Nature of Source
Registration documents of foreigners entering Britain. The registers were compiled at the port of entry by the ship’s master detailing the known aliens amongst the passengers. The documents were lodged with the local Justice of the Peace and forwarded to the Aliens Office in London. Landlords also had to supply details of foreigners residing at their lodgings. The records were complied under the various Aliens Acts of 1793, 1798, 1816, 1826 and 1836. Under the Acts, Certificates of Arrival were issued to the alien with copies lodged with the local Justice of the Peace and forwarded to the Aliens Office in London. Lists of aliens were then compiled. Certificates of arrival from 1836 to 1852 have not survived, but indexes have. Most early records of the Aliens Office (1793-1835) were destroyed.
The records are organised by port of entry and year. Lloyds Register can identify the names of ships that arrived at a port on a particular date (see here for research guides on using the Lloyds Lists and Registers). Also look for passes issued to aliens between 1793 and 1836 which contain additional information and also for any supplementary correspondence. By the mid 1860s, the 1836 the Aliens Act had fallen into disuse and was largely ignored. The 1905 Act brought about a structured approach to immigration control which was followed by the Aliens Restriction Acts of 1914 and1919 (See Registers of Aliens). From 1920 passports were first introduced for international travel.
The so called Metzner Index compiled by Len Metzner is an alphabetical index in two volumes containing the names of Germans, Poles and Prussians arriving in Britain between 1847 and 1869. The names, which include many Jews, are extracted from TNA series HO 2, certificates of arrival of aliens and HO 3, ships lists of aliens. The index is available at TNA library or in the reading room at the London Metropolitan Archives or for purchase from the Anglo German Family History Society who also have other indexes compiled by Len Metzner. Also see the publication Catalogue of Len Metzner Indexes and Guide to Further Research Material published by the Anglo-German Family History Society Publications.
The early records of those who worked as aliens clerks, customs or immigration officers can be found in the Customs Port Books.
See also
Denizations
Huguenot Records and Registers
Jewish Records
Jewish Registers
Naturalisation Papers
Passenger Lists
Registers of Aliens
Returns of Aliens
Sacrament Certificates
Where Found
The National Archives (FO 83/21-22, Lists of aliens arriving at British ports, Aug. 1810-May 1811; HO 2, Certificates of Arrival of Aliens, 1836-1852; HO 5, Aliens’ Entry Books, 1794-1921. Electronic images of these records can be browsed online through ancestry.co.uk; HO 5/25-32, Partial indexes to the certificates of arrival from HO 2 covering 1826-1849; HO 3, Lists of unindexed immigrant passengers compiled by the ships’ master, 1836-1869. Arranged by year of arrival; CUST 102/393-395, Port of London arrivals, July-November 1826; CUST 102/396, Gravesend arrivals 1826-1837; CUST 54, Outport Records: Dover, 1693-1932)
County Record Offices (Quarter Session records for ‘Accounts of Aliens’, ‘Householders’ Notices/Returns’ and ‘Overseers’ Returns’. Find the details of a local UK archive from a searchable list of over 2,500 archives hosted by The National Archives)
Period Covered
1810 – 1869
Genealogical Value
- Name, rank, address, country of origin, nationality and occupation of alien.
- Date and port of arrival, name of ship and last country visited.
- Certificates may show if a passport was held and the issuing country.
Further References
- Kershaw, Roger & Pearsall, Mark. Immigrants And Aliens: A Guide to Sources On UK Immigration and Citizenship: PRO Publications, 2000
- Metzner, Len. Catalogue of Len Metzner Indexes and Guide to Further Research Material: Anglo-German Family History Society Publications, 2001
Websites
www.museumoflondon.org.uk/Collections-Research/Research/Your-Research/X20L/Themes/1386/1081 (Museum of London Exploring 20th century London: Aliens Acts 1905 and 1919)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/immigration (The National Archives Research Guide: How to look for records of Immigration and immigrants. This guide provides advice on how to locate records of immigrants to England and Britain from the 13th century onwards)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/naturalisation-british-citizenship (The National Archives Research Guide: How to look for records of Naturalisation, registration and British citizenship. Use this guide if you are looking for records of how, when or if a person obtained British citizenship up to October 1986)
www.genuki.org.uk/big/Emigration (GENUKI: UK and Ireland: Emigration and Immigration. Links to sources relevant to immigration)
https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20131105215903/http://www.movinghere.org.uk//default.htm (Moving Here Web Archive: Histories of immigrant communities including Jewish, Caribbean, Irish and South Asian. Collections include digitised documents and photos with a section of Acts of Parliament dealing with Migration and Naturalisation)
www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Aliens_and_Immigrants_in_England_and_Wales (FamilySearch Research Wiki; Aliens and Immigrants in England and Wales)
www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/next_steps/adv_04_migrants_01.shtml (19th Century Immigration, By Else Churchill)
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory (Black Presence: Asian and Black History in Britain, 1500-1850)
www.portcities.org.uk/london (Port Communities: Online digitised collection resource of over 5000 items, brought to you by the National Maritime Museum and other museums, archives and libraries)
www.genealogylinks.net/uk/index.html (Links to online genealogy records including passenger lists)
www.agfhs.com (Anglo-German Family History Society. The Society welcomes all those who are interested in researching the genealogy or family history of people from the German-speaking parts of Europe who have emigrated over the centuries and settled in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland)
www.anglo-italianfhs.org.uk (Anglo-Italian Family History Society)
Online Databases
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/aliens-registration-cards-1918-1957 (The National Archives Aliens Registration Cards: Aliens registration cards of those living in the London area from 1914 taken from series MEPO 35 covering some 1,000 foreign nationals)
www.ancestry.co.uk (England, Alien Arrivals, 1810-1811, 1826-1869; Lists of aliens, non-British citizens, arriving in England between 1810 and 1869 extracted from series FO 83/21-22, HO 2, HO 3 and CUST 102/393-396)
www.ancestry.co.uk (Aliens Entry Books, 1794-1921: Details of foreigners resident in the UK, 1794-1921containing browsable images from TNA series HO 5. The collection consists of correspondence and other documents of the Home Office and the Aliens Office from 1794 to 1921. The majority of the collection consists of out-letters relating to aliens and naturalisations. Includes some additional miscellaneous documents such as some registers of applications for denization)
www.ancestry.co.uk (UK, World War II Alien Internees, 1939-1945. This collection provides details of foreign nationals interned by the British government during World War Two. The original records are held in Series HO 396 at The National Archives, Kew)
www.ancestry.co.uk (Edinburgh, Scotland, Alien Registers, 1794, 1798-1825. This collection contains registries of aliens living in Edinburgh, Scotland from 1794 up to and including 1825. The majority of records are associated with French migrants but not limited to people of French heritage. It was compulsory for aliens of all ethnicities to register)
www.sog.org.uk/search-records (SoG Data Online: Polish Refugee subsistence and genealogical data. Members of the Society of Genealogists are able to view these records for free via their existing membership. Non-members can carry out free surname searches but will need to join the society to view the full record details)
https://gmpmuseum.co.uk/research/resources/alien-register-index-search (Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives: Alien Register Index Search. Search a collection of Alien registers from Salford City Police. The registers contain the names of Non-UK citizens living in Salford during the First and Second World Wars. Please also note they exclusively cover Salford City)
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