U.S. citizens in Minnesota. The indexes and records are on microfilm but are not at the Family History Library. The registration form gives name, place of birth (sometimes the town), port of entry, date of arrival, names of children, and occupation. Contact the Minnesota Historical Society Library at the address listed in the "Archives and Libraries" article for further information.

Immigration History Research Center

Information about immigrant groups from eastern and southern Europe is at the Immigration History Research Center described in the "Archives and Libraries" article.

Iron Range Research Center

Minnesota Alien Registration Index - 1918

Content of the index information:

• Name
• City and county of residence
• Age
• Roll and frame number

The Minnesota Alien Registration of 1918 registered all foreign born individuals living in Minnesota and who had not yet become citizens. Registration was completed in all 87 Minnesota counties.

A 35-question form was required and much personal information can be found in the original registration.

The repository for these records is the Iron Range Research Center, a library and archive devoted to Minnesota research in Chisholm, Minnesota.

Background

• Pre-statehood residents of Minnesota were primarily American Indians and French and British immigrants.
• After 1858 settlers in Minnesota generally came from Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Pennsylvania, and New York. After 1860 thousands of immigrants came from Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Canada, and Denmark.

Websites

• Iron Range Research Center 1918 Minnesota Alien Registration Index

Tips

1. When you enter information into the search box, the results will also include other databases on this site.

Copies of the original alien registration document are $10 per search. Payment is preferred by Visa or Master Card through the website.

References

Minnesota Research Outline. Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1998, 2001.

NOTE: All of the information from the original research outline has been imported into this Wiki site and is being updated as time permits.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.

To access available information, first log into FamilySearch.

National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, D.C.