Ellis Island, NY

Searching the Ellis Island Database can sometimes be an exercise in frustration. When you're having trouble locating your Ellis Island ancestor, try these search tips and strategies to get your research back on track

They changed our name at Ellis Island. Many people have heard that name change story passed down in their family. But is it really true? Learn more about the truth and fiction behind immigrant name changes at Ellis Island.

America's official immigration center from 1892 to 1954, Ellis Island welcomed over 12 million immigrants to New York. Learn about the history of immigration to Ellis Island, and search for your ancestors in the database of Ellis Island passenger lists and manifests.

This new family genealogy facility at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum contains digitized information on the more than 17 million people who immigrated through the port of New York from 1892-1924.

Tips for finding those elusive ancestors on the Ellis Island passenger records Web site.

The American Immigrant Wall of Honor at Ellis Island celebrates American immigration from its earliest beginnings right up to present day. Over 500,000 names of immigrants to America are currently inscribed, representing virtually every nationality. The names are also searchable online.

The United States is now and has always been a melting pot of people from other parts of the world. Ellis Island is the measuring cup that was most often used to add new human ingredients to the "American stew." By Ted Naanes.

An online exhibit of Ellis Island from the History Channel including a history, list of "famous" Ellis Island immigrants, a breakdown by country of the number of immigrants who passed through Ellis Island and more.

A unique perspective on the immigration experience at Ellis Island through a display of period postcards.

By Loretto D. Szucs
This book includes an overview of the history of immigration and the role of Ellis Island in that history. It details the immigrant experience at Ellis Island and teaches you about the records that are available to help you trace your ancestors’ entry into the New World. Compare Prices...

By Ellen Levine,
This book uses a question-and-answer format to relate what conditions were like for immigrants coming to the U.S. by way of Ellis Island from the 1890s through 1914. Don't be mislead by the title, only a few pages of the book are devoted to naming practices. Compare Prices...

This ThinkQuest project site is a wonderful tribute to American Immigration. The Virtual Tour of Ellis Island is a sort of photo documentary of an immigrant's arrival. Another don't miss is the history of Ellis Island!

By walking through the buildings and going through the processes that their ancestors had gone through, descendants of Ellis Island immigrants found first-hand that the Ellis Island experience was as traumatic as family stories had depicted. By Suzanne McVetty in Ancestry Magazine.

Dick Eastman provides a variety of reasons why professional researchers believe that immigrant name changes were the exception at Ellis Island, not the norm.

Selected passenger lists of ships arriving at Castle Garden, the Barge Office and Ellis Island from 1820 - 1929.

Selected passenger lists of ships arriving at Castle Garden, the Barge Office and Ellis Island from 1803 - 1930.

Selected passenger lists of ships to Castle Garden, the Barge Office and Ellis Island, NY during the period 1803-1930.

Selected passenger lists of ships to Castle Garden, the Barge Office and Ellis Island, NY during the period 1774-1936.

An online photo exhibition of the immigration process at Ellis Island from 1900-1920. From the California Museum of Photography.

While there were many other important entries into the country, it is estimated that more than 100 million Americans are directly related to immigrants who passed through Ellis Island during its tenure as a federal immigration station. By Juliana Smith.

An excellent alternate one-step search interface to the Ellis Island Web site created by Stephen Morse.

Donna Przecha debunks the myth that immigrant names were often changed by the inspectors at Ellis Island.