New York, County Naturalization Records, 1791-1980

What is in This Collection?

The collection consists of images of naturalization records from county courthouses in New York for the years 1791 to 1980. The records may include declarations of intent, petitions, indexes, and final papers. The content and time period varies by county. Counties included in this publication: Alleghany, Bronx, Broome, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Clinton, Columbia, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Jefferson, Kings, Lewis, Madison, Montgomery, Mount Vernon, Nassau, New York, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Queens, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Suffolk, Sullivan, St. Lawrence, Tioga, Tompkins, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Warren, Wyoming and Yates.

Before 1906, immigrants could naturalize in any court that performed naturalizations including city, county, state and federal courts. As a result they often selected the most convenient court. If they lived in the Eastern District but worked elsewhere, they may have gone to a court closer to work. To begin, look for naturalization records in the courts of the county or city where the immigrant lived. If the county has an index search it first. Next look for the petition (second papers), because they are usually easier to find in courts near where the immigrant eventually settled.

Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. The first naturalization act was passed in 1802. Immigrants to the United States were not required to apply for citizenship. Of those who did apply, many did not complete the requirements for citizenship. Naturalization to become a U.S. citizen was a two-part process: the Declaration of Intent to Naturalize, or First Papers, and the Naturalization Record (including the Naturalization Petition), or Final Papers. The First Papers were normally filed five years before the Final Papers because of the five-year residency requirement to become a citizen.

No centralized files existed before 1906. In 1906 federal forms replaced the various formats that had been used by the various courts. Copies were sent to the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), creating a central file for naturalization papers. The INS is now known as the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Naturalization records are generally well preserved, but some records may have been lost to fire or other disasters.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

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What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

Collection Content

Sample Image

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  1892 County Naturalization Record