Alabama, U.S. District Court Naturalization Records, 1855-1969

What is in This Collection?

This collection includes naturalization records such as Petitions for Naturalization, Declarations of Intention, Oaths of Allegiance, Military Petitions, and Repatriations filed in the United States District Court of Alabama from 1855 to 1969. Images are originally housed at The National Archives and Records Administration Atlanta Regional Facility. This collection is associated with NARA microfilm publication M1547.

The naturalization volumes vary in size and format. Prior to the late 1800s each document was usually handwritten on one page. From the late 1800s and on, printed forms were used. After 1906, many entries were typewritten. While there were various types of naturalization records, the Declaration of Intent and Naturalization Petition usually had the most complete genealogical information. 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. Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. Counties recorded naturalization procedures in the court records as legal proof of citizenship.

This collection includes records from some of the following Districts and Divisions:
US District Court for the Northern District

• Eastern Division (Anniston)
• Middle Division (Gadsden)
• Southern Division (Birmingham)
• Petitions For Naturalization, 1909–1963
• Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1910–1954
• Naturalization Depositions, 1911–1928
• Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1910–1992
• Overseas Military Petitions for Naturalization, 1922–1986
• Military Petitions for Naturalization, 1918–1924
• Petitions for Naturalization, 1909–1991
• Naturalization Orders, 1926–1992
• Petitions for Naturalization Transferred from Other Courts, 1953–1991
• Western Division (Tuscaloosa)
• Northwestern Division (Florence)
• Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1923–1929
• Petitions for Naturalization, 1922–1926

U.S. Circuit Court for the Northern District

• Northeastern Division (Huntsville)
• Eastern Division (Anniston)
• Middle Division (Gadsden)
• Southern Division (Birmingham)
• Northwestern Division (Florence)

U.S. District Court for the Middle District

• Northern Division (Montgomery)
• Eastern Division (Opelika)
• Southern Division (Dothan)

U.S. Circuit Court for the Middle District

• Southern Division(Dothan)

U.S. District Court for the Southern District

• Cahawba Division
• Mobile Division
• Selma Division

U.S. Circuit Court for the Southern District

• Mobile Division

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

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

Petition

Declarations of Intent and Naturalization Petitions

Collection Content

Sample Images

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  1908 Declaration of Intention

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  1912 Petition for Naturalization

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  1913 Oath of Allegiance

Inventory

For a list of all the titles included in this Historical Records publication see Alabama, U.S. District Court Naturalization Records - Inventory