Finding Aids for NARA's New York Facility
The National Archives at New York City has a variety of guides, reference information papers, lists, and other finding aids. Some are available online:
- Guide to Archival Holdings of the National Archives at New York City, 1996.
Record group level descriptions of archival holdings including agency administrative history; dates and volume; narrative description of source, content, and types of records; list of finding aids and related microfilm; restriction statements. Entries provide details not available for regional records in the Federal Records Guide.
- Federal Records Guide, 1995.
Search NARA's holdings of federal records at a very high level, to identify which record groups may have material relevant to your research topics. This includes records that originated in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches.
- Guide to Puerto Rican Records in the National Archives at New York City, 2013.
This reference paper describes the records held by the National Archives at New York City pertaining to Federal government activity in Puerto Rico. These records span 28 different record groups and comprise a total of over 2,750 cubic feet. In addition, it includes information and links to entries about Puerto Rico related documents from the other National Archives facilities.
- Guide to U.S. Virgin Islands Records at the National Archives at New York City This guide describes the records held by the National Archives at New York City pertaining to Federal government activity in the United States Virgin Islands.
- Chinese Immigration and Chinese in the United States: Records in the Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration, RIP 99, 1996. Selected information pertains to records at the New York City facility.
- New York Chinese Exclusion Index. A name index to over 18,500 "Chinese exclusion" case files created by the New York District Office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ca. 1882-1960. The case files document the entry into the United States of Chinese aliens and the reentry of U.S. citizens of Chinese ancestry under the Chinese Exclusion Acts passed by Congress between 1882 and 1930, and repealed in 1943.
- New York Chinese Exclusion Index. A name index to over 18,500 "Chinese exclusion" case files created by the New York District Office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, ca. 1882-1960. The case files document the entry into the United States of Chinese aliens and the reentry of U.S. citizens of Chinese ancestry under the Chinese Exclusion Acts passed by Congress between 1882 and 1930, and repealed in 1943.
- Records of the Rosenberg Grand Jury Transcripts
- Access to Archival Databases, (AAD). Search Hint for New York passenger arrival records, 1846-1851:
- Press the AAD Search button. Use the Subject filter. You can select either the term Immigrants or Passenger lists from the drop down screen. Press the Submit button.
- On the results page, click the description titled, Records for Passengers Who Arrived at the Port of New York During the Irish Famine, created, 1977 - 1989, documenting the period 1/12/1846 - 12/31/1851.
- Click on either link Famine Irish Passenger Record Data File or the List of Ships that arrived at the Port of New York During the Famine. select the data table link on the resulting File Unit Description page, Click here to search this data table to search the data file. NOTE: You will now be in the search interface for the either the Famine File or the List of ships. Since these files are so large, you must limit the search by entering in at least one operator such as a last name, country code, destination, etc.
- Enter a term and press Search.
- The search results will yield a data table. You may resort the columns or just browse through each. To view a record in detail, check the first column Select Record for the row you would like to view. Press the button "Show Selected Records."
- The record detail page will result.
- Press the AAD Search button. Use the Subject filter. You can select either the term Immigrants or Passenger lists from the drop down screen. Press the Submit button.
- National Archives Catalog
Selected information in our National Archives Catalog pertains to records at the New York facility. Find descriptions of selected records, and access digital images in some cases, from the facility's archival holdings in this searchable database. - Court Records such as Southern District criminal case files and Eastern District files
- Genealogy Resources including:
- Vital Records
- New York City deaths and marriages (select indexes only - full indexes and records available at the New York City Municipal Archives)
- New York State, excluding New York City (select indexes only - full indexes and records available at the New York State Archives)
- Census Records
- Passenger arrival records for the Port of New York, 1820-1957, and selected other ports of entry including Boston, Philadelphia, and Baltimore
- Naturalization Records including those filed in Federal, State, and local courts in New York City, 1792-1906; Federal courts in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico up to 1991; and Military Naturalizations
- New York Navy Yard Photo index
- Vital Records