British immigrants to Pennsylvania were already citizens because Pennsylvania was a British colony. Others gave an oath of allegiance soon after arrival. For early lists of those taking oaths, see Strassburger and Hinke, Pennsylvania German Pioneers, in the “Emigration and Immigration” section of this outline.

For early naturalization records, see:

• Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Naturalization Lists, 1740-1773. (FHL film 1032845 item 5-7; computer number 4823). These records are also found in Pennsylvania Archives series 2, vol. 2; many names in these lists are not found in Pennsylvania German Pioneers.
  
• Giuseppi, M. S., ed. Naturalizations of Foreign Protestants in the American And West Indian Colonies (Pursuant to Statute 13 George II, c. 7). (Originally published as Publications of the Huguenot Society of London, volume XXIV, London, 1921.) Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1969. (FHL book 973 W5g; film 908978 item 1; computer number 270184.) This book has an every name index.
  

The General Assembly of Pennsylvania required oaths of allegiance during and shortly after the Revolutionary War period. The library has lists for some counties. For sets of lists, see:

• “Names of Persons Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the State of Pennsylvania Between the Years 1776 and 1794,” Pennsylvania Archives. Second series, v. 3. p. 1-86. (FHL book 974.8 A39p ser. 2 v. 3; film 823994 item 1; computer number 639483.)
  
• Westcott, Thompson. Names of Persons Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the State of Pennsylvania Between the Years 1777 and 1789: With a History of the “Test Laws” of Pennsylvania. 1865. Reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1965. (FHL book 974.8 P4w; film 1033632 item 7; computer number 18953.)
  

Later immigrants filed for naturalization in a variety of city, county, state, or federal courts, but most often in a county court. The Family History Library has microfilm copies of many of these records. From Philadelphia County, for example, the library has:

Pennsylvania. Court of Quarter Sessions (Philadelphia County). Declarations of Intentions, 1810-1932; Index, 1810-1887. (On 48 FHL films beginning with 964555; computer number 580752.)

Pennsylvania. Court of Quarter Sessions (Philadelphia County). Petitions for Naturalization 1800-1929; Indexes 1802-1930. (On 185 FHL films beginning with 969029; computer number 405819.)

Pennsylvania. Court of Common Pleas (Philadelphia County). Declarations of Intention, 1821-1911. (On 38 FHL films beginning with 964580; computer number 581706.)

Pennsylvania. Court of Common Pleas (Philadelphia County). Petitions for Naturalization 1793-1906; Indexes 1793-1930. (On 176 FHL films beginning with 976526; computer number 359169.)

United States. Circuit Court (Pennsylvania: Eastern District). Naturalization Petitions and Records, 1795-1911. (On 53 FHL films beginning with 1749854 item 1-2; computer number 215171.)

United States. District Court (Pennsylvania: Eastern District).

Useful indexes to Philadelphia records are:

Filby, P. William, and Mary K. Meyer. Philadelphia Naturalization Records, an Index to Records of Aliens' Declarations of Intentions and/or Oaths of Allegiance, 1789-1880 . . . (Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, 1982; FHL book 974.811 P4p; computer number 33326).

For a discussion of this index, see this magazine. Later issues list names missed in the index: Jefferson M. Moak, “The WPA Index of Naturalizations: An Explanation” Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 36 (1989): 109-16.

Naturalization Index for Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, 1881-1930 (FHL films 1752877-92; computer number 534798). This indexes petitions from the court of quarter sessions and court of common pleas for Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Indexes for the circuit and district courts are in United States, District Court (Pennsylvania: Eastern District), Indexes to Naturalization Petitions to the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1795-1951 (FHL films 1412417-76; computer number 313249).

Before 1906 and after 1790 when Congress passed the first uniform naturalization law, the court of common pleas and the court of quarter sessions and oyer and terminer had jurisdiction over the naturalization of aliens. At the Family History Library, county records of naturalization are listed under the court of common pleas.

The Comprehensive Naturalization Law of 1906 provided for nationwide uniformity of processes and records. Jurisdiction over naturalization was provided by the U.S. District Courts, the Supreme Court, and all courts of record having a seal, a clerk, and jurisdiction in actions at law and equity in which the amount in controversy is unlimited.

For naturalization records after September 1906, contact the National Archives—Philadelphia Branch or the local office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

The library has naturalization records for about two-thirds of Pennsylvania's counties.

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