Daily AncestorLPC
LPC means likely to become a public charge: officials feared the immigrant could not support himself, the most common reason people were held or barred.
The Immigration Act of 1882 barred anyone unable to take care of himself without becoming a public charge. Inspectors applied it to people with little money and no one waiting for them, and to those whose illness or disability might keep them from work.
LPC on a manifest or special inquiry list means a hearing, not necessarily a refusal. A promise of support from a relative, a bond, or an immigrant aid society taking responsibility usually got the person admitted.
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "LPC." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/immigration/lpc. Last checked 2026-10-03.