Maryland Naturalization and Citizenship

Portal:United States Naturalization &gt;Maryland

Colonial Naturalization
Few naturalizations were required in the colonial period since most immigrants came from the British Isles. The legislature and the Governor and Council naturalized some foreigners, but most persons were naturalized in the later colonial period under a 1740 Act of Parliment.

Early naturalizations were granted in the form of laws. Most of those who were naturalized came from European countries such as France, Switzerland, and Germany. Early naturalizations granted by the legistature have been transcribed into the following five-volume set:


 * Laws of the Royal County of New Jersey 1703-1775. Trenton, New Jersey: New Jersey State Library, Archives and History Bureau, 1977.

The Maryland State Archives has several indexes to colonial naturalizations found in Provincial and General Court, General Assembly, and Governor and Council records of 1634 to 1776. Naturalizations of colonial German immigrants, including lists previously published in the Archives of Maryland (see the "Public Records" section of this outline), are in:


 * Wyand, Jeffrey A., and Florence L. Wyand, Colonial Maryland Naturalizations. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1975. (Family History Library book 975.2 W5w.) This source may include religion, birth date and place, death date and place, or residence.

Post-1790 Records
After 1790 under federal naturalization law, aliens could declare intention to become citizens and later be naturalized in any federal, county, or city court. The Family History Library has some copies of these court records.

The Maryland State Archives has most county naturalization records, indexes to many state and county records from 1777-1917, and indexes to Baltimore city and county naturalizations from 1796 to 1933. The archives have a card index to naturalizations in the U.S. circuit court, 1852-1918, and U.S. district courts from 1797-1951. The archives also has a card index for the colonial period, 1637-1776.

You can find abstracts of naturalization records in:


 * Oszakiewski, Robert Andrew, comp. Maryland Naturalization Abstracts. Two Volumes. Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1995, 1996. (Family History Library book 975.2 P48o.) Volume one is County and Baltimore City, Maryland 1784-1851; the U.S. Circuit Court for Maryland, 1790-1851. Volume two is The County Court of Maryland, 1779-1851; the U.S. Circuit Court for Maryland, 1790-1851. These two volumes list name, place of origin, sources, naturalization date, and age.

National Archives--Mid-Atlantic Region
The National Archives—Mid-Atlantic Region has:


 * Declarations of intention, 1911 to 1957, and petitions for naturalization, 1903 to 1955, from the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
 * Circuit court declarations of aliens and registry of aliens, 1816 to 1828.

The Family History Library also has microfilms of:


 * Declarations of intention, 1906 to 1911, for the U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Maryland (Family History Library film 1738366).
 * Indexes to naturalization petitions to the U.S. Circuit and District Courts for the District of Maryland, 1797 to 1951. These are also on film at the Family History Library (Family History Library films beginning with 1380472).
 * U.S. District Court intentions and petitions, 1792 to 1931 (on 67 Family History Library films beginning with 1738367).
 * U.S. Circuit Court intentions, 1906 to 1911 (Family History Library film 1738366).
 * U.S. Circuit Court petitions, 1790 to 1911 (Family History Library films 940136-142).

Additional naturalization records are at the National Archives, Washington D.C.

Post 1906 Records
For naturalization records after September 1906, use the Genealogy Program at www.uscis.gov.

Web Sites
National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/

National Archives-Midatlantic Region: http://www.archives.gov/midatlantic/

Maryland State Archives: http://www.msa.md.gov/