New York, New York, Index to Alien Crewmen Who Were Discharged or Who Deserted - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
Index to alien crewmen who were discharged or who deserted at the Port of New York, New York, May 1917 to November 1957. The index corresponds with NARA publication A3417 and is part of Record Group 85, Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Record Content
The index cards generally list:


 * Name of crewmen
 * Age
 * Name of vessel on which he served
 * Date of discharge or desertion
 * Volume number for related passenger lists on NARA publication T715

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know


 * The name of your ancestor.
 * Some other identifying information such the name of vessel on which he served and age or the date of discharge

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "NARA Publication" ⇒Select the appropriate "NARA Roll Number" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details and lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example use the name of vessel on which your ancestor served along with his name and date of discharge or desertion to search the passenger and crew lists of vessels arriving in New York.

You can also use these lists to:


 * Learn an immigrant’s place of origin
 * Confirm their date of arrival
 * Learn foreign and “Americanized” names
 * Find records in his or her country of origin such as emigrations, port records, or ship’s manifests.
 * Find federal immigration records

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Download a copy of the record or transcribe the details.
 * If your ancestor had a common name, be sure to look at all the entries for a name before you decide which is correct.
 * Continue to search the lists to identify siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have immigrated at the same time.
 * If your ancestor has an uncommon surname, you may want to obtain the passenger list of every person who shares your ancestor’s surname. You may not know how or if they are related, but the information could lead you to more information about your own ancestors.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.

Related Websites

 * Ancestor Search
 * The Statue of Liberty - Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.
 * Ellis Island JewishGen - contains advanced search tools and access to lost manifests
 * Ellis Island WikiMedia Commons

Related Wiki Articles

 * New York Emigration and Immigration
 * New York History
 * New York, Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island) (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * New York, New York, Index to Passenger Lists (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * Free Online New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1897

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Image Citation