Searching for Women in Naturalization Records

A Family History Research Tip

Do you have a “difficult” female immigrant ancestor—one for whom you just haven’t been able to locate any naturalization records? There is a good reason for the lack of documentation. In the majority of cases through 1922, most alien women received their citizenship through their immigrant husband’s naturalization process—or, if a minor child, through their father. From 1907 on, a wife’s name might be mentioned on a husband’s naturalization records, but no personal information about that wife is usually included. Prior to 1922, naturalization records will occasionally be found for single or widowed women—but it is rare. Until the right to vote for women was ratified in 1920, there were few enough reasons for women to naturalize that justified the court fees.

Another common situation was when an immigrant female married a man who was already a US citizen—either native-born or naturalized. Once again, the act of marriage automatically conferred upon the immigrant bride citizenship without any accompanying paperwork. In an interesting parallel to the marriage scenario, during the years 1866-1907, if a native-born female married an immigrant she would lose her US citizenship if she left the country to be with her new husband. From 1907-1922, if a native-born female married an immigrant, she automatically lost her US citizenship even if she never left her native country! These unfortunate women would, of course, regain citizenship if their immigrant spouses naturalized.

Finally, in September 1922 Congress passed what came to be known as the Married Women’s Act, and women became eligible and were required to naturalize. Marriage no longer granted citizenship.

For more details about the strange “ins and outs” of US naturalization law and women, read INS historian Marian Smith’s fascinating article titled “Any Woman Who is Now or May Hereafter be Married…”, available on the National Archives’ website in their Prologue magazine archives.

Upcoming Classes

Saving Visual Memories in the Digital Age

Drawers full of photos and hard drives full of pixels--those are the photograph preservation challenges today. Bonnie Wilson, independent curator and historian, will suggest methods for identifying and preserving your images of great-great-grand-parents, grandchildren, and all generations in between.

• March 20, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
• Cost: $6 for MHS members; $8 for non-members.
• The class is limited to 30; pre-registration is required.
• Register online.

Electronic Roots: Genealogy Research on the Internet

The internet is a valuable tool in researching family history, but it can sometimes seem overwhelming. In this class, Reference Librarian Alison Purgiel will teach you how to use the Internet to make the most of your family history project. The class will cover both fee-based subscription website such as Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest.com and free genealogy resources. Also included is an in-depth account of the the resources available electronically from the MHS Library and tips for using those resources.

• April 24, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
• Cost: $6 for MHS members; $8 for non-members.
• The class is limited to 30; pre-registration is required.
• Register online.

Intermediate Genealogy Classes

The fourth pair of Minnesota Genealogical Society classes will be held Saturday, April 14.  Joanne Sher will present "Locating Your Urban Ancestors Using City Directories " from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. and "Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I Draft Registration Records " from noon to 1:00 p.m.

These classes have been popular, so please pre-register so we can have the proper number of handouts and arrange the room so everyone fits comfortably.

• April 14, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
• Cost: $28 for MHS/MGS members; $32 for non-members.
• Classes will be limited to 30; pre-registration is required.
• Register online.

Featured Collection

Public Safety Commission, Women's Committee Records

Many genealogists know of the Public Safety Commission's activities during World War I, particularly the Alien Registration files.  Few may be aware, however, that the Commission also had a very active Women’s Committee concerned with a wide range of home-front issues such as Americanization, child welfare, food and clothing conservation, social hygiene, and women in industry.

As part of its work, the Women's Committee produced a number of surveys, preserved in the State Archives as the Women in Industry Survey Forms, 1918–1919.  One survey, entitled “Women Employed Outside the Home,” includes basic data on working conditions and a list of all female employees giving name, address, age, country of birth, nationality, citizenship status, type of work, and other information relating to family and home life.

A second survey,  “Married Women with Dependent Families” was a follow-up interview with selected women identified in the first survey. It includes similar data to the previous survey plus much more information on the family including, names, ages and status (in school or working) of children, name of husband and service status.

Although they cover a short time span, these surveys provide useful information on often hard-to-find female ancestors and potentially valuable insights into how they lived.  Best of all, these records have been microfilmed as SAM 222 and can be borrowed through interlibrary loan.  You may want to consult with MHS staff as to which rolls to request.