Index to passenger lists of vessels arriving at Baltimore, 1820-1897 (Federal passengers lists) : NARA publication M327

Notes

The index cards reproduced in this microcopy are arranged according to the Soundex filing system. This system, alphabetic for the first letter of surname and numeric thereunder as indicated by divider cards, keeps together names of the same and similar sounds but of variant spelling. To search for the name of a passenger arriving at Baltimore, you must first work out the code number for the surname of the passenger. No number is assigned to the first letter of the surname. If the passenger's name is Kuhne, for example, the index card will be in the "K" segment of the index. The code number for Kuhne, worked out according to the system below, is 500. Soundex Coding Guide Code Key Letters and Equivalents 1 b, p, f, v 2 c, s, k, g, j, q, x, z 3 d, t, 4 l 5 m, n 6 r.

The letters a, e, i, o, u, y, w, and h are not coded. The first letter of a surname is not coded. Every Soundex number must be a 3-digit number. A name yeilding no code number, as Lee, would be L 000; one yielding only one code number would have two zeros added, as Kuhne, coded as K 500; and one yielding two code numbers would have one zero added, as Ebell, coded as E 140. Not more than three digits are used, so Ebelson would be coded as E 142 not E 1425. When two key lettes or equivalents appear together, or one key letter immediately follows or precedes an equivalent, the two are coded as one letter, by single number, as follows: Kelly, coded as 400; Buerck, coded as 620; Lloyd coded as 300; and Schaefer, coded as 160. After determining the code number, such as K 500 for Kuhne, consult the contents listing for this microcopy, which gives the roll breakdown, to locate the roll on which that code number appears. When looking at a particular roll you will see that if several names.

are coded as K 500 -- Kam, Abraham; Kann, A; Kenny, Ann; Kohmi, August; and Kuhne, Adam -- the cards will appear in the following order, alphabetical by given name; Kann, A; Kam, Abraham; Kuhne, Adam; Kenny, Ann; and Kohmi, August. Divider cards are used to show most code numbers, but not all. For instance one divider may be numbered 350 and the next one 400. Between the two divider cards there may be names coded 352, 350, 360, 365, and 355, but instead of being in numerical order they are interfiled and arranged alphabetically by given name. Such prefixes to surnames as "van", "Von", "Di", "de", "le", "D'", "dela", or du" are sometimes disregarede in alphabetizing and in coding. The following names are examples of coding, and are given only to aid the user of this microcopy. Examples:.

Name Letters Coded Code No. Allricht l, r, c, A 462 Eberhard b, r, r, E 166 Engebrethson n, g, b, E 521 Heimbach m, b, c, H 512 Hanselmann n, s, l, H 524 Henzelmann n, z, l, H 524 Hildebrand l, d, b, H 431 Kavanagh v, n, g, K 152 Lind, Van n, d, L 530 Lukaschowsky k, s, c, L 222 McDonnall c, d, n, M 235 McGee c, g, M 220 O'Brien b, r, n, O 165 Opnian p, n, n, O 155 Oppenheimer p, n, m, O 155 Riedmanas d, m, n R 355 Zita t, Z 300 Zitzmeinn t, z, m Z 325.

Microfilm of original records at the National Archives.

View a digital version of Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists Index.

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