Off the Boat: Tracing Your Ancestor back to the Old Country
Alec Ferretti
Content
About this webinar
Although most American records do not specify immigrants' exact places of origin, by doing a wholistic study of an entire family, it's often possible to determine exactly from where they came. Learn about the different kinds of records that can help determine an immigrant's exact place of birth, such as parish records, ship manifests, naturalization petitions, social security applications, alien registrations and more!
About the speaker
Key points and insights
This webinar features Alec Ferretti, a professional genealogist specializing in 20th-century immigration to the United States. Ferretti discusses strategies and resources for tracing ancestors back to their countries of origin, emphasizing the increasing accessibility of records online through platforms like FamilySearch and Ancestry. He details various records such as passenger manifests, naturalization records, and vital records, explaining their significance and how to access them. Ferretti also provides valuable tips for navigating the complexities of genealogical research, including the importance of verifying information and understanding the nuances of historical records.
Key Takeaways:- Genealogical research in the 21st century is greatly facilitated by the availability of online records through platforms like FamilySearch and Ancestry, though some records still require physical access or mail orders.
- Passenger manifests are crucial for tracing immigrant origins, especially post-1892 records from Ellis Island, which provide detailed information about immigrants, including their place of birth.
- Naturalization records, particularly those post-1906, are valuable resources for genealogical research, often containing detailed information about immigrants and their families, and can sometimes lead to ship manifest records.
The webinar emphasizes that contrary to common misconceptions, immigrants' names were generally not changed at Ellis Island. The records were created in Europe, and any name changes were typically due to the individual's choice or other factors, not imposed by U.S. officials.
To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the strategies and resources available for tracing your ancestors back to their origins, view the full webinar.
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Comments (73)
Excellent information and presentation
What an interesting webinar! Thanks for the tip to use Steve Morse site. I definitely have lots of work to do and I enjoyed all the explanations given on all different files, forms and records. Ginette from Ottawa, Canada
Excellent presentation and presenter. Some information given that I did not know about and some that I need(ed) a refresher on. I will definitely be accessing Mr. Ferretti's other webinars. He is very easy to listen to - and learn from. I will also be watching his presentation to be given as part of the 24-hour marathon on April 3 & 4, 2025.
A lot of information and some new sources that I was not aware of. Thanks!
Good information and relevant to me since all of my roots are in Italy. Glad to get information on accessing records and documents. Alec presented it in a manner that was easy to understand and provided good examples. Thank you Alec!
Awesome webinar!!
Very informative.
This was especially important for me as I am having a really hard time finding my great grandfather and didn't know more leads. I'm hoping now I'll get somewhere.