Court of record

Under the 1802 law, any court of record could grant citizenship, and immigrants used whichever was handiest. By 1905 more than 5,000 courts were naturalizing, each with its own forms, fees and rules. After September 26, 1906, only courts with a seal and a clerk could do it, and fees nudged the work toward federal courts.

For a naturalization before 1906, search county and city courts as well as federal ones. The National Archives mostly holds only federal court records; state archives and courthouses hold the rest. The declaration and petition could be filed in different courts.