Delaware, U.S. District and Circuit Courts, Naturalization Records, 1817-1936

What is in This Collection?

This collection includes naturalization records of the U.S. District Court District of Delaware such as Petitions for Naturalization, Declarations of Intention, Oaths of Allegiance, and Military Petitions filed in the United States District and Circuit Courts of Delaware from 1817 to 1936. Images are originally housed at The National Archives and Records Administration Philadelphia Branch. This collection is associated with NARA microfilm publication M1644 and includes the following NAID numbers.

• 26457725, Military Petitions for Naturalization, June 18, 1918–January 27, 1919
• 567323, Petitions for Naturalization, 1802–September 30, 1991
• 573393, Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1817–1990
• 580014, Petitions for Naturalization, 1828–1902

While there were various types of naturalization records, the Declaration of Intent and Naturalization Petition usually had the most complete genealogical information.

Naturalization is the process of granting citizenship privileges and responsibilities to foreign-born residents. Delaware’s counties recorded naturalization procedures in the court records as legal proof of citizenship. The courts handling naturalization cases changed several times so the card index was created as a way to quickly access specific records.

The index is very accurate and the information that was current at the time of naturalization was usually reliable. However, there was always a chance for misinformation. Errors may have occurred because of the informant’s lack of knowledge or because of transcription errors or other circumstances.

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). 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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  Declaration of Intention 1838

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  Naturalization Petition 1840

Inventory

Not all the films listed here may have been included or indexed in this collection.

Naturalization Petitions

U.S. District and Circuit Courts for the District of Delaware, 1795-1930 ; index to naturalization petitions for the U.S. Circuit Court, 1795-1911, and District Court, 1795-1928, for the District of Delaware : NARA RG21 publications M1644 and M1649