Ahoy! Check Those Hamburg Passenger Lists

The Hamburg passenger lists contain the names of millions of Europeans who emigrated through the port of Hamburg between 1850 and 1934 (except for 1915 through 1919). Nearly one-third of the people who emigrated from central and eastern Europe during this time are included on these lists.

If you have ancestors who emigrated from these areas, the Hamburg passenger lists could provide important genealogical information about them, including their hometowns. Extensive indexes make these records easier to use than most other passenger lists and emigration records.

You may not need to look at the Hamburg passenger lists if you already know where your Eurpopean ancestors were born. Also, if they came through the ports of Bremen, LeHavre, Amsterdam, Rotterdam or Antwerp, you need to know that their emigration records were either destroyed or are not available at the Family History Library.

The lists are made up of two sections: The direct lists (with index) list passengers who left Hamburg, Germany and sailed directly to their destination without stopping at other European ports. The indirect lists (with index) list passengers who stopped at another European ports before sailing to their final destination. About 20 percent of the immigrants leaving Europe took indirect routes.

The Hamburg passenger records are on 486 rolls of microfilm at the Family History Library. For film numbers, search the FamilySearch (sic) catalog.

Before using the index, you need to know the year an emigrant left Germany. The 1900 census is a good place to begin searching. Again, try to find out whether the emigrant traveled directly to the intended country of destination or stopped at other ports along the way.

Most of the lists have been indexed. The only ones not indexed are those from 1850 to 1854 (these are arranged alphabetically). There are two sets of indexes: the Fifteenyear Index to the Direct Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1856-1871; and the regular indexes.

If your emigrant departed between 1850 and 1854, search the alphabetical passenger list for those years. If the departure is between 1856 and 1871, search the 15-year index first. If the person is not listed in the 15-year index, search the regular index.

Both the direct and indirect lists have regular indexes. They are divided into segments that cover one or part of a year. The direct indexes begin in 1854 and end in 1934. The indirect indexes begin in 1854 and end in 1910.

Using the indexes, use the Family History Catalog to find the film number. These films can then be ordered into your nearby Family History Center.

If you cannot find your ancestor in the index, there could be several reasons.

Your emigrant did not sail from Hamburg; they may have sailed from one of several other possible ports in Europe, most of which have few or no records available. Your emigrant could be listed on another page because the first was full; search the end sections of other letters of the alphabet. Your emigrant’s name could be spelled differently than it appears in your records today; look for alternate spellings of the name. Your emigrant could have come at a different date than what you thought. Try other years.

Using the Hamburg passenger lists to find your immigrant ancestor can be a confusing, many-step course of research. To learn more about this resource, ask about the four-page resource guide, “The Hamburg Passenger Lists, 1850-1934,” at the Family History Center. Also ask about the microfiche No. 6000034, which is a more thorough guide to the lists.

A parallel resource would be “German Immigration to America in the Nineteenth Century: A Genealogist’s Guide,” by Marilyn A. Wellauer. This 90-page book offers insights into the conditions surrounding 19th century emigration. Page 48 reads, “In 1851 the city fathers of Bremen and Hamburg founded information bureaus for emigrants, marking the beginning of government control of the process of emigration. The purpose of both organizations was to render aid, assistance, and protection to the emigrants descending on the cities, to provide the travelers with guides, and to see that fair prices for transportation were levied.

“In April 1849, construction began on a large Emigrant House in Bremerhaven, near Bremen, and it was finished a year later. It was equipped to sleep 1,500-2,000 persons in nine sleeping halls. The kitchen could accommodate about 3,500 persons, and the hospital’s capacity was 35 patients. There was a chapel with Protestant and Catholic facilities. By the middle of the century, Hamburg and Bremen were recommended for the good condition of their ships and lodgings.”

This enjoyable little book can be ordered by $12 from the author at 3239 N. 58th St., Milwaukee, WI 53216.

Geneaology by video

If your circumstances don’t allow you to attend a genealogy class, or if you would benefit from a slow, step-by-step review of genealogical procedures, then I’ve got good news for you. “The Genealogist’s Video Research Guide” is a package of three genealogy lessons that you can view as often as you wish right in your own home. The first tape covers home sources, published histories, proper record keeping, and accessing the databases of the Family History Library. The second discusses census and probate records, and third highlights land, military and vital records. Beginners will find that these videos get them off to a good start, and more advanced researchers will appreciate the opportunity for repeated viewing. These videos carry a 30-day money-back guarantee, and can be ordered for $59.95 from Video Knowledge, 32 North 200 East, Suite No. 1, Spanish Fork, UT 84660, or call 800-34-ROOTS.

Society meets in Tri-Cities

The Wednesday meeting of the Tri-Cities Genealogical Society will begin at 7:30 at the Kramer Center, George Washington Way, in Richland. Tom Moak, librarian at the Mid-Columbia Library in Kennewick, will explain the many genealogical resources in his library. Some of these resources include a large newspaper collection for many towns, both large and small, in the area. The library also has some Sanborn Fire Insurance maps and city directories for the area. Call Dick Ross, 509-375-5186, for more information on this meeting. All genealogists are welcome to attend.

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