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Original Records in the Old Country |
| Many of these record groups we have studied in the United States. Some of them apply to the country that seems foreign to you at present including:
Although nationwide sources will not locate most immigrants, they can be a very important part of a comprehensive research strategy. They are good indicators of where an uncommon surname was found within a country, and they do certainly list real people who lived in your immigrant’s country, some of whom may be relatives, if not the immigrants themselves. Adding the results of a careful search of these and similar sources to the growing amount of information you know about the immigrant(s) and their family, may eventually help you find the actual immigrant you are seeking. There are published transcripts and indexes for some ports and countries. Significant and representative published departure lists for Europe and Great Britain were covered in Chapter 12, but others may be available as they are published in the Research Outlines under the various countries they represent. Although tremendous record destruction limits the availability of foreign departure lists, where they do exist, they are a significant tool for the emigrant origins researcher. Remember also that while the lists carrying the emigrant you are seeking may have been destroyed, other related emigrants may have come at earlier or later times, and be listed on the surviving lists. As always, the more you know about the immigrant and his or her family, the greater your chance for success in locating their home.
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