Daily AncestorDischarged at pier
Discharged at pier on a passenger list means the passenger was released at the dock and did not go on with the others to full inspection at the station.
At New York, first and second class passengers were generally inspected on board and allowed to land, while steerage passengers went by barge or ferry to Ellis Island. A stamp or note reading discharged at pier, or dcd at dock with an inspector's name, marks someone released at that point. Sick passengers or those with legal problems were still sent to Ellis Island whatever their class.
The note is common for U.S. citizens listed on alien pages, often stamped "US Citizen discharged at pier". If an ancestor's line carries it, there is usually no Ellis Island detention or hearing record to look for.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Discharged at pier." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/immigration/discharged-at-pier. Last checked 2026-10-12.