Daily AncestorDetained
Detained on a passenger list means an arriving immigrant was held at the station for a time, often until a relative came or money for a ticket arrived.
Inspectors marked the left margin with a D, an X or the word Held. At New York from 1903, a Record of Detained Aliens bound at the end of the list gives the cause and the outcome.
The most common cause was a woman or child traveling alone and waiting to be collected, written as to husb., to father and so on. Others waited for a telegram with fare money, noted Tel $. The release column often names the relative and address, with R.R. if the person was sent on by railroad.
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Daily Ancestor. "Detained." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/immigration/detained. Last checked 2026-10-03.