Immigration Timeline Reference

Origin Countries: England

Primary Ports: Jamestown, Virginia

Estimated Numbers: 104 initial settlers

Key Records: Virginia Company records, land grants, church registers

Origin Countries: England (Pilgrims)

Primary Ports: Plymouth, Massachusetts

Estimated Numbers: 102 passengers (Mayflower)

Key Records: Mayflower passenger list, Plymouth colony records

Origin Countries: England (Puritans)

Primary Ports: Massachusetts Bay Colony

Estimated Numbers: ~20,000

Key Records: Massachusetts Bay Colony records, church membership lists

Origin Countries: Germany, Switzerland

Primary Ports: Philadelphia, New York

Estimated Numbers: ~100,000

Key Records: Ship passenger lists (Philadelphia), Oath of Allegiance records

Origin Countries: Scotland, Ireland (Scots-Irish)

Primary Ports: Philadelphia, Charleston, Boston

Estimated Numbers: ~250,000

Key Records: Ship manifests, land grants, Presbyterian church records

Origin Countries: Africa (enslaved)

Primary Ports: Charleston, Newport, New York

Estimated Numbers: ~300,000 (to 13 colonies)

Key Records: Slave ship manifests, plantation records, bills of sale

Origin Countries: Ireland, Germany

Primary Ports: New York, New Orleans, Boston

Estimated Numbers: ~5 million

Key Records: Passenger arrival lists, naturalization records, census

Origin Countries: Ireland (Great Famine)

Primary Ports: New York, Boston, Philadelphia

Estimated Numbers: ~1.5 million

Key Records: Passenger lists, Famine Immigrant records, NYC ship lists

Origin Countries: Germany (48ers)

Primary Ports: New York, Milwaukee, St. Louis

Estimated Numbers: ~1 million

Key Records: Passenger lists, German-American newspapers, church records

Origin Countries: Scandinavia, Germany

Primary Ports: New York, Chicago

Estimated Numbers: ~6 million

Key Records: Castle Garden records (1855-1890), homestead records

Origin Countries: Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia, Austria-Hungary)

Primary Ports: New York (Ellis Island), Baltimore

Estimated Numbers: ~9 million

Key Records: Ellis Island records, ship manifests, naturalization papers

Origin Countries: Italy

Primary Ports: New York, New Orleans, Boston

Estimated Numbers: ~4 million

Key Records: Ellis Island records, Italian commune records, ship manifests

Origin Countries: All nations

Primary Ports: Ellis Island, New York

Estimated Numbers: ~12 million processed

Key Records: Ellis Island passenger records, immigration inspection cards

Origin Countries: Austria-Hungary, Russia, Italy

Primary Ports: Ellis Island, Baltimore, Philadelphia

Estimated Numbers: ~10 million

Key Records: Ship manifests, 1910/1920 census, naturalization records

Origin Countries: Mexico

Primary Ports: El Paso, Laredo, San Ysidro

Estimated Numbers: ~1 million

Key Records: Border crossing records, Mexican civil registration

Origin Countries: Mexico (Bracero Program)

Primary Ports: El Paso, Laredo, Calexico

Estimated Numbers: ~4.6 million contracts

Key Records: Bracero Program records, INS border crossing cards

Origin Countries: Latin America, Asia

Primary Ports: Miami, Los Angeles, New York

Estimated Numbers: ~30 million+

Key Records: INS/Naturalization records, visa applications, census records

Origin Countries: Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos)

Primary Ports: Various US ports, refugee camps

Estimated Numbers: ~1.5 million

Key Records: Refugee resettlement records, ODP (Orderly Departure Program)

Origin Countries: India, China, Philippines, Korea

Primary Ports: San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles

Estimated Numbers: ~10 million+

Key Records: H-1B visa records, naturalization records, census data

Origin Countries: Africa, Middle East

Primary Ports: New York, Washington DC, Houston

Estimated Numbers: ~3 million+

Key Records: Diversity visa lottery records, refugee resettlement, asylum records