A Guide to Interpreting Passenger List Annotations

by Marian L. Smith Historian, U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service

with the assistance of Elise Friedman, Flora Gursky & Eleanor Bien

Passenger Lists or manifests. Every genealogist and his sister wants to find one. But after years of searching, many find a document that raises as many questions as it answers. This is especially true of passenger lists dating after 1892, which are frequently found to have a variety of markings, codes, and annotations squeezed into the margins and small blank spaces above and behind information written in the list form's columns.

These web pages are intended to provide a comprehensive reference guide to interpreting the markings, or annotations, found on immigration passenger lists. It is written for researchers with a U.S. passenger list in hand. To learn more about finding passenger lists, see JewishGen's Immigration InfoFiles and the Passenger Lists section of the JewishGen FAQ. The information is generally organized by where the annotation is found on the record--in the left margin, for example, or in the occupation column. Within each location category are examples of the various types of annotations found in that space, and an explanation of each. Every attempt has been made to provide several examples of each annotation type so that researchers may come to recognize the form and pattern that characterizes each type. Each page also has a link to a glossary of commonly-found acronyms and abbreviations.

MARKINGS ON THE MANIFEST’S LEFT MARGIN

Nearly every manifest annotation found in the far left margin was made either prior to or upon arrival, usually during immigrant inspection. Steamship company clerks found the small margin of empty paper space useful for noting a variety of information. Immigrant Inspectors also used the empty space to leave clues as to whether an immigrant passed through inspection easily, or faced closer scrutiny.

Numbers, Often in Consecutive Order

Numbers like those above are occasionally found in the left margin, especially on lists of ships from England. The numbers can have as few as 2 or 3 digits, and as many as 6 or 7 digits. These are "contract ticket" numbers issued by the steamship companies when contracting with the immigrant for their passage. The number may or may not have appeared on the immigrant's actual ticket or receipt. The steamship lines used the number as a personal identifier, and recording the number allowed the companies to match the manifest record with other business records. The numbers bear no relation to any other United States records. However, they may be useful in matching a U.S. passenger arrival record with a British departure record (British "outbound lists").

Lists from the 1890's or even the very early 1900's may have been printed by the steamship line with a "Contract Ticket" number column. This has been seen on passenger lists of the American Line from England in the mid-1890's. The presence of such a column demonstrates the importance of the information to the steamship company, and helps explain why it might be annotated at left on a list without a "Contract Ticket" column.

In some rare cases, typically on earlier lists prior to addition of the "Head Tax" column, a solitary number will appear to the left of a passenger's name. These lonely numbers are usually Head Tax receipt numbers. Notation of the receipt number may indicate either that the immigrant requested a receipt, disputed his/her requirement to pay the tax, or was only passing through the U.S. in transit (in which case the Head Tax deposit would be refunded upon their departure).

Not Shipped, N.O.B. or Did Not Sail

Often passengers booked to sail on a given ship did not depart. Perhaps they missed the ship, or changed their travel plans, or became ill and health officials prevented them from boarding the ship. Whatever the case, in some instances the change or decision occurred so late there was no time to amend the passenger list. Their names and passenger information remain on lists for ships upon which they never arrived.

To indicate the record is meaningless, steamship company employees would mark the record in one of several ways. The most common was to "line out" the entire record with dark grease pencil or ink. Some of the lines are straight across and can be difficult to differentiate from scratches on the microfilm. Others are deliberately "wavy."

Some records remain without a line, but are noted in the left margin as "N.O.B." (Not On Board), "did not sail," or, like the stamp above, "Not Shipped." It was important for the steamship company to make clear who was and was not on board the ship when it arrived in the United States. The company was responsible for paying the Head Tax on each immigrant landed, and government officials calculated the company's monthly bill using the manifest lists. The passenger booked below "cancelled."

Note well that some of those names "lined out" were on board, but are officially recorded on another page of the passenger list. The example below includes two crossed-off names because they were "Not on Board," but one name is lined-out (line 21) because he/she is a "2nd class passenger." The official record of that person is, then, on the list of second class passengers.

Letters (including "X," "D," "S.I.," "B.S.I.,") or the Word "Held"

Extremely common are letters and stamps in the left margin relating to an immigrant's detention or their being held for a Board of Special Inquiry hearing. The general rule is that some notation was made at left to indicate the immigrant was held for some reason. One cannot determine the reason by looking at the annotation, and unless it was subsequently stamped "Admitted" or "Deported," one cannot determine the outcome.

In practice, variation can be found between the records of different ports. For example, the annotation "D" on a New York list means the immigrant was temporarily detained. But on a Philadelphia list, "D" can indicate either that the immigrant was temporarily detained or that he/she was held for a Board of Special Inquiry. The letters "X," "D," and the word "Held" can mean either that the immigrant went to temporary detention or had a Special Inquiry hearing. The more specific "S.I." and "B.S.I." indicate the immigrant was held for a hearing.

Unfortunately, for many passenger lists there is no additional information on the immigrant's fate. To date, additional records are known to survive for only two ports, and only for certain years. These ports are New York and Philadelphia.

Beginning in 1903, the Immigration Service at New York began filing Records of Detained Aliens and Records of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry at the end of each passenger list. Whenever a researcher finds an annotation in the left margin suggesting the immigrant was detained or held for a hearing, he or she should turn to the end of the passenger list and check these appended records to see if they contain further information.

Philadelphia records of detained immigrants (including those held for hearings) are extensive. They date from 1882 but only extend to ca. 1909. Some, dating from 1893 to 1909, are on microfilm as National Archives publication M1500. The majority remain in hard copy at the Regional Archives in Philadelphia. Anyone finding a detention annotation on a Philadelphia passenger list from this era should seriously consider investigating the Philadelphia detention records. And for Jewish immigrants, they might also consider the HIAS records in the Jewish Archives at Philadelphia's Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies.

MARKINGS IN THE MANIFEST’S NAME COLUMN

One would assume any annotations in the name column would concern the immigrants' names, and many do. In some cases the name might have been clarified or corrected by a steamship company employee or an Immigrant Inspector.

Many of the notations found in the name column relate not to the name directly but to later record checks, usually in response to an inquiry by the immigrant himself (or herself). Officials annotated almost anything in the name column, probably because it usually provided some empty space where information could be added.

Letters "V/L" Followed by Numbers Over Numbers, Sometimes With a Date

Prior to 1924, there were no "Reentry Permits." This meant that immigrants living in the United States, who wanted to travel abroad, had no assurance they would be readmitted to the U.S. upon return. Many of them would contact the Immigration Service prior to travel and ask for some paper, or pass, to guarantee their reentry. A practice developed, especially at Ellis Island, to issue such immigrants a letter from the Port Commissioner documenting the immigrant's previous admission for permanent residence. The letter was not a guarantee, but greatly facilitated the immigrant's travel.

When the clerk verified (checked) the original passenger list in these cases, he or she would annotate the list to show the activity. The letters "V/L" or "V L" stand for Verification of Landing. The numbers refer to a New York (usually) file number wherein records of all these transactions were filed. The file did not relate to the individual. Rather, it contained stacks of incoming and outgoing letters on verification of landing matters. The files no longer survive. The annotations can be helpful, though, in that they suggest the immigrant was planning a trip abroad and may appear again on a later passenger list.

It may be that some of these verifications were performed for reasons other than reentry letters. For example, any other instance where an immigrant requested proof that he or she had been legally admitted to the United States. And there are occasions when one will find the "V/L" annotation format dated later than 1924. To see common references to Reentry Permits after July 1924, see below, and see the page on Visa annotations.

Letter "P" Or Word "Permit" With Numbers

After July 1, 1924, immigrants in the United States who wished to travel abroad could apply for and obtain a Reentry Permit. The process involved filing an application, submitting a fee, and waiting for the permit to arrive prior to departure. The application required the immigrant to name their original port, date, and ship of arrival so the record could be checked and verified. During the verification, a clerk would annotate the original record with the letter "P" or the entire word "permit," followed by the application number. The annotations can be helpful in that they suggest the immigrant was planning a trip abroad and may appear again on a later passenger list. To see the Reentry Permit noted on the return trip passenger list, see the page

 on Visa annotations.

Both examples above and below show annotations including the word "Detroit," indicating the applications were filed in Detroit, Michigan, the INS office serving immigrant's current residence.

Clarified Or Corrected Names

The if, when, and how of immigrant name-changing on ship passenger lists is a matter of unending controversy. But there were simple rules. Many names were clarified as in the two examples shown here. This clarification may have been performed by a steamship company clerk prior to departure, by the ship's purser during the voyage, or by an Immigrant Inspector during the inspection process. Note the alternate names or spellings are written above or beside the original name, in a manner that would no doubt confound anyone wanting to transcribe the list.

In other instances one will find a name deliberately crossed out (just the name, not across the entire page) and another name or alternate spelling entered. In these cases the name has been officially corrected according to standard bureaucratic procedure. Immigrants who arrived after June 29, 1906, often later encountered problems naturalizing because their immigration record name did not match their true name, and their immigration record name had to appear on the Petition for Naturalization. They could, if they desired, apply for a correction of the passenger list record. In addition to filing a form (of course), they submitted evidence that they and the immigrant on the passenger list were in fact one and the same person. When the request was approved, a government clerk was authorized to officially correct the record. He/she would cross out the old name and write in the new. In rare cases one will also find dates or file number references included in this annotation.

Correspondence Or Record Checks With Other Agencies Or Governments

Among the most perplexing annotations are references to various record checks and correspondence lacking enough information for modern researchers to decipher their meaning. That said, familiarity with immigration records and procedure can often provide likely explanations or possibilities for further research. The example above includes an Ellis Island correspondence file number, "98588/162." Ellis Island files generally begin with "98" or "99." What was the subject of the correspondence? We may never know.

Another example reads "AC Warsaw 4-19-38" with what looks like the initial of whoever verified the record. "AC Warsaw" is almost certainly a reference to the United States (American) Consul in Warsaw, Poland. The U.S. Foreign Service, though the Department of State, often requested record checks from the Immigration Service in the cases of Americans in distress abroad, of immigrants stranded abroad while on a visit to the Old Country, or in connection with visa applications beginning in the early 1920's. The annotation at right indicates that in 1938 the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw had some interest in the immigrant listed. It could be the immigrant was in Warsaw, or perhaps one of the immigrant's relatives applied for a visa in Warsaw, and named the immigrant as his sponsor.

This annotation is also believed to relate to a passport or visa application to the Department of State. We know that by 1930 the State Department was active processing visa applications for relatives, and issuing passports to naturalized U.S. citizens. The annotation seems to list an application number, then a date (November 19, 1930), then the reference "D.O.S." On the other hand, the numbers may NOT relate to an application or a date, and the initials may be those of the verifier. We often must make our best guess based on understanding of immigration procedure of the time. In the same vein, the annotation on the line above our example seems to refer to correspondence between the New York (NY) immigration office and the Bureau (B/C, bureau correspondence) dated January 26, 1942.

MARKINGS ON THE MANIFEST’S OCCUPATION COLUMNREFERENCES TO OTHER PAGES OR LISTS

The most obvious markings in the occupation column relate directly to an occupation, and either correct or clarify the immigrant's trade. But the most perplexing annotations in that column have nothing to do with any occupation. Rather, they are number, letter, and date codes relating to later naturalization activity. They can be recognized by their being written--or the annotation beginning--in the occupation column, and by their adherence to a common format or style.

Numbers, Dates, Cryptic letters & Words

#1

In 1926, the occupation column was set aside for annotations relating to the verification of immigration records for naturalization purposes. Since 1906, no immigrant who arrived after June 29, 1906, could naturalize until the government located their immigration record. Thus since 1906, after an immigrant filed a Declaration of Intention or a Petition for Naturalization in a naturalization court, the Bureau of Naturalization was called upon to provide a certification of the immigrant's arrival record. The certification, called a "Certificate of Arrival," was sent to the courthouse to satisfy the naturalization requirement that everyone who arrived since June 29, 1906 had to have a legal immigration record if they wanted to become a U.S. citizen. 



#2

 From 1906 to 1926 this activity took place without any notation made on the passenger list being certified. But in 1926 verification clerks began to record the verification (record check) and certification activity on each passenger list record. This change came about in response to a terrible scandal about fraudulent naturalizations. By noting that a given immigration record had been used to support an individual naturalization, the annotation served in future to prevent anyone else from using that record for another naturalization. While the annotations may be found on any passenger list, before or after 1926, they will all relate to naturalization activity occurring in 1926 or later (see below). Remember also that the passenger lists were microfilmed in 1942/43, so records of immigrants who arrived earlier but did not begin the naturalization process until after 1942 could not be annotated.

#3

#4

All the verification for naturalization annotations follow a prescribed format containing one or more of the following elements: District number where the application was filed, application number, date of verification, and document issued. The table below identifies each element for the examples illustrating this page. Note that not all annotations of this type will contain every element. Examples 2, 4, and 5 do not indicate what document was issued, and examples 3 and 5 contain no date.

Example 5 suggests two family members who immigrated together also later applied for naturalization together. They applied in the same District (#18), and their application numbers are almost consecutive. Example 6, below, shows a record with two dates annotated: One for the original verification in 1935, and another from a "Recheck" in 1937.

#5

At times, Verification Clerks could not be sure the record found really did relate to the person who claimed that arrival record on their naturalization application. If there were enough significant differences, the clerk could not certify the arrival record. Minor differences were routine--ages one or two years off, height off by a few inches, or Americanized names (Jacob for Yankel, for example). But many years difference in age/date of birth, differing eye color, or place of birth, prohibited certification without further explanation. In those cases, the clerk issued a record (Form 505, or 404), but issued no Certificate of Arrival. Hence the frequent annotation "No C/A."

#6

Verification of Arrivals Prior to June 30, 1906


As noted above, there was no Certificate of Arrival requirement for immigrants who arrived prior to June 30, 1906. Nevertheless, one will see occational naturalization verification activity associated with pre-1906 lists. The example below is from a 1903 passenger list, and displays two characteristics of verifications for pre-1906 arrivals. One is the "X" between the district number and the application number. The "X" means the applicant did not have to pay the Certificate of Arrival fee, and in this case was exempt because he arrived before 1906. The other is the reference to issuance of a "C.L ." (or C/L), which is a Certificate of Landing. A Certificate of Landing served the same purpose as a Certificate of Arrival in the naturalization process, but since the latter were only issued to those who arrived after 1906, they needed another name for certifications from pre-1906 records.

Interpreting the Verification for Naturalization Annotations

This step is not so simple as it may seem. The presence of a verification annotation in the occupation column indicates the immigrant initiated naturalization activity between 1926 and 1942/43. In cases where no date is shown, there is no way to determine when this activity occurred. The application number is useless in finding naturalization records. Only the District key number is of limited help, in that one can usually use the number to determine a general location where the immigrant was living when he/she filed their application.


Unfortunately, the Naturalization Service would occasionally re-number all the districts. This means that Chicago might be in District #6 in 1927, but in District #11 in 1931. Chicago did not become District #9 until the early 1940's. Thus it is extremely important to know the date of the annotation if one is to convert the District number into a geographic region of the country.


The tables below show the Districts by number during different time periods. If you don't have a date, or if your date may fall on either side of a dividing line, check both or all tables for the locations. Some knowledge of the immigrant's history should allow you to guess which table fits your annotation.


ANNOTATIONS REGARDING NATIONALITY & CITIZENSHIP

Annotated references to a passenger's nationality are usually, and usually should be, in the nationality column. In fact these references might be found anywhere on the list page, and are frequently found in the name column or the left margin (as were two of the examples on this page).

References to a passengers citizenship, either by birth or naturalization, were added upon arrival by the Immigrant Inspector. The fact of the person's citizenship is the Inspector's explanation of why the individual could be admitted without further questioning.

USB or US Born

Persons born in the United States are US citizens (unless they later expatriated themselves), and are entitled to admission to their own country. Thus the annotation "US Born" has great meaning to the passenger's admission under immigration law, and it is not surprising the fact of their citizenship would be noted. The "USB" annotation is often seen in the case of children returning home after a visit abroad with their foreign-born parents. These children, though citizens, were frequently listed on a "List of Alien Passengers" so they might be listed with their parents. The fact of their US birth is noted to explain why the children were not inspected in the same manner as non-citizens.

The same principle explains the example at right, taken from the "Visa" columns of a late 1924 passenger list. Those columns normally contain information about when, where, and what sort of visa was issued to the immigant. U.S. citizens did not need such documents, so their absence was explained by giving the birthdates of the children. These may have been taken from birth certificates carried by the parents as their children's travel papers. Some similar annotations have been seen to provide the specific birth certificate number.
 

USC, Nat, Natz, Naturalized or Naturalization Certificate Number

Though the example shown above right is from the name column, references to a passenger's naturalized status are usually found farther right, in the nationality column or in the blank space left in the columns under heading concerning health condition, height, weight, and eye color. This example indicates the passenger was issued naturalization certificate #383553. The number "2271" means the naturalization occurred in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Brooklyn. The date may be the

date of naturalization, but could be the date of a verification. The six-digit number at left remains a mystery, and may have been added years later.

The images above come from the passenger list record of a naturalized citizen returning home. The annotated "USC" appears in the nationality column. Farther right, in empty space, is the reference to his naturalization in the Superior Court at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on October 31, 1911. In the case of both examples shown, the immigrant carried evidence of his naturalization (probably his naturalization certificate) on his journey, and the Immigrant Inspector took the information directly from that document. Unfortunately, on a busy day, the Inspector might note the "USC" status and fail to record the details of the passenger's naturalization.

Yet another annotation capturing information about a naturalization is found in the name column, above the name. This naturalization took place in the US District Court in Chicago (750), and Walter Kochman was issued certificate number 2367921.

Occasionally one will find annotations that refer to other passenger lists. The other list may be another page of the same ship's list, or it may refer to a different ship arrival, on a different date, or at another port. The cross-references link passengers who are related somehow but not listed together, or links the various records of one passenger who arrived more than once. Cross-references are usually, but not always, found in the Name column.

References to Other Pages Of the Same Ship's List

The annotation at right indicates that two teenage steerage passengers are actually traveling with their mother. But their mother is a U.S. citizen, so she is listed on another page listing U.S. citizens. They are "with mother" on list of "USC"itizens, either page 27, line 25, or on lines 25 through 27.

Movements between Steerage, First and Second Class Cabin

 Some immigrants changed their class of ticket either just before departure or once underway, much like airline passengers today might "upgrade" to first class just before the flight departs. If the change came at the last minute or once the ship sailed, it was too late to be recorded in the final draft of the passenger list. As a result, pursers annotated lists to show the change. The example at right, found in the name column, indicates the passenger "transferred to Third Class." The example below explains that the passenger's Steerage list record is lined out because he transferred to Second Class.

Often, when a passenger moved between classes in this manner, the result is two records of the same person on the same ship--one record on the list as originally booked, and another on the list of the class in which the immigrant arrived. The same could happen when an immigrant for some reason "missed the boat" upon which he was booked and took the next ship instead. In those cases, he may appear to arrive twice, on ships arriving one after each other. If last minute changes could cause one immigrant to be listed twice, it is reasonable to assume the same situation might also cause an immigrant to fall through the cracks and not be listed at all.

References to Other Ship Lists

Many immigrants arrived in the United States several times, and consequently have more than one passenger list record. Sometimes these additional records are only suggested by Verification of Landing annotations found in the Left Margin. But at other times, the linkage between two records of the same person are unmistakable. One of the most striking differences between an immigrant's original arrival and a later entry is the "Americanization" of their names between arrivals.

The examples below relate to three men listed together on the SS Pocahontas, which arrived in New York in mid-June, 1920. All three of the men were returning on that voyage, each having been previously admitted in earlier years. And all three have their records linked by references to earlier passenger lists. It appears all three had their records cross-referenced as a result of naturalization activity.

 

Note that since these annotations were made years before microfilming of the records, they make no mention of National Archives or LDS microfilm roll numbers. Rather, they rely on the volume, page, and line numbers. The page numbers correspond to "stamped" page numbers on the passenger lists that run consecutively through a volume (as opposed to other numbers original to the ship list).

MARKINGS IN OTHER MANIFEST COLUMN


In the Head Tax Column

Until 1952, there was a "Head Tax" on each immigrant entering the United States. For most immigrants, the tax was included in the price of their steamship ticket and paid by the steamship company. The same was true for passengers who came by railroad or ferry across the Northern and Southern Borders. Those immigrants who came "under their own steam" had to pay at the door.

Not everyone had to pay the Head Tax. Children under 16 were exempt, as were returning residents, citizens/natives of Canada, Mexico, and most Caribbean islands. Also exempt were "Non-Immigrants," that is, people who were not coming to live in the U.S. permanently. In this category were visitors, tourists, and people traveling through U.S. territory in transit to another country. Many nonimmigrants had to pay the Head Tax as a deposit to guarantee they would leave as promised. Those "transits" who paid a Head Tax deposit got a receipt and had the fee refunded when they departed.

Many returning residents disputed their need to pay the Head Tax, claiming they already paid it upon their first arrival. They usually paid the tax, got a receipt, went to their home in the U.S., then pursued their refund by mail.

In the Can Read and Write Column

The Immigration Act of 1917 first required that immigrants coming to live in the U.S. permanently be able to read and write in their native language. Thus passenger lists after 1917 include a column asking whether the passenger can read and/or write, and in what language. Whenever an Immigrant Inspector suspected that an applicant for permanent admission was illiterate, he could send them for a literacy (reading) test.

The government initially tested the immigrants by having them read selected passages from the Bible, but it became clear this system could be controversial. So the Immigration Service soon developed a rather complicated system to perform the testing. First, each known language was issued a number. Then, a number of phrases and passages in each language were printed on slips of paper (one phrase per slip), and each phrase received a serial number. So each slip had one number for the language, and another for the phrase (i.e., #-####).

A second set of slips were printed in English, and numbered with the exact correponding numbers. The phrases usually contained simple instructions, such as "Get up, open the door, and return to your chair," or "Shake the hand of the person next to you." The literacy test involved first determining what language the immigrant spoke/read, locating a slip for that language, and giving the immigrant the test language slip and the testing official the corresponding English language slip. By reading the corresponding instructions in English and observing the immigrant's actions, even an Inspector who spoke only English could discern whether the person before him could read.

The passenger manifest would later be annotated with the number of the test slip. The notes indicated both that the immigrant was tested and exactly which test was given. A test slip number by itself usually indicates the immigrant passed. If he/she failed, the annotation often also includes the words "cannot read." If their illiteracy became grounds for exclusion (i.e., the reason to send them back), it should appear on a List of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry.

Hospital Stamps or Medical Annotations

Some records of immigrants who were held for real or suspected ailments bear a stamp reading "IN HOSPITAL." Many also have stamps indicating the end of their hospital stay, as either "discharged," "died in hospital," or "deported." If an immigrant was hospitalized, beginning in 1903 at New York the immigrant should also appear on a List of Aliens Detained or a List of Aliens Held for Special Inquiry. If they were hospitalized at Philadelphia ca. 1882 to ca. 1902, there may be additional records at the National Archives in Philadelphia. There are no known additional records for other ports.

Any immigrant whom the Public Health Service doctors thought might be sick, mentally ill, or otherwise unable to take care of themselves might be issued a Medical Certificate (click here to see a 1906 Medical Certificate). Those immigrants certified then went for a full examination by medical staff. They may not have been hospitalized, but many ship lists bear annotations noting Medical certificates, like those illustrated below, both certifying "senility":

Note the examples above and below both contain some language saying the doctor was of the opinion the condition would affect the immigrant's ability to earn a living (that is, a Likely Public Charge, or LPC).

Non-Immigrant Stamps

The question of how much money an immigrant had in his possession is related to his or her ability to support themselves in the United States and not become a Likely Public Charge (LPC). They needed enough money to pay for transportation, food, and lodging until they found a job, a place to live, etc. The amount needed would differ for different immigrants. Those coming to live with family members needed less cash on hand than those with only temporary lodging arranged. And those with scarce or marketable skills needed less money than common laborers, especially at times of high unemployment in the United States.

Immigrants were frequently less than truthful about the amont of money in their possession. Some claimed to have more money than they had, thinking the higher number would improve their chance of admission to the United States. Others claimed far less than was true, fearing their life's savings would be stolen by other passengers, or taken from them by corrupt border guards encountered on their journey.

Immigrant Inspectors often corrected the amount during immigrant inspection. Small variations are expected, explained by the fact that some funds might be spent while aboard the ship. Large differences are usually explained by the fact that many immigrants hid the fact that they carried large amounts of money until they arrived in America.

Discharged at Pier, Discharged at Dock

Some passenger lists contain stamps or annotations indicating a passenger was "discharged" at the pier or dock. First and second class passengers were generally inspected on board the ship and allowed to proceed while steerage immigrants lined up to board barges or ferries to Ellis Island. United States citizens listed on alien pages often display a "US Citizen discharged at pier" stamp. The example at right is from the record of a 26 year-old student "d[is]c[harge]d at dock" by Inspector Biglin. Whenever a passenger is so annotated, it means they did not proceed with others on that page toward extended immigrant inspection.

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS & ABBREVIATIONS

Many acronyms and abbreviations are found on the manifests and are used on this website. Below is a listing of the most commonly used acronyms and abbreviations, what they stand for and what page of this site further information can be found on.

Acronym/Abbreviation ... Stands for ... Found here...

404 ... Form 404 - Arrival Information ... Occupation Column
505 ... Form 505 - Arrival Information ... Occupation Column
ACL ... Alien Contract Labor ... Special Inquiry
B/C ... Bureau Correspondence ... Name Column
B-i-l ... Brother-in-law ... Record of Detained Aliens
B.S.I. ... Board of Special Inquiry ... Left Margin
C ... Certificate (usually) ... Nationality and Citizenship
C/A ... Certificate of Arrival ... Occupation Column
C.L. ... Certificate of Landing ... Occupation Column
CL ... Contract Labor ... Special Inquiry
D ... Detained ... Left Margin
Dcd. ... Discharged ... Other
Dep.-Excl. ... Deportable and Excludable ... Special Inquiry
D.O.S. ... Department of State ... Name Column
Husb ... Husband ... Record of Detained Aliens
LPC ... Likely Public Charge ... Special Inquiry or Other
Med Cert ... Medical Certificate ... Special Inquiry or Other
Nat or Natz ... Naturalized ... Nationality and Citizenship
N.O.B. ... Not On Board ... Left Margin
P ... Permit ... Name Column
Rech ... Recheck ... Occupation Column
R.R. ... Railroad ... Record of Detained Aliens
S.I. ... Special Inquiry ... Left Margin
Tel $ ... Telegram sent for money ... Record of Detained Aliens
USB ... US Born ... Nationality and Citizenship
USC ... United States Citizen ... References to Other Pages or Lists
V/L ... Verification of Landing ... Name Column
X ... "Detained" ... Left Margin