The naturalization records held by the Westchester County Archives span almost two centuries. These records document the two-step process by which immigrants to the United States first declared their intention to become a citizen (the Declaration) and then, after being a resident of the country for a required period of time, petitioned in court to become a naturalized citizen (the Petition). These records come in various forms and can contain varying types of information (see below).
The Westchester County Archives has created an online index to the naturalization records it holds. The index covers records from 1808 through 1955.
Types of Information Available
The naturalization records housed at the Westchester County Archives can be quite useful in performing genealogical research or in studying immigration patterns in a community. At the very least, with the exception of Registration of Admittance records, they provide the name of the individual, the country the person immigrated from, and the date of the declaration or petition. Other information that may be found on naturalization records includes date of birth of the individual, place of birth and occupation, the name of the vessel they traveled on to the United States and the port of entry, and the names of any spouse or children. Naturalizations records created after 1906 contain the most information.
View sample naturalization records to get a better understanding of what some naturalization records look like.
Listed below are the exact years for which Declarations and Petitions are available at the Westchester County Archives. Click on the name or series numbers to view a description of the records and the types of information available from the records.
Naturalization Records Available at the Westchester County Archives:
- Series 6 Declaration of Intention Record Books, 1855-1906
- Series 33 Declarations of Intention, 1906-1980
- Series 11 Naturalization Petitions, 1895-1991
- Series 14 Naturalization Petitions, Rejected, 1898-1906
- Series 13 Naturalization Record Books, 1844-1906
- Series 130 Naturalization Records Index, 1927-1972
- Series 15 Naturalization Records, Miscellaneous, 1808-1924
- Series 287 Naturalization Repatriation Proceedings, 1937-1967
- Series 288 Naturalization Witness Depositions in Support of Petitions, 1910-1960
- Series 291 Naturalizations -- Court Calendars, 1907-1915
- Series 343 Naturalizations -- Court Orders, July 1929-December 1986
- Series 290 Naturalizations -- Transfers, 1953-1991
- Series 373 World War I Alien Registration Forms, 1918
If you have any questions regarding locating or using naturalization records at the Westchester County Archives, please contact us.