Naturalization Records can be an important source of genealogical research. It was a process by which our ancestors arriving from other countries became United States Citizens. At the Bradford County Historical Society the records, beginning in 1840, have been microfilmed and cover many reels of film through 1957. How much information is found, in many cases, depends on when the naturalization occurred. The earlier years contain less information than later years when more information was required in the process. These records can help you find the date, ship, port of arrival, and place of birth of your ancestor. Most people went to the court nearest them and generally after living in the United States for a few years they would file a Declaration of Intent to become a citizen and after a period of time could petition for naturalization. Citizenship was granted to wives and minor children of naturalized citizens so the vast majority of records pertain to males. People from many European countries, especially the British Isles, and later Italians and others settled in Bradford County and will be found in these records.

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