American Family Immigration History Center at Ellis Island

The Family History Center Ellis Island, also known as the American Family Immigration History Center (AFIHC), is located on the first floor of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. 

This is a valuable resource for family history researchers since over 65 million records for passengers arriving from 1820 to 1957 are available there.

The center allows visitors to log on to computers and search for names, beginning their journey of discovery into their family’s immigration history. 

For a small fee, visitors can access passenger records of ships that landed at the Port of New York and purchase copies of these records and pictures of the ships. 

The same information can also be accessed online for free at ellisisland.org. 

Research assistants are also available to answer questions and help you with your search. Records, as always, are free to search online.

This History Center is open daily from 9.45 am to 4 pm (the last session starts at 3.30 p.m.).

What to See at the Family History Center 

The AFIHC is famous for providing a unique opportunity for people to explore their family history and connect with their ancestors’ experiences as immigrants to the United States. 

It has inspired millions to begin their genealogical journey and has become an essential stop for those tracing their family’s roots.

Below are the fascinating exhibits and immigrants’ repositories you can check out during your Family History Museum visit:

The Voyage: Ship Manifests

Manifests are digitized ditto images of the original historical documents.

They often include the passenger’s original name, age at arrival, occupation, previous residence, and information about who they were traveling with.

The People: Passenger Records

You can find a digitized copy of your passenger’s name, date of arrival, and age at the time of arrival. 

You can also access over 65 million passenger arrival records for travelers entering through the Port of New York from 1820 to 1957. 

Some passenger records are more detailed than others, but most include the name, age, date of arrival, ship name, nationality, birthplace, occupation, last residence abroad, and eventual destination. 

Some even include details about how much luggage a passenger brought, how much money they carried, and where they remained on the ship.

Where to Begin Your Search

A name is all you need to get started, but more information will make your search much easier and more accurate.

If all you have to work with is a name — say, John Smith — you’ll be looking through hundreds of entries with no idea which John Smith is your great-grandfather. 

Even rare names can yield hundreds of results.

We recommend gathering as much information as possible to prepare for your search and achieve the best results. 

Did your relative have any travel companions? What was their hometown? When did they arrive in the United States? 

This database can adjust for varied surname spellings, but knowing your passenger’s birth name will be useful if you suspect their family name has changed significantly.

The Vessel: Ship Information

This lets you purchase the images of some ships and expand the knowledge gained through your family history research. 

Don’t miss the chance to visit the family history museum at Ellis Island! Then, board a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and enjoy this fantastic attraction!

Attend Customized Programs

The AFIHC can accommodate group visits with customized programs, such as personalized research for VIPs, tailored Q&A sessions, and commemorative gifts for guests.

FAQ

Featured Image: NPS.com