New Hampshire, United States Naturalization Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

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New Hampshire, United States Naturalization Records, 1906-1993
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This article describes a collection of records at FamilySearch.org.
New Hampshire, 
United States
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Flag of the United States of America
Flag of the United States (1896-1908).png
US Flag 1896-1908 (45 stars)
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National Archives and Records Administration Logo
Record Description
Record Type Declaration of intentions, Petitions and Records
Record Group RG 21: Records of the District Courts of the United States
Collection years 1906-1993
National Archives Identifier 350
FamilySearch Resources
Related Websites
Archive
National Archives and Records Administration


What is in This Collection?[edit | edit source]

The records in this collection consist of naturalization declarations and petitions for the U.S. District of New Hampshire from 1906–1993. These records were digitized at the National Archive at Boston, Waltham, Massachusetts and are a collaboration with the National Archives and Records Administration(NARA) and Ancestry.com. These records are part of Records of District Courts of the United States Record Group 21 in the Records of the District Courts of the United States.

U.S. Circuit Court for the District of New Hampshire

U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire

To Browse This Collection[edit | edit source]

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for New Hampshire, United States Naturalization Records, 1906-1993.

Image Visibility[edit | edit source]

Whenever possible FamilySearch makes images and indexes available for all users. However, rights to view these data are limited by contract and subject to change. Because of this there may be limitations on where and how images and indexes are available or who can see them. Please be aware some collections consist only of partial information indexed from the records and do not contain any images.

For additional information about image restrictions see Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections.

General Information About Naturalization Records[edit | edit source]

Naturalization is a voluntary process through which immigrants can become American citizens. By becoming naturalized citizens, immigrants are granted the same rights, privileges and protections as natural born citizens. Individual States handled naturalizations until 1906 when the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization standardized immigration laws and procedures. Naturalization to become a U.S. citizen is a two-part process: The Declaration of Intent to Naturalize, or First Papers, and the Naturalization Record (including the Naturalization Petition), or Final Papers. The general requirements for citizenship include residency in one U.S. state for one year and in the United States for five years The First Papers were normally filed five years before the Final Papers because of the five-year residency requirement to become a citizen. Naturalization papers are an important source of information about an immigrant's nation of origin, his foreign and “Americanized” names, residence, and date of arrival. Naturalization records were created to process naturalizations and keep track of immigrants in the United States. Naturalization records are generally reliable, but may occasionally be subject to error or falsification. Be sure to search all possible spellings for the surname of the person for whom you are looking. Think about how the surname was pronounced, and how it sounded in the immigrant’s probable accent. Immigrants or their families often changed or “Americanized” the spelling and pronunciation of their names especially their surname, thus the surname may be spelled differently in records that were closer to your ancestor's immigration date. Also, because immigrants were allowed to naturalize in any court, they often selected the most convenient court. For example, if an immigrant lived in Maine, but worked in Vermont or New Hampshire, they may have gone to a court closer to work.

To Browse This Collection[edit | edit source]

You can browse through images in this collection using the waypoints on the Collection Browse Page for New Hampshire, United States Naturalization Records, 1906-1993.

What Can These Records Tell Me?[edit | edit source]

The following information can be found in these records:

  • Name
  • Place of Birth
  • Age
  • Date of Birth
  • Home Address at time of Naturalization
  • Physical Description and Picture
  • Last Place of foreign residence
  • Country of birth
  • Occupation

Collection Content[edit | edit source]

Sample Images[edit | edit source]

  • 1909 Declaration of Intention (handwritten)

  • 1951 Declaration of Intention (Typed)

  • 1943 Petition for Naturalization

  • 1953 Order of Court Granting Petitions for Naturalization

  • 1961 Application to Take Oath of Allegiance

How Do I Search This Collection?[edit | edit source]

Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:

  • The full name of your ancestor
  • The approximate immigration and naturalization dates
  • The ancestor’s residence

Search the Index[edit | edit source]

Search by name on the Collection Details Page.
  1. Fill in the search boxes in the Search Collection section with the information you know
  2. Click Search to show possible matches

View the Images[edit | edit source]

View images in this collection by visiting the Browse Page:

  1. Select the County
  2. Select the Record Type, Year Range, and Volume to view the images.


Tip
 More images are available in the FamilySearch Catalog at Naturalization Records (Concord, New Hampshire, 1849-1945. Click on camera icon to see images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?[edit | edit source]

Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?[edit | edit source]

Indexes and transcriptions may not include all the data found in the original records. Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the index and to find additional information.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

  • Use the information found in the record to find other records such as emigrations, port records, and ship’s manifests
  • Use the information you find in the record to find more details about the person you are looking for such as foreign and Americanized names
  • Use the record to see if other family members who may have immigrated with the person you are looking for are listed and have additional information or leads; you may also find additional information on new family members in censuses
  • The witnesses named on naturalization records may have been older relatives of the person in the naturalization process. Search for their naturalizations
  • You may want to obtain the naturalization records of every person who shares your ancestor’s surname if they lived in the same county or nearby. You may not know how or if they are related, but the information could lead you to more information about your own ancestors
  • Repeat this process with additional family members found, to find more generations of the family
  • Use the information found in the record to find land and probate record

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?[edit | edit source]

  • Look for the Declaration of Intent soon after the immigrant arrived. Then look for the Naturalization Petition five years later, when the residency requirement would have been met. Look for naturalization records in federal courts, then in state, county, or city courts. An individual may have filed the first and final papers in different courts and sometimes in a different state if the person moved. Immigrants who were younger than 18 when they arrived did not need to file a Declaration of Intent as part of the process
  • If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they were naturalized, then try searching records of a nearby town or county. Remember because immigrants were allowed to naturalize in any court, they often selected the most convenient court. For example, if an immigrant lived in Maine, but worked in Vermont or New Hampshire, they may have to a court closer to work than were they lived
  • If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
  • Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
  • Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

Research Helps[edit | edit source]

The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of New Hampshire.

Related Family History Library Holdings[edit | edit source]

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections[edit | edit source]

Citing This Collection[edit | edit source]

Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Collection Citation:
The citation for this collection can be found on the Collection Details Page in the section Citing this Collection.
Record Citation:
When looking at a record, the citation can be viewed by clicking the drop-down arrow next to Document Information.
Image Citation:
When looking at an image, the citation is found on the Information tab at the bottom left of the screen.
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