Overview
Naturalization is a grant of the full legal rights and privileges of a native-born individual to a non-native foreigner. In England, in the American colonies, and in the United States, naturalizations have been granted by special legislative act or by court proceedings authorized by legislation. The Pennsylvania State Archives maintains various naturalization records from the 18th through the 20th centuries.
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Supreme Court naturalizations
| Record | Notes | Finding aid | Digital images |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naturalization Lists of the Supreme Court and the Courts of Nisi Prius, 1740–1773 | Under British statute of 1740, an alien who had resided in a colony for at least seven years could be naturalized by swearing an oath of allegiance before a local magistrate. (Immigrants from England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland were subjects of the crown and not considered aliens). Arranged chronologically. | Records of the Proprietary Government (RG-21) | PA Digital Archives |
| Index to Declarations of Intention, 1832–1901 | Supreme Court Eastern District | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | PA Digital Archives |
| Declaration of Intention Dockets, 1819–1906 | Supreme Court Eastern District | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | PA Digital Archives |
| Index to Naturalization Papers, 1794–1824, 1842–1868 | Supreme Court Eastern District | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | PA Digital Archives |
| Naturalization Papers 1794–1819, 1821–1868 | Supreme Court Eastern District Indexed in Philadelphia Naturalization Records... 1789-1880 (P. William Filby) | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | Ancestry Pennsylvania or Ancestry.com |
| Naturalization Papers of the Chambersburg (Southern) District, 1815–1829 | Supreme Court Southern District | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | Not currently available online |
| Naturalization Docket, 1812–1867 (bulk 1830-1855) | Supreme Court Western District | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | PA Digital Archives |
| Naturalization Papers, 1831–1867 | Supreme Court Western District | Records of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (RG-33) | PA Digital Archives |
County court naturalizations
The Pennsylvania State Archives holds the naturalizations for only a few counties in its collections. Most county court naturalizations are still held by the county, usually with the county Prothonotary or archives.
| Record | Finding aid | Digital images |
|---|---|---|
| Erie County Naturalization Papers 1801, 1819-1820, 1823-1940 | Records of the County Governments (RG-47) | Not currently available online |
| Indiana County Naturalization Papers 1806-1957, undated | Records of the County Governments (RG-47) | Not currently available online |
| Jefferson County Naturalization Papers 1831-1910 | Records of the County Governments (RG-47) | FamilySearch.org (accessible with a free account) (1831–1906) |
| Lawrence County Naturalization Records 1850-1906 | Records of the County Governments (RG-47) | FamilySearch.org (accessible with a free account) (1849–1939) |
| Lehigh County Naturalization Records 1790-1991 | Records of the County Governments (RG-47) | FamilySearch.org (accessible with a free account) (1812–1906) |
No. There is no comprehensive, statewide index to pre-1906 Pennsylvania naturalizations.
