Massachusetts Naturalization and Citizenship

United States U.S. Naturalizations  Massachusetts  Naturalizations and Citizenship

Availability
Naturalization records were filed in the various county and district courts of Massachusetts. The Family History Library has some microfilm copies of these records.

Soundex Index
New England naturalization records for 1791 to 1906 were copied and indexed by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s. Some of the records are more recent than 1906. The index gives the name and location of the court, the date of naturalization, and the volume and page number (or certificate number) of the naturalization record. The copies and index are at the National Archives Northeast Region (Boston). The National Archives in Washington, DC, and the Family History Library have microfilm copies of the index:


 * United States, Immigration and Naturalization Service. Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1791–1906. Washington, DC: National Archives, 1983.

The Family History Library also has:


 * United States, District Court (Massachusetts). Naturalization Index Cards, 1790–1926. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1985. An index to naturalization records of the U.S. District Court and the U.S. Circuit Court for Massachusetts. A letter M beside the petition number indicates that it is a military naturalization.
 * Massachusetts. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Returns of Naturalization before Various Massachusetts Courts, 1885–1931. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1993. These documents are also at the Massachusetts State Archives. Most years have full name indexes. List name, age, occupation, residence, date of naturalization, and witnesses.
 * Massachusetts. Secretary of the Commonwealth. Indexes to Returns of Naturalization, 1920–1923, 1924–1925. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1994. Card index is also available at the Massachusetts State Archives. Each index card typically lists name, residence (town), occupation, court, age, and date.
 * United States. District Court (Massachusetts). Naturalization Records, 1906–1917. Washington, DC: National Archives, 1988. Microfilms of originals are also in the National Archives in Washington, DC. Most volumes are individually indexed. Petitions list court district, name, residence, occupation, date and place of petition, port and date of embarkment, port of arrival, vessel, citizenship date, spouse, children, and their birth dates and places.

Post 1906 Records
For information on naturalization records after 1906, use the Genealogy Program at www.uscis.gov, or contact the Northeast Region of the National Archives:

National Archives—Northeast Region Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center 380 Trapelo Road Waltham, Massachusetts 02452-6399

Phone: (781) 663-0130 Fax: (781) 663-0154 E-mail: [mailto:waltham.archives@nara.gov waltham.archives@nara.gov ]

Web Sites
Naturalization information online:

Massachusetts Naturalization Index: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ussnei/NatlzMA.htm

Wiki articles describing online collections are found at:


 * Massachusetts, Naturalization Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)
 * United States New England Naturalization Index (FamilySearch Historical Records)