Find your ancestors in United States, Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports Passenger Lists, 1820-1874

Discover essential details about your ancestors who landed in various port cities along the eastern coast of the United States. Learn such important information about your family members like the name of the ship they traveled on, their nationality, and their age at the time of their arrival.

What can these records tell me?

There are more than 1 million records documenting the arrival of travelers in American cities along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. While the information for each person varies, United States, Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports Passenger Lists 1820-1874 usually provides:

  • First and last name
  • Age
  • Birth year
  • Birth place/nationality
  • Arrival year
  • Ship name

    • Discover more about United States, Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports Passenger Lists, 1820-1874

    During the 19th century, millions of people traveled through the ports of the United States, many moving from their homes in Europe to settle in the United States. These passenger lists show the arrival of people in ports along the Atlantic coast, like Boston and Philadelphia, as well as in ports of the Gulf of Mexico, like New Orleans. Almost all of the coastal states along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are represented in this collection, including even smaller port cities such as Perth Amboy, New Jersey and New Bedford, Massachusetts.

    Use these records to trace your family history and help you discover more about when your ancestors traveled to the United States. Remember that while people may have begun their journey in the country in one place, it was not uncommon for them to move around the country, so be sure to check our collections of national records, like censuses and military records, to continue your genealogical research.