European Immigrant Ancestors: Their Experiences and the Records
Find your European immigrant ancestors with direct links to migration records for New York, the US, and Canada between 1820-1920. Discover arrival and departure passenger lists, shipping news, and more for your European immigrant ancestors.

Steerage passenger ID tag (Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives
What did your ancestors experience as they left their homes in Europe and sailed to the New World? What happened when they were called before an immigration inspector, and either detained or granted entry to a new country?
This eBook focuses primarily on the second and third waves of immigration, from 1820 to 1920, through New York, the largest port in the U.S. Additional resources for Canadian and other U.S. ports are also included in Chapter 5 of this eBook.
Finding European Immigrant Ancestors’ Records
Discover departure and arrival passenger lists, shipping news, permission to emigration, and other records. Essential sites, such as Ancestry and FamilySearch, are included, together with free resources from academic archives, European archives, the National Archives, Library of Congress, and Library Archives Canada.
Unusual resources, such as the Irish Mission at Watson House, can help your brick-wall research.
Inside European Immigrant Ancestors: Their Experiences and the Records eBook:
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Leaving the Old World
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Voyaging to the New World
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Arriving in America
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Staying in America
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Finding Migration Records

Steerage passengers aboard the RMS Olympic prepare to dock in New York City. (LIbrary of Congress)
Discover more about European immigrant ancestors who arrived at:
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U.S. Customs House, 1820-1855
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Castle Garden, 1855-1890
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Barge Office, 1890-1891; 1897-1900
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Ellis Island, 1892-1897; 1900-1954
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Other US and Canadian ports
Discover more about European immigrant ancestors and their experiences:
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Disembarking
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Baggage Room
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Waiting
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Medical Examinations
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Registry Room
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Legal Inspection
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Detained at Ellis Island
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Entering the Country
Katherine R. Willson –
An excellent guide to all aspects of our immigrant ancestors’ journey to America – the factors involved in their decisions to leave their home, preparations for the journey, experiences aboard the ships, their first day in America, and life after immigration. The last section on finding immigration records is especially outstanding – rather than simply discussing passenger lists (which she’s done in a superb fashion), the author guides the reader towards additional records that are rarely sought after, documents that may contain valuable information that’s not been found anywhere else. I’m eagerly awaiting Ms. Loe’s next books!
Nancy Loe –
John in Illinois writes, “With your ebook, I found several new records. Thanks!”