Finding Passenger Lists and Records for the Port of Boston, Massachusetts 1820-1963

Compiled by Joe Beine

Boston Passenger Lists and Immigration Records

This webpage lists online and microfilmed ship passenger lists and their indexes (and some airplane lists) for the port of Boston, Massachusetts from 1820 to 1963.

Online Index and Images 1820-1963

Online Database: Boston Passenger Lists Online Index and Images, September 1820-1963 (at Ancestry/requires payment)

Ancestry has indexed and digitized images of Boston passenger lists from National Archives (NARA) microfilm publications T843, M277, T938, A3604, A3606, A3607 and A3608.
Note: 1855-1856 and April 1874-1882 are not included in this database. For those years (and perhaps other missing ships) see the section on the Massachusetts State Lists below.
Besides ship passenger lists, this database also includes some airplane arrivals: NARA microfilm publication A3607 (Passenger and Crew Manifests of Airplanes Arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, February 1945-November 1954), NARA microfilm publication A3606 (Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels and Airplanes Arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, 1954-1963), and NARA microfilm publication A3608 (Passenger and Crew Manifests of Airplanes Arriving at Boston, Massachusetts, 1957-1963).

Massachusetts State Lists 1848-1891

(Including the "Missing" Passenger Lists 1855-1856 and 1874-1882)

The state of Massachusetts kept separate State Lists, which cover 1848-1891 (including the missing NARA time frames of 1855-1856 and 1874-1882; and any other possible gaps). These State Lists are available from the Massachusetts State Archives in Boston. They are also available on digitized microfilm from FamilySearch. See: Registers of Passengers Arriving in Massachusetts Ports, 1848-1891. If you are unable to find the passenger list you are searching for in the federal records in this time frame, then you might check the Massachusetts State Archives lists. Online indexes are also available for this time frame:

Massachusetts, Index to Boston Passenger Lists, 1848-1891 at FamilySearch
Boston Passenger Lists Index, 1848-1891 at the Massachusetts State Archives

Index on Microfilm 1820-1847

Boston has not been indexed by NARA from 1820-1847. The Online Index listed above can be used to help find passengers in this time frame. However, some Boston passenger lists are indexed here: Supplemental Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports (Excluding New York), 1820-1874 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers) (National Archives Publication M334, 188 rolls)

Index on Microfilm 1848-1891

Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, MA, 1848-1891 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers) (National Archives Publication M265, 282 rolls)

Passenger Lists on Microfilm 1820-1891 (with gaps)

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, MA; 1820 to July 29, 1891 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers) (National Archives Publication M277, 115 rolls)

The original customs passenger lists for Boston prior to 1883 were destroyed in a fire. However, copies of the records (1820-1874 with gaps) survived. Original lists (1883-1891) also survived. These are available on microfilm from NARA and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The major exceptions are the periods from 1855-1856 and April 1874 - 1 Jan 1883. See the Massachusetts State Lists section above for where to look for records in these gaps.

Indexes on Microfilm 1899-1940

Note: Boston has not been indexed on microfilm from 1892 to 31 March 1899, or for 1901. See the online database listed near the top of this page for coverage of these years.

Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, MA, Jan. 1, 1902--June 30, 1906 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers) (National Archives Publication T521, 11 rolls)

Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, MA, July 1, 1906--December 31, 1920 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers) (National Archives Publication T617, 11 rolls) This index is arranged in rough alphabetical order.

Book Indexes to Boston Passenger Lists, 1899-1940 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers, and a link to an online version) (National Archives Publication T790, 107 rolls) This index begins 1 April 1899 and ends 14 Sept 1940. It is arranged chronologically by date of ship arrival and then alphabetically by first initial of surname for each class of passenger. So you must know the approximate date of arrival for this index to be useful. There are no book indexes for the year 1901.

Passenger Lists on Microfilm 1891-1943

Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Boston, MA; August 1, 1891 to 1943 (NARA & FHL Microfilm Numbers) (National Archives Publication T843, 454 rolls)