Kip Sperry Between the year 1607 and the 1920s, it is estimated that over 30 million people immigrated to America. While finding the origins of your immigrant ancestors can be one of the most difficult aspects of family history research, it can also be one of the most rewarding. In this first installment of a two-part series, I will discuss how to get started on the trail of immigrant ancestors. Your first step is to learn all that you can about your immigrants by searching for home sources and talking to the oldest members of your family.
Gravestones sometimes show a birthplace or country of origin.
Similar to the Ancestral File, the new Pedigree Resource File on compact disc may provide important clues. You will want to search the Internet for genealogies, indexes, and immigration sources. Immigration Sources One of the first places to begin searching for your immigrant ancestors is in the federal census schedules. Census records, which are more complete in later years, give immigration information, and are more completely indexed. These records begin in the 1790s and include declaration of intentions and petitions for citizenship.